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Saunders on way to Selection Regatta
Congratulations to Leah Saunders, who has this week been named as a traveling reserve for the Australian Senior A Women’s 8+, just four days before the team is flying out to begin a training camp at the European Training Centre in Varese, Italy.
The short notice, due to sickness and injury in the crew has provided the opportunity for Leah to step up and fulfil the role of reserve. It appears history is repeating itself, as a similar situation last year resulted in Leah replacing a crew member of the under 23 W4x that went on to win a silver medal at the under 23 World Championships in Bulgaria.
There’s no doubt Saunders knows how to slot into a crew and she brings with her a wealth of successful international experience.
As the women’s 8+ is an unqualified boat for the Rio Olympics they will be seeking a top two result at the Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland from the 23rd – 25th May. The event known as the “Regatta of Death” will be a high stakes race for an opportunity to row at the Olympics. Should the crew qualify we will continue to see Leah’s involvement at World Cup Two.
We wish Leah and the crew all the best in their tour and for qualification!
Rowers’ Reunion
Another sunny Sydney day presented itself for the May Rowers’ Reunion last Sunday. A total of five boats were scheduled to be christened, but with Australian Olympic team commitments excluding Alex Lloyd and Spencer Turrin from the festivities, the two coxless pairs bearing their names will be christened after their Olympic Games campaign. The remaining three of the new fleet were on display and duly named.
Three time world champion Erik “hat trick” Horrie spoke about how proud he is to row in the light blue before wetting the bow of the “Erik Horrie” a new single scull. David Sollom christened the new Sykes Coxed Four named after Dame Eadith Walker – who in 1895 was the first women to be an office bearer at the club. In 1886 she inherited her father’s estate, sworn for probate at £937,984. Dame Eadith was a philanthropist a keen oarswoman and a great supporter of the club.
John Coates passed on his apologies John’s currently overseas with Olympic Committee duties in what is a busy and important year for him. Daughter Fiona stepped up to christen the Empacher eight the “John Coates”. Fiona stating that “The six Coates’ children practically grew up at SRC and the club is absolutely in their blood”.
The assembled crowd then moved to the Wharfside Room for lunch and refreshments. With Dale Caterson away on Safari in Africa, Michael Morgan took up the position of MC, welcoming guests – including visitors from the Central Tablelands Rowing Club. Lyn and Don MacIver brought the young rowers along to provide them with the opportunity to visit a well-established club. The Central Tablelands Club being relatively young. The Rowers’ Reunion provided the ideal occasion to see the club working at many levels.
Rowers’ Reunion is a great opportunity for rowers to share stories and importantly memorabilia. Lyn MacIver spoke and displayed a framed photo of the 1963 Champion Lightweight Four of NSW. The same crew that went on to win the Penrith Cup. The crew was boated by Alan Simons (bow) Geoff Knight, Don MacIver, Greg Hancock (stroke) with Larry Parker in the coxswain’s seat.
The Dedes kitchen again provided a splendid meal at what was a very enjoyable afternoon at SRC.
Click here for photos from the day.
The Petrin Collection
On Saturday 28th May 2016, 11.00am – 2.00pm, a unique opportunity has arisen to view the remarkable rowing archives, library and memorabilia collected by Louis Petrin. Louis is well known to rowing supporters and competitors both young and old as a popular NSW Boat Race Official and historian.
Click here for the flyer.
Horrie Claims President’s Trophy
The President’s Trophy is presented to an athlete who, in the past year, has made an outstanding and inspirational contribution to the sport of Para Rowing in New South Wales. SRC’s Erik Horrie has taken out this inaugural award adding to a plethora of accolades received over the last few years. RNSW President Ivan Adlam donated the trophy which was presented by the Govenor at a ceremony at Government House. Erik is a paralympian silver medallist (2012), three time world champion (2013, 14, 15) and holder of the world’s best time. Deservedly, Erik and his coach Jason Baker have been named in the Australian Olympic team for the Rio games in September. Congratulations Erik and we look forward to following your road to Rio.
Welcome Aboard Susanne
There have been some changes on the Club Board in recent weeks, with two directors stepping down and one replacement named.
Similarly, the champion lightweight and former fastest man in NSW, Hugh McLeod, has moved to Taree and stepped down from the board after many years of valuable service to all rowers in the club. All members are thankful for the unerring dedication to the club that both have showed and look forward to seeing them regularly when they are back in Sydney.
Winter Talent Pathway Program 2016
Juniors Jet Set to Netherlands
The SRC decks will be cleared during August with a total of 6 junior athletes and 2 coaches selected for World Junior Championships set to which take place in Rotterdam from 21-28 August. The Junior Men’s 4X is an entirely light blue crew – Max Brenner, Pasha Bevan, Thomas Barnes, Jackson Kench and coach Lachlan Carter.
Romola Davenport has earned a seat in the women’s quad and Harriet Hudson will be coached by Don Cech in the Women’s single scull.
Don telling The Catch: “I am really excited about the talent we have in our SRC junior contingent at the moment.The guys and gals have shown great temperament and composure in their racing this season and with their continued physiological development we are looking really good as a club going forward into the u21 and u23 age groups in the near future! For now we will focus on absolutely smashing our best possible races at this year’s Worlds and hopefully bring back medals from Rotterdam!”
Coxswain George Davis will be steering the Men’s Under 21 eight in the Trans Tasman series against New Zealand. The first regatta will take place at SIRC 30 June – 2 July with the return leg on Lake Karapiro from 8-10 September. Click here for full selections list.
Rowers’ Reunion 1 May 2016
SRC Foundation Cocktails
Members past and present came from near and far for the Sydney Rowing Club Foundation Cocktail Party, in support of the club’s future. The room was filled with Sydney Rowing Club members dressed in club and honour blazers, showing that club pride runs deep with this audience. The energy in the air was building as members circulated the room, catching up with old teammates and meeting current athletes.
Andrew Rowley opened the evening and invited current athletes in attendance to join him at the microphone for some questions. Past Vice Captain Leah Saunders spoke of the important role the club had played for her as she moved to Sydney from McLean at the age of 18 and knowing very few people, the club became her instant home and its members her new friends. Current Vice Captain Kendall Brodie gave the credit of her coxing to the athletes, coaches and mentors and to the opportunities to travel on international tours.
Current Australian Men’s eight members Josh Hicks and James Chapman talked about the current line up of their crew and the standard of competition they will face at the Olympic Qualification Regatta in five weeks time. Hicks commenting on the club’s accessibility to everyone from novice, junior, club to elite level which makes Sydney a world class Rowing Club.
The night finished off with some delicious duck pancake hors d’oeuvres and the viewing of a few races caught on video highlighting some of the club’s recent successes in the Men’s Open Eight race at Gold Cup 2015 which Sydney again claimed the title of in 2016 and Henley Royal Regatta finals in the Visitors and Brittania four. To make a donation to the Foundation, Click here.
Sydney Youths Turn Tricketts
After a gruelling sequence of regattas during the last four months, numbers were down for Sydney at the annual grade championships regatta at Penrith. There were however a select group of youth athletes who were keen to represent the club and maintain their racing fitness ahead of the upcoming northern hemisphere season.
SRC has traditionally performed well at the Edward Trickett Grade Championships, an event which rewards depth across different classes of rowers. This year however, with many of our athletes coming of the tough national selection process, and misadventure affecting the senior grade rowing squad, the club only had a small group that competed over the weekend.
The standouts in this bunch were a group of under 21 athletes, for whom the coming months may still hold opportunities for representative and international racing. On the women’s side, the quad of Bianca Riley, Brianna Caputo, Georgia Bradley and Madison Brown won the B grade final ahead of a field of eight crews. Subsequent wins in the A grade double and B grade single delivered a rare Trickett turkey to Bradley.
For the men, similar success came in the B grade quad, winning in a time of 6.09 over a small but select field that included a top Canberra crew. This was followed by the rare sight of an SRC first four in the A grade double sculls, with the combination of Patterson and Boakes narrowly besting Bevan – Barnes, Parcsi – Duignan, and Brenner – Kenny.
The club’s masters also got involved in the action, with a Steve Handley coached crew collecting a bronze in an explosive final of the C four. The Sydney men were up against a tough field but turned heads with their performance, including that of respected rowing analyst Barry Moynihan who commented on the ‘Humphrey Bogart’ looks of the SRC 2 seat, Charles Lloyd Jones.
The legends had earlier won silver in the C eights, marking a successful regatta for the squad ahead of the upcoming state and national master’s championships. The senior men’s squad competed in the D eight with some juniors. The race began well with an early lead to Sydney established over the race favourites Balmain, however the 1000m journey proved too far for the SRC crew, which faded into 5th.