UP THE AUSSIES! 

• World Champs: Friday Catch Up
• State Champs Next Weekend!
  • Boat Holders Needed
  • The Oar Talk Podcast!!
• Jacqui Swick wins SAHOF Scholarship
• Para Rowing Working Group
• RWA Hiring a GM - Operations
• Rower of the Year Awards
  • Nominations for Club Volunteer & Coach Of the Year - Open Now!
• Coaching & Officiating Conference
• WA Rowers to World Masters Games!
• WAIS Talent Search Reminder
• Child Safeguarding Week
• Women's Health Week

Finals Kick Off at World Champs!

How the WA rowers have fared so far in Belgrade

In news that will shock nobody, the Australian Rowing Team are off to a flying start at the World Championships. We've already qualified four Olympic and one Paralympic boat for the 2024 Games, taking the pressure off those crews in the lead up to Paris. WA rowers who have qualified so far are Annabelle McIntyre (W2-) and Giorgia Patten (W4-) - congratulations!!

Blustery conditions wreaked havoc throughout Thursday's Semi Final racing. Some (ahem, Rowing NSW) may even say it was reminiscent of a certain Friday afternoon at Champion Lakes. Thoughts and prayers to the lightweights in the cross-headwind who must have felt like they're rowing through cement - the fastest LW1x crews were going 8:45 compared to their usual 7:35 speed.  Some crews elected to take it easy in the earlier races, just doing enough to progress to the next round (like the Romanians who are doubling up in the Pair/Four and Coxed Eight) - not a great strategy in hindsight given that preference for sheltered lanes will be given to crews who qualified in a higher place! In contrast, the Irish LM2x strategy of focussing on their bicep lifting sessions in the lead-up has obviously paid off big time...

Notably at this regatta we've watched Alex Rossi race his guts out in his first Senior Team regatta, booking a very respectable place in the C Final. In an event with a huge 48 entries, as long as he finishes the race, he's ranked at least in the top 18! He's had a little WA with him in every race, black & Yellow state team socks pulled right up #YeahWA 

As I write this (Friday 8th September), we're gearing up to watch a weekend full of Aussie crews in A Finals. Here's a quick recap of how the regatta's unfolded so far...

Men's Single

Alex Rossi (West Australian RC)

Photo: Vera Bucsu/Rowing Australia

HEAT: 3rd

A/D QUARTER FINAL: 5th

C/D SEMI FINAL: 3rd

Next Race: C FINAL - Sunday 4:18PM

Women's Pair

Annabelle McIntyre (Fremantle RC)

Photo: Vera Bucsu/Rowing Australia

✓ PARIS QUALIFIED ✓

HEAT - 1st

A/B SEMI FINAL - 1st (Watch it here!)

Next Race: A FINAL - Scheduled for Saturday 7:34PM

Women's Four

Giorgia Patten (WARC)

Photo: Vera Bucsu/Rowing Australia

✓ PARIS QUALIFIED ✓

HEAT - 2nd

A/B SEMI FINAL - 3rd (Watch it here!)

Next Race: A FINAL - Scheduled for Saturday 8:39PM

Men's Quad

Jack Cleary (WARC)

Photo: Vera Bucsu/Rowing Australia

HEAT - 3rd

REPECHAGE - 1st

A/B SEMI FINAL - 6th

Next Race: B FINAL - Scheduled for Saturday 6:20PM

Women's Eight

Bronwyn Cox (University of WA BC) and Jacqui Swick (Swan River RC)

Photo: Vera Bucsu/Rowing Australia

HEAT - 2nd

Next Race: REPECHAGE - Friday 5:25PM

(A Final - Sunday 8:10PM)

Men's Eight

Josh Hicks (Sydney RC/Swan River RC)

Photo: Marlien Derien/MyRowingPhoto.com/World Rowing

HEAT- 1st

Next Race: A FINAL - Sunday 8:59PM

Westies are hosting a Watch Party for the Saturday Finals!!

Everybody is welcome no matter club/school affiliation!! 

If any other clubs or schools are doing anything World Champs-related we would love to see it and support if we can - tag us on Instagram or reach out via email!!

State Champs Next Weekend!

Entries close Midnight Monday

Once World Champs are done and dusted, it's time to turn our attention to an equally important regatta... WA STATE CHAMPS WEEKEND!! 

Hosted by Murdoch Uni RC (Day 1) and Curtin Uni BC (Day 2)

Last year's Championships Men and Women's Eights were taken out by Swan River Rowing Club. The A Grade M8+ (and Open M8+ at the Age Based Regatta) has been a cat-and-mouse all season - Westies men taking the W in the OM8+ at the Age Based Regatta, then Swans putting their bow in front at Pennants 2 (1.6 seconds), 3 (0.8 seconds) and 4 (8 seconds)

In the CWO8+, will Fremantle's A-Team continue their winning streak and take out the Ann Tamigi Memorial Trophy for the first time EVER*, will Swans add to their 18 titles, or will the Westies ladies pull something out of the hat when it really counts?

And of course there's much more to State Champs than the Open Eights - the C Grade 1x has been consistently one of the highest entered events across the season (SRRC's Ellsie Griffiths undefeated so far) and Curtin's WC8+ haven't lost a race either! 

You can reminisce on last year's results (or use them to get fired up??) via the 2022 Souvenir Program here. 

A few reminders to make the admin process as smooth as possible!! 

• Get all new rower registrations/renewals in TODAY (FRIDAY) so we can process them for you - please don't leave this until the day before the regatta
• Check the event schedule to make sure the events you want to race have enough time in between them & you're not a) rushing around like crazy to make races and b) holding up races because you're late to the start!
• You will need to be racing in proper club uniform - same zootie, same colour undershirt - get this organised ASAP and use this weekend to go shopping if you need to. 

You can expect the draw to be released in the middle of next week once the error file has been sent to club regatta contacts to be fixed up, and the Withdrawal without Penalty period has ended. 

State Champs Podcast

We promised we were cooking up something fun in the lead up, and we're very very excited to soft launch the OAR TALK PODCAST!  You can expect the first episode to come out in the next few days - Gen Hart, our favourite WAIS staff member (sorry Jamie), hosts interviews with Pennant rowers & coaches who'll recap their own seasons, their favourite races & hot picks for the big dance. A huge thank you to Gen and to Pete Holliday (FRC) for their time, enthusiasm and expertise in helping us get this off the ground!!

*Happy to be fact checked but 99% sure this is correct - missing a few years of results in the 80s

Headline says it all!

Murdoch Uni RC are hosting Day 1 of State Champs and need a few boat holders to get amongst the action at the start line in return for a Bacon and Egg Roll (a very good one, I am assured), a piece of cake, and the knowledge that you're part of making it all work!! Boat holding is really fun and a great opportunity to be a crucial part of the regatta - someone will drive you up to the start line, and you do about three minutes of work (lying down the whole time...) and spend the rest of the time hanging out and chatting. A boat holder who smiles and is helpful makes all the difference for someone who might be new to 2km racing! You can do just a few hours or the whole day. Let me know at devopscoordinator@rowingwa.asn.au if you can assist!

Congratulations Jacqui!

Jacqui Swick (Swan River RC) has been awarded the prestigious Tier 1 scholarship from the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Swick, 19, will be mentored by hockey legend Rechelle Hawkes AM as well as receive a $10,000 sporting grant to go towards training and competition. She is one of six 2023 winners who will now have direct, one-on-one access to one of Australia's sporting legends for advice and support through her journey as an athlete. The program is backed by the Australian Sports Commission and in total will provide $150,000 in funding to three tiers of scholarship winners. 

You can read more at the SAHOF site

Para Rowing Working Group

Thank you to everyone who has put their hand up for the Communications WG in response to the article in last Oar Talk edition - we're now just missing a handful of clubs, but have set our first meeting date!

PARA ROWING

Aussie Para Rowing is in an incredibly exciting space - the PR3 Mixed Double of Jed Altschwager and Nikki Ayers is setting a new World Best Time almost every time they race, the PR3 Mixed Coxed Four is getting ready to race the A Final at World Champs this Saturday, and we're on track to book three slots at the Paralympics off the back of Worlds!

Our Para Rowing in WA Strategic Plan sets out some exciting and ambitious goals for our community to achieve between 2023 and 2027. To achieve all of these goals requires teamwork & this starts with a group of people who are passionate about making change! How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

We're still looking for one or two more people to join our Para Rowing Working Group. If you would like to know more, please send me an email at devopscoordinator@rowingwa.asn.au!

Rowing WA are Hiring!

Our wonderful General Manager of Operations, Sarah Black, is heading back to Tassie with her family.

So we're looking for the next GM who can take our events & sport development to the next level. 

If you, or someone you know, is people-first, is energised by events, and is passionate about strengthening sporting communities - we would LOVE to hear from you.

Head to the Sportspeople page for more information, the PD, and how to apply!

Tickets on sale for Rower of the Year!

October 21

6pm til late

Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club

Tickets strictly limited and on sale now: Book Here

Club Volunteer & Coach of the Year Nominations Open

Our community is founded on a bedrock of volunteers and coaches who are generous with their time, love our sport, and are passionate about building their clubs! Clubs and affiliated members of clubs are invited to nominate their choices for the Club Coach of the Year and Club Volunteer of the Year awards, to be presented at the Rower of the Year dinner. All the selection criteria & past winners can be found here.

Nominees for Club Volunteer of the Year will have contributed significantly to the benefit of a Rowing Club in WA through generosity of their time, resources and energy, making the needs of others a priority, and going above & beyond for their club. 

Nominees for Club Coach of the Year will have achieved outstanding performances demonstrated by the success of their crews, and they will have made a meaningful contribution to rowing coaching at club level.

Nominations can be made before September 29th at the online forms below:

CLUB VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

CLUB COACH OF THE YEAR

Coaching & Officiating Conference

The Coaching & Officiating Conference is coming along very nicely & we're very excited about this year's event.

Judith will be presenting after lunch - plenty of time for anyone who's coaching in the morning to come in and find their seat!! Her session on Building Exceptional School Programs - based on her experience at St Augustine's in Sydney - is a must-see for anyone with an interest in how a great program can be built and bettered.

All the important info is here!

A group of intrepid WA Masters Rowers are heading over to South Africas to compete in the World Rowing Masters Regatta from 21-24 September.

Rene Brovelli, Mark Easterbrook, Elissa Mansell (all ANA) and Simone Burge (Swan River) are competing in the four-day regatta in a number of small boats and composite big boats.

In true Masters fashion they are getting a heap of racing done - for example, Rene (who only moved from South Africa to WA earlier this year) is entered in no less than 11 events across the four days!!

Keep an eye out for updates on their progress - they'll be sending through photos and blog posts.

ON TOMORROW!

Do you want to see your name on an Aussie Team list?

Do you enjoy the challenge of training and racing hard?

Do you have long levers, high overall strength and endurance capacity?

How about an appetite for challenge and hard work?

Maybe this sounds like you, or someone you know.

Discover your potential at the WAIS Talent Search on Saturday 9th September 2023.

As we enter an exciting decade of sport culminating in a home Olympic Games in 2032, WAIS are looking for the next generation of Western Australian athletes. If you are aged between 13 and 18, or you know someone who is, you should seriously consider heading to this event (or sending the registration form to them!!). 

On the central testing day, athletes will be required to complete a series of physiological and anthropometric tests that will gauge their individual suitability for specific high-performance attributes within rowing, cycling, and kayaking.

Athletes who achieve success will receive an invitation to participate in a sport-specific training program tailored to their chosen sport, based on the results of the testing.

Many of you in the community will know Tom Gatti, WAIS Rowing Coach and Pathway Coordinator - well, he's your guy - get in touch with him with any questions you have at tgatti@wais.org.au.

Location: WAIS High Performance Service Centre, Mt Claremont

90-minute sessions available to register from 8:00am to 3:30pm.

Register here!