January

31st: Laurie Anderson's Award of Merit

On Tuesday, 31st January Rowing WA took great pleasure in honouring a long-standing and exceptional member of the rowing community - Laurie Anderson.  It was a pleasure to attend this event held at the Oarhouse Cafe down by ANA Rowing Club on the beautiful banks of the Bayswater foreshore.  Family and friends from all walks of Laurie's life gathered in the morning sunlight enjoying coffee & delicious treats served by the cafe staff while being able to chat directly with Laurie onscreen via a livestream...

Read the full story here

Photos: Top row - great turnout to the Award of Merit ceremony! Bottom - Laurie as a young man (left).

February

21st: RWA Annual General Meeting

The AGM sees the Association present the annual report and audited financial statements, appoint an auditor for the next financial year, election of officers and directors and any other general business. At the 2023 AGM, the Board welcomed new Appointed Director, Tim Perkins, and thanked retiring Director Verity Keogh. Tim took over Verity's role as High Performance Director, and he is now part of the team that steers our HP strategy and programs, and is a selector on the State Team. Verity had been on the RWA Board since 2015 and made a huge contribution over her time in the role.

March

18th: PSA Head of the River

Trinity College wins nine out of twleve events, including the prestigious First Eight trophy!

Click here to browse the full results

Watch below to relive the First Eights race:

27th March - 2nd April: Australian Rowing Championships

In a HUGE week for WA rowing, we played host to the National Championship regatta.This gave us an opportunity not only to show off Champion Lakes to the masses (and provide some relief to long-suffering trailer drivers who usually cart the State's boats across the country this time of year), but for WA athletes to come out in force and race. Many WA club and school athletes choose to forgo Nationals due to the significant logistical challenges usually involved in getting there - this was their chance to see how they fared against the country's best.

The 2023 ARC was the biggest Nationals EVER by participation standards, and a very successful one for local athletes with a huge number of medals and wins - by our count, 6 gold, 12 silver and 19 bronze! WARC were the top WA crew on the medal table at the end of the week.

Highlights were Bronze Medal results in both the Interstate Men's Single 'President's Cup' (Sam Marsh) and the Interstate Women's Lightweight Quad 'Victoria Cup' (Lara Glendinning, Suzie Gravestock, Lola Davies, Ruth Morris, Coached by Matt Cochran and George White).

Click here for all the WA results

Click here for the State Team crews & results

Photo: Bronze medalists in the Victoria Cup - Lara Glendinning, Suzie Gravestock, Lola Davies & Ruth Morris

April

27th: Pathway Regatta

The WA Pathway crews headed to SIRC in late April to race in the Pathway Regatta. This regatta, held alongside the National Junior Trials, brings together the best crews of school-aged rowers from each state. Our Juniors performed phenomenally - the Boys Eight came home with a Silver, and the Girls Eight a Bronze! 

Click here to read about the purpose of the Pathway Team and a list of 2023 Team Members

Click here for the recap of their trip

Photo: The 2023 Pathway Team at SIRC post-racing. Credit to the Guildford Rowing Association.

May

20th: Masters State Champs

The Masters season culminated in May with the State Championships. The Masters season is timed so that not only can they race with some warmer weather, but so that crews heading to the Australian Masters Rowing Championships can prepare adequatley for competition. 

Perth Rowing Club took home the trophy for the Nelly Brandsma Masters Womens Coxed Eight, while Curtin University won the Masters Men's Coxed Eight. ANA's Alec Monger was the fastest male sculler of the day, and SRRC's Alex Thornton was the fastest female.

Browse the full results here

June

1st - 4th: Australian Masters Rowing Championships

The state was represented by a small but mighty WA Masters contingent at the Sydney International Regatta Centre this year, culminating in a fantastic Silver-medal performance by the State Masters Men's Quad (McGrath, Robson, Wall and Salisbury). Despite a rocky start with the hired trailer-driver pulling out at the last minute, the regatta went off without a hitch thanks to the amazing community spirit!! Perth Rowing Club was the top WA club on the medal table, most notably winning the WG2x and WG2- and medalling in a number of other events.

Click here to browse the full results

Photos: L - WA Masters Women's Coxed Eight, C - WA Masters Men's Quad Scull, R - members of the composite Women's E Grade 8+ (Credit: UWABC)

24th: IGSSA Head of the River

On a wet and windy Saturday in June, PLC stormed home for their eight straight First VIII win, and the entire program's efforts also saw them top the IGSSA Rowing Consistency Table. Hosts, St Hilda's, and Perth College rounded out the podium in a great final race of the season. 

Click here to read the full story

Watch below: 2023 PLC Rowing Video

25th: Annabelle and Jess set new World's Best Time

At the 2023 edition of the Dutch Holland Beker Regatta, Annabelle McIntyre OAM (FRC) and Jess Morrison OAM (Mercantile) took advantage of the notoriously fast conditions to try and race the clock for a new World's Best Time in the Women's Pair - and were very successful! Their A-Final time of 6:47.11 took them 0.3 seconds below the previous WBT of 6:47.41 set by Kiwis Prendergast & Gowler during the Tokyo Olympics.

Click here to read more

July

7th - 9th: World Cup III

The Senior Aussie team hit the water in Lucerne, Switzerland for their second regatta of the international season, with the WA athletes bringing home two Gold (W2- and M8+) and two Silver (W4- and W8+). 

Click here to read the full recap

Photo: Annabelle McIntyre and Jess Morrison on their way to a win in the W2- (Credit: World Rowing)

7th - 11th: SA Pathway Camp

Since 2019, SA and WA have come together annually for a camp with their top Pathway athletes. This year's camp was hosted in WA from July 7-11. Nick Collins from Aquinas College very generously allowed use of their shed space, equipment & facilities. Each state invited it’s brightest and most enthusiastic Pathway-tier athletes to the camp with the intention of developing big boat skills, fostering a competitive spirit in our young performers, and creating a meaningful competitive opportunity for this group of athletes at a crucial point of the National pre-season... 

Click here to read the rest of the recap

Photos: Composite WA/SA Pathway crews mid-battle paddle

15th - 24th: Team Singapore visit Perth

The Singapore National Rowing Team visited Perth for two weeks as a development opportunity for their Olympic campaign. The team was comprised of seven female athletes (including Tokyo Olympian Joan Poh) and one lighty male, plus several support staff and coaches. They raced at the Age Based Regatta. Head Coach Goken Sakamoto, described the group of athletes as 'passionate & hard-working' and we certainly got the sense that this group of rowers are full of heart, competitive spirit, and love for the sport! Guildford Grammar School were welcoming hosts and the Singaporean athletes were very grateful their their support...

Click here to read more

Photos: L - GGS's Tony Lovrich with Team Singapore rowers after a morning training session, R - Singapore athletes training at WAIS

19th - 23rd: Under 23 World Championships

The Aussie crews who competed at World Under 23 Rowing Championships in July did us all proud with their incredible hard racing all week long. The WA athletes - Becky Pretorius (SRRC), Riley Rees-Turner (SRRC), Alex Rossi (WARC), Johnson Daubney (SRRC) & Alex Baroni (WARC/Cal Berkeley) - plus coach Jamie Hewlett (WAIS) performed outstandingly all week. Becky (W4-), Alex and Johnson (both M4x) came home as Bronze-medallists, and Alex B (M8+) and Riley (M4+) very narrowly missed the podium, both with fourth places. 

Click here to read the full recap

Photos: L - Men's Quad, C - Women's Coxless Four, R - Men's Coxed Four (Credit: Art of Rowing/Rowing Australia)

August

2nd - 6th: Under 19 World Championships

Lyla Fievez (FRC/SRRC) and Greta Spencer (SRRC), along with coach Mark Beer (SRRC) and crewmates Minaya Bishop and Georgia Montague (both UQBC) were selected to the Aussie Junior team this year in the Women's Coxless Four. After a months-long block of training across two seperate states, the girls took to the water in Paris (at next year's Olympic Rowing venue) in August to test themselves against the rest of the world. The crew ended up winning the B-Final - Greta said "Missing the A Final was hard but we pulled ourselves back together and felt super proud and happy when we smashed the B Final from start to finish."

Click here to read the full recap

Photo: The W4- in action in Paris. Credit: Art of Rowing/Rowing Australia

12th: Act Belong Commit All Schools State Championships

Rounding out the biggest post-COVID All Schools Season was a State Champs to remember. Guildford Grammar School retained their title as Champion School in 2023 with an 80-point lead over Runners Up, Shenton College. Consistent performances across the board (including medals in three out of four Coxed Eight events) earned GGS their points. A number of clubs took part, and although clubs can't earn points for the Champion School trophy, they certainly had some outstanding performances. Fremantle Rowing Club topped the Overall Medal Table, with ANA in Second and Iona in Third...

Click here to read the full recap

Click here to browse the photo album

Click here to browse full results

Photo: The Guildford gang post-regatta. Credit: Guildford Rowing Association.

26th: Corporate Regatta

The Canning played host to this year's Corporate Regatta, where crews from Roy Hill, Rail Systems Australia and Bellevue Gold went head-to-head to test their rowing ability and teamwork after just 6 weeks of training together! Host clubs Swan River RC and The UWA Boat Club were out in full support of their adopted members in what was a fun and exciting day of racing. Gen Hart and Jamie Hewlett provided commentary for the live stream of the event, and Fat Cat came out to say hello in support of Roy Hill's telethon fundraising efforts. 

Next year's Corporate Regatta will be held in October and clubs are encouraged to consider this excellent morale-boosting fundraising venture in their year plans!

Click here to read the free West Australian article

September

3rd - 10th: World Championships

A HUGE World Champs for WA! Annabelle (FRC) wins Silver in the Women's Pair, Bronnie (UWABC) and Jacqui (SRRC) Bronze in the Women's Eight, Josh (SRRC) Bronze in the Men's Eight, Rossi (WARC) with his debut in the Aussie senior team & hot racing across all the Aussie crews!! We are always so proud to watch homegrown talent race on the international stage, having earned their seats amongst the most elite athletes in the world. We know how hard they work to get there - and stay there. The challenges that come with competing and racing at the absolute top level are no joke, and the difficulty is what makes the outcomes they achieve over their careers exceptional. Thank you athletes, coaches, support staff, parents & friends, for giving your all in pursuit of giving the green & gold zooties their moment in the spotlight...

Click here to get the recap on Instagram

Photos: L - Annabelle and Jess mid-start, C - Alex Rossi with state team socks on show, R - Women's Eight very excited to be on the Road to Paris! Credit: Art of Rowing/Rowing Australia.

16th - 17th: State Championships

OMG what a month September was!! State Champs was an amazing weekend full of great racing, camaraderie, and (mostly) pretty good conditions!

Murdoch Uni (now Canning Bridge Rowing Club) played host on Day 1, where we saw most of the sweep events, and Fremantle took the early lead on the Medal Table. Day 2 (hosted by Curtin Uni) saw the remainder of the sculling events plus the B Grade and Championship Eights. Highlights include Holly Cannon (FRC) winning every single Champ. Women's event on offer, Freo Women winning their first EVER Championship Women's Eight, Swannies boys winning their 23rd straight Championship Men's Eight, and Alex Rossi (WARC) and Jacqui Swick (SRRC) hopping back in their club boats after racing at World Champs the week prior.

Thank you once again to all our BROs, volunteers, athletes, coaches & supporters who helped make the weekend a success!!

Click here for the Day 1 recap

Click here for the Day 2 recap

Click here to browse full results

Photos: L - Day 2 BROs, C - FRC ladies in the opening strokes of their winning CWO8+ race, R - Swans' victorious CMO8+

BONUS: The Oar Talk Podcast

We released the first episodes of our podcast in September - a new sort of experiment in how to deepen the connection between different parts of the community - so far so good. A massive thank you to Gen Hart who has brought her easy charm and knowledge of the sport to the hosting gig!! Plenty in the pipeline here!  

Head here to listen & follow!

October

21st: WA Rower of the Year Awards

The 2023 ROTY awards kicked off in style at the Cottesloe SLSC, thanks to event sponsors RowGear & Croker Oars who both contributed prizes for the evening. The Pennant awards saw a continued run of success for Fremantle, with their first A Grade pennant win since 1967!! This is of course off the back of their historic first ever CWO8+ win at State Champs - no surprise that they had a great night to cap off a successful season. ANA Rowing Club were always a bridesmaid never the bride for the top prize... until this year when they pipped UWA and their winning streak for Champion Club of the Year. A great way to wrap up the year by celebrating success at all levels of our community.

Click here for the full recap & list of winners

Photos: L - UWABC's Captain Izzy Emery collecting their Novice Sculling Award trophy and prize from VenuesWest's Chris Andrich  (thanks to RowGear), C - FRC's outgoing Pres. Pete Holliday collecting the Club Premiership Pennant from DLGSC's Matt Hayes, R - ANA's Captain Mark Easterbrook collecting the tophy & prize for Champion Club of the Year from DLGSC's Matt Hayes and Croker Oars' Brett Woolfitt (thanks to Croker Oars).

November

4th & 5th: Coaching & Officiating Conference

An amazing weekend of learning & connecting for our WA coaches and Boat Race Officials! Saturday began with Rowing Australia CEO Sarah Cook OLY formally introducing herself to the group & setting out her vision for her time in the CEO role. We then launched into sessions with Paul Thompson MBE who spoke to his time in the GB and Chinese rowing programs, Jason Lane who outlined the Australian Pathways program and the messages he wants all coaches to take back to athletes, Jamie Hewlett & Martyn Binnie with a short sharp shiny Tech Tutorial, and finally the brilliant Judith Ungemach who gave us the St Augustine's story and the lessons they learned on their way to success. The BROs spent time with Nick Hunter OAM learning the ins and outs of Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprints, and then with Ash Synnott of the Officiating Collective in an interactive communication workshop.

Sunday's sessions, held at SRRC, were some casual workshops with Jason Lane and John Bowes where coaches ran through the key points of the Australian Technical Model for both sweep and scull, some rigging downstairs in the boat bay, and then finally a session open to the general public on the pathways to rowing in the US college system.

A huge thank you to our event partners: DLGSC, Decent Rowing, Perfect Balance Rowing, Wintech Racing, Act Belong Commit, and Rowing Australia.

14th: New General Manager of Operations

After a whirldwind 2.5 years, Sarah Black left us to head back to Tassie with her family. Stepping into the role was Nick Wakeford, someone very familiar with the WA rowing scene having been an influential Captain at WARC during the 2010's. A great chance to reflect on Sarah's hard work for the community & thank her for her energy, as well as looking forward to the future with a new person in the role!

17th: Rowing Australia Rower of the Year Awards

A big night for WA at this star-studded event, held in Canberra - huge congratulations to all our local winners & finalists!

Winners

CLUB OF THE YEAR - Fremantle Rowing Club

WOMEN'S CREW OF THE YEAR - Women's Pair (Annabelle McIntyre, FRC)

MEN'S CREW OF THE YEAR - Men's Eight (Josh Hicks, SRRC/SRC)

Finalists

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR - Pete Holliday

OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR - KG Dassanayake

Click here to read RA's recap

Photos: L - the women of the NTC with Gina Rinehart AO, R - Pete Holliday accepting the Club of the Year award on behalf of Fremantle RC (Photo Credit: Rowing Australia/Acacia and Grace Photography)

25th: Head of the Yarra

Nine intrepid WA crews representing seven clubs made the trek across the Nullarbor to Boathouse Drive, Melbourne, for the 2023 edition of the Head of the Yarra. A gruelling 8km course through the heart of Melbourne, this is a 'bucket list' item for many rowers! With a beer tent and carnival atmosphere at the finish line, this amazing regatta (run by Hawthorn Rowing Club) provides an equal fun:challenge ratio and it's no wonder it's worth a several thousand KM round trip... 

Click here to read the full race recap

Click here to browse race photos

Photos: L - Old Scotch, C - ANA's Male E Grade crew, R - 'Supergroup 2' . Credit: HOY Official Photography

December

4th: The Boys in the Boat Preview

We were very lucky to see a preview screening of the forthcoming movie adaptation of classic rowing story 'The Boys in the Boat'. Among others also invited along were our very own Boys in the Boat - the 1960 Olympic Eight made up entirely of WA athletes! The movie comes out to the general public on January 4th and a number of clubs are hosting fundraiser screenings so make sure you head along in support.

Click here to read the story of the WA 1960 Olympic Crew

Click here to watch the trailer

Credit: Still from The Boys in the Boat (Universal Pictures)

12th - 21st: Under 23 Camp and National Time Trial

Four WA athletes were invited to attend Rowing Australia's Under 23 camp in Penrith, NSW. Jason Lane (RA Head of Pathways) says: 

“These camps provide the percent chance for the rowers to come together as a wider group, learn from our world-class High Performance staff and really hold themselves to the highest possible standards. Many of our Olympic and World Champions have walked this path before and we know there are some serious talents among the group that will be coming to Penrith. On top of that, we want the athletes to really come together as a group and try to get a deep understanding of what it means to be a member of the Australian Rowing Team. Those values really drive what we are all trying to achieve as a sport.”

Congrats to Zoe McKellar (SUBC/SRRC/NSWIS), Becky Pretorius (SRRC/WAIS), Gen Hart (FRC/WAIS) and Blake Whyatt (WARC) on their invitation!

Click here for the full invite list

18th - 21st: Senior National Time Trial

A number of WA athletes - mostly those at the NTC, and everyone who raced at World Champs - also earned invites to the Senior National Time Trial, held in Penrith. This is a key stepping stone to selection onto the 2024 Olympic team.

These athletes are Bronwyn Cox (UWABC/HPNTC), Annabelle McIntyre OAM (FRC/HPNTC), Giorgia Patten (WARC/HPNTC), Jacqui Swick (SRRC/HPNTC), Jack Cleary (WARC/RBNTC), Josh Hicks (SRRC/SRC/RBNTC) and Alex Rossi (WARC/RBNTC). Congratulations and good luck!!

Event requirements for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Teams can be found here if you're curious what the process looks like!

16th: Final State Time Trial of 2023

State Team triallists faced their final 5km Time Trial of the year before the first round of deselection from the State Squad! The TT took place at Champion Lakes, where crews (in singles or pairs) raced a serpentine-shaped course up and down the lanes of the course to make up 5km. With some of the usual big hitters away at the NTCs or U23 camp, it was a chance for up-and-coming rowers and club die-hards to show their stuff! One step closer to the 2024 State Teams!