WINTER NEWSLETTER 2015

Transcription

1 WINTER NEWSLETTER 2015 Photograph by Tony Rush Winter 2015

2 News from our Committee Boats: During the past year, our Committee has been able to sell two lesser-used boats of our fleet these were the Denis O Connor, Vespoli Mens 8+ and the Peter Antonie, Kirs Mens 4-. As most members are aware we have been able to purchase a 4 year old Empacher Mens 8+ and this certainly enhances our eights fleet at the top end of the scale. At this time the Empacher will become part of our restricted boat fleet and will be part of the more restricted fleet joining the Beatrice, Remington, Fenn and Kachyckyl. These boats are retained for use by high performance crews when required. We are still seeking a Mens quad/four to replace the Antonie ideally around the 90kg rower weight range. We are seeking a Womens 8+ that will supplement the women s fleet hopefully at the higher end of the scale as well. We need to replace the Burton, a club double, recently damaged beyond repair. The Committee has a number of guiding principles when considering a boat purchase and these include: Limit brand diversity for our top boats we are endeavoring to restrict our brands to Empacher and Sykes. This reduces the complexity of multiple and expensive spare parts and repair kits. Prefer younger boats - to enable longevity within the club fleet, e.g. at least 10 years Reflects current needs within the membership Good quality second-hand purchase preferable to new due to limited financial resources In keeping with our desire to maintain our fleet to a good standard, as Penny has already advised, we are seeking to refurbish the Barambah, the older Empacher eight. We are seeking donations to undertake this task and by providing financial assistance, you will extend the life of a lovely boat. Oars: Although we haven t bought any new oars recently we have renovated all sculling blades over the past 18mths. We are planning to install more racking for private sculling oars in the near future and we will let you know more details soon. A set of men s eight blades with new wooden veneer grips have just been completed and a set of four men s blue foam grip sweep blades are also now available. There is also a set of four Women's Concept 2 blue foam grip oars ready for use. We are working towards having separate sweep oars for eights, fours and pairs so that there will be adequate oars for most boats. We would prefer that eights oars are not used for pairs or fours as that affects use of the bigger boats. Please take note of signs and labels when selecting oars and please keep them in their sets. Tinnies: We are in the process of selling off one of the larger V hulled tinnies and will retain one large tinnie with most of the fleet being smaller and lighter. We will be re-configuring the tinnie storage area in the near future to assist members in the efficient placement of tinnies so that we have adequate room for ergs etc. 2

3 Funding the dirty word.. As you can see although there may not be large-scale changes occurring to our fleet and equipment, there is always some improvement being made and generally these smaller changes can be facilitated within the current club budget. However if we wish to have newer boats in the fleet to enhance our Club s performance on the water or other resources to assist that goal, we have to look creatively at fund-raising for these projects. We no longer have the lucrative income stream that in previous years was the annual Corporate Regatta. Unfortunately businesses are no longer interested or financially able to support such programs. We have made many submissions for grant funding and have been successful in the past. However there appears to be a change in focus to very much more grassroots programs that as a rowing club we find difficult to meet the criteria. So how and what can we do to obtain funds? As individuals or businesses, members can make a donation through Australian Sports Foundation tax deductible donations can be made at (rowing equipment) We can examine sponsorship options within our club members and their associates have a think about who you know and if they d be interested in a sponsorship deal We can think of fantastic funding opportunities that hopefully can become a lucrative and ongoing income stream think laterally, creatively, purposefully. This is where we, the Committee need your help... At the risk of butchering JFK s Inaugural Address to the Nation in 1961 ask not what your club can do for you, but what you can do for your club! If you have any great ideas about fundraising, including the how, where, what and who, PLEASE contact the committee to discuss further we would appreciate any assistance. Contact secretary@commercialrowing.com Please remember; we are all working towards the same goal and that is to have a blissful row as the sun comes up and to appreciate how lucky we are that we have come to know rowing. Photograph by Tony Rush 3

4 Presidential address by Penny Dixon Some really good things are happening at our club right now: Continuing determination for better and better rowing! Increasing participation at regattas local and abroad! Pure Fun! Within the current 6 month period, we have had and will have rowers competing at the following events: Australian Masters Regatta Sydney Trans Tasman Series rowing in Sydney and Karapiro NZ. World Rowing Junior Championships - rowing in Rio De Janeiro World Rowing Cups II and III rowing in Varese, Italy and Lucerne, Switzerland World Rowing U23 Championships rowing in Plovdiv, Bulgaria World Championships Open rowing in Aiguebelette, France Henley Womens Regatta Henley Masters Regatta Winter Racing Series Brisbane! Head of Yarra Melbourne And coaches participating in the Australian coaching conference on the Gold Coast always on the lookout for ways of improving the technique, physique and overall competence of their charges... Just take a look at CRC Facebook and Instagram sites to see what our rowers and coaches are doing out there! Apart from the ercial zoot suit, the ercial cycle suit is on show all over Brisbane and has also been seen internationally! It is very motivating to see. It reminds me that time is running out and there is a need to get on with it and be part of it now! It looks like pure fun! And it is good for you and all of us collectively. Committee is very keen to support all members in their endeavours to make the most of what the rowing scene offers locally and abroad. We are also getting behind a push to boost our young and elite rowing ranks. We wish to spearhead this with a united and concerted campaign for participation at this seasons State Titles to be held from 23 rd 24th January Apart from the small but dedicated group of rowers and coaches already planning participation at this regatta, we wish to entice others who have been successful in rowing but who may not have competed recently to re-join the fold to assist with the campaign. This is consistent with a push for clubness and fun amidst an environment where athletes can otherwise be pushed to the limit to represent state and country. Rowing in local regattas can be and should be fun and can lead to great camaraderie. I also have great pleasure in advising that life members and highly regarded coaches - Noel Langton and Gary Lynagh have agreed to assist us with this push for State Titles and some rowing fun. Looking to get the whole club behind this. There is nothing like an enthusiastic and involved supporters group. And what could be better than a weekend in Bundaberg at the end of January! See you on the water or in the caterers tent however you want to participate. Penny 4

5 Trans Tasman Series The Trans-Tasman Series sees Australia and New Zealand s Under 21 Rowing Teams battle it out to win the Rusty Robertson Trophy over two regattas. Commercial members Darcy Wruck, Harley Moore and Tom McLellan were selected in this team to compete for Australia, however Tom McLellan could not compete in the second leg of the series. The first leg of the Trans-Tasman Series took place at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC) from 2nd - 4th July. At the conclusion of the first leg, New Zealand hold a 50 point lead over Australia. The team is now at Lake Karapiro, New Zealand, in a bid to retain the Rusty Robertson Trophy. Racing has begun as of 27th August and will conclude 29th August. Darcy Wruck Men's Sweep Squad Harley Moore Men's Sweep Squad Tom McLellan Cox - Men's Sweep Squad Junior World Championships Racing at the 2015 Junior World Rowing Championships concluded on the 9th August. A total of eight Queensland athletes competed for Australia at this level; including our very own Adam Bakker who raced in the Men's Single Scull, coached buy John Bowes. He was up against 24 other countries in this event. Bakker was the first Aussie to race where he won his respective heat, which saw him bypass the repechage and progress straight into the Quarter-Finals where he finished in second place, progressing through to Semi-Finals and then Finals. Bakker had an outstanding race in the Junior Men s Single Scull Final to claim an impressive bronze medal. The final, held on Saturday nigh, 8th August (AEST) displayed Bakker s true ability to fight all the way to the line. At 1500m the young Aussie was in fourth position, a final stride to the line saw Bakker charge through the Mexico sculler to begin chasing down Germany. The photo finish saw Germany take out second place by only 0.02 seconds ahead of Bakker. Congratulations Adam and Coach John Bowes. Under 23 World Championships The Under 23 Australian Rowing Team which competed at the Under 23 World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv Bulgaria from 22nd - 26th July 2015 included US based Commercial RC member Jacinta Edmunds who was selected in the Women's Coxless Four. Edmunds along with her crew members Georgina Howe, Rachel Engel and Sarah Davis had a fantastic heat where they lead from the start with last year s silver medallists, New Zealand close on their tails. With the Australians knowing there was only one spot up for grabs, they charged through the last five hundred to finish in first place and pushing the other five crews to repechages. The girls made it through to the A final where they finished in 4th place. 5

6 Yes there is a CRC Cycling Team The cycling Team is active and wearing the elegant new gear. Youngsters Adam Bakker, Charlotte and Claire joined by oldies Robin Bakker and The Count plus honorary member John Bowes went for a ride which was supposed to leave CRC towards Samford s bakery but went on to Dayboro s bakery instead. All but JB sporting CRC cycling gear. Although Adam had to be set loose as the peloton could not hang on to him, the group displayed great team spirit over the 85kms course. More outings to come Ha ha ha ha daaaa Count. 100Kms Mt Coot tha Challenge on 3 May. CRC Team - Adam Bakker, Harley Moore and Robin Bakker.Photo by The Count. 6

7 Meet a Member Ladies and Gents please meet our mystery woman. Our tireless and patient Regatta Secretary. Kate Beddoes is the woman behind all your race entries. Thankfully she has let us meet her on paper. Read on to find out what makes her heart tick when she is not helping CRC. A vivid childhood memory is on one of our regular family weekend trips to our houseboat on Lake Eildon, going fishing with my younger brother and eating the bait. I have never been allowed to live this one down. J The best advice my parents gave me was if you don t have anything nice to say don t say anything at all The thing I fear most is missing a members entry in a regatta My guiltiest pleasure is a hot chocolate made with 70% Cocoa Lindt Chocolate with a splash of Amarula My first job was... as a swimming coach. My first rowing memory is in a crew named Cool Rowings in the Somerville/Stuartholme Corporate Regatta. My first introduction to rowing. The best thing I ve ever done was to make the decision to take a job in Saudi Arabia; it showed me I could achieve more than I thought I could, gave me a stronger appreciation for family and opened my eyes to the big wide world! A song that gives me goose bumps is Amazing Grace The question I m most often asked is not most often but reasonably regularly would you be able to bake me a cake? My best holiday was South Africa for the Rugby 7 s and amazing few days at a safari park followed immediately by Christmas calf deep in snow in the UK with my brother and his family. I m most contented when I m in the kitchen My secret skill is... negotiating late entries with regatta organisers!! My association with CRC began 2008/2009. My first regatta with CRC Pine Rivers Premiership Regatta My proudest moment was. piercing my own ears (age 15/16) and sitting at the dinner table thinking no-one would notice! How wrong I was and how much trouble I was in!!! Proudest rowing achievement as a CRC member completing my first Head of the Yarra with a fantastic crew and an amazing coach. KB 7

8 New to this Sport and Making their Mark. After getting an initial taste for rowing, our corporate rowing coach Jonathon Brett encouraged us to knock on the doors of the CRC sheds. The roller doors flew up with enthusiasm, the addiction took hold and we haven t looked back since (except when sitting in bow seat). At every opportunity we jumped in to any boat we could to gain experience, and quickly realised the additional postrow benefits from sitting under the tree of knowledge, coffee in hand, and discussing everything rowing. To say our next venture was ambitious is an understatement. With 10 weeks up our sleeves we decided we would go to Head of the Yarra. With Cheryl s support and enthusiasm and with nothing to lose, we thought we would give it a crack. We had a blast and learnt heaps, including how to rig and de-rig an eight, and more importantly, it matters which way the seats go on (thanks Bill O Chee) and the addiction grew. Coffee under the tree was now a regular must do. 8

9 The learning curve was steep but not insurmountable in our eyes. We knew we just had to spend as much time as we could on the water and absorb any advice that came our way. We attended CRC s valuable rowing camps and information sessions to learn as much as we could. We watched other crews row past with what they may have felt was an eerily long gaze. Natural progression landed us at Coomera to compete in our very local first regatta. We lined up nervously at the start amongst many crews including two other CRC quads. While our first ever regatta race is now history, the scarring from one irate race official screaming from the tinny about being disqualified, and his spit landing on Kylie s face, will never be forgotten. Anne, Kylie, Georgie, Michelle The rowing addiction progressed and we drank more coffee under the tree. Winter set in and along with it came the Winter Series. We rocked and rolled our way through our first series knowing that long distance racing was great experience for that year s Head of the Yarra. At around this time we were highly encouraged to get into smaller boats. Such great advice our learning curve grew exponentially. There was nowhere to hide. While this process undoubtedly honed our skills and made us far better rowers, there were times of frustration. We analysed, over analysed, read, talked, texted, called, Face Booked, Snapchatted, Instagrammed ourselves to death. We even lost friends at this point but that s ok...they were not rowers! We hit the Head of Tweed next in a great mixed CRC crew, albeit slightly apprehensive about how 21km would feel. We had a great row and made it to the finish with a good time, despite the threat from one crew member that they would jump out of the boat if we rated over 24 you know who you are Rossco. With the rowing addiction intensifying we found ourselves sneaking out of the house to row more and more often. While carrying our boat up from the pontoon one Saturday morning, we couldn t help but hear instructions being given, loudly, to some very keen LTR participants on ergos on the club deck. Enter Bill O Chee. Very keen to share his knowledge, he jumped into a tinny to generously coach us, assuring us that if rowing were easy, everyone would be doing it. When he wasn t coaching and coxing his men s eight for Head of the Yarra he was setting fitness programs, of weights and relentless ergos, and waking half of West End with his coaching calls to our eight morning after morning, preparing us for our second Head of the Yarra race. Coffee, coffee, coffee 9

10 New to this sport and continuing to make their mark. With plenty of fitness under our belts (and a little bit of defiance), a month or so out from HoTY, we jumped into a mixed eight and entered the Head of Brisbane. Yet another brilliant race with an awesome time had by all and it also came with our first taste of gold bling this just fuelled the addiction fire. November rocked on, and off we went to Melbourne for our 2 nd HoTY - seats around the right way. We sat at the start line with a level of fitness and focus we hadn t experienced before. We called upon every bit of practice, knowledge and strength we had gained over the previous 15 months of rowing and had a perfect start and a perfect finish - we won t speak about the unbearable torment of being forced to yield twice in the middle of the race we are however happy to speak about the party afterwards! With the foundation we needed under our belts (thanks to Bill), we had the confidence to go out on our own. We found ourselves saying what next? Having a look on the rowing calendar we saw the QLD state crew selections. With a heap of naivety but plenty of fortitude we set about finding out what we had to do. Ergos and pair trials... ok!! We found ourselves some ergo trainings sets, known as Beasts of the Ergo and set about taming the beast. At the same time we jumped into our first pair we fell in love (with the pair, not each other) and 7 weeks later raced. The new year and short-course racing also brought a completely different focus for us with a lot of new experiences and insanely steep learning curve. We threw ourselves into different boats and crews and entered regattas, learning so much but wanting to know even more. We interrogated anyone who stood still after any of our races to tell us anything they may have seen. We rowed, we raced, we did weights, we did ergos and we drank even more coffee under the tree lots of it. That brought us to 2015 Australian Masters Rowing Championships! Woohoo!!! What an experience! With little idea, even less expectation, but plenty of support, we booked tickets, found accommodation and entered ourselves into races. We couldn t have been luckier. Finding ourselves on the glassy Olympic course with near perfect conditions we paddled, we raced, we cheered, we supported, we experienced, we chatted, we learnt, we mingled, we had an absolute blast! Surrounded by people with our shared passion and happy to impart their experience and knowledge while rowing on an extraordinary course what a privilege! And now? Well, with our addiction boarding on obsession, we are back to small boats (but with more oars), more training, absorbing rowing advice and experience from our fellow rowers (and possibly only friends left) and travelling what we now know to be, the neverending rowing road to being a better rower. Oh, and if you re looking for us, we will either be on the water, or under the tree drinking coffee. Georgie and Kylie 10

11 More Articles of Interest Graeme Cannell Plovdiv in Bulgaria has a 2200 m long and 120 m wide rowing canal 3 m deep and also used for kayaking. It is laid out in an Olympic format and has been used for national and international events. The Maritsa River is a few minutes walk away but unsuitable for rowing as it is shallow and has rapids. The side of the canal is set up for coaches to cycle alongside or one can cycle or walk and there is a park alongside as well. At the 1000 m mark there is a low bridge across the canal from which one could offer support or try to put the opposition off. A big advantage is there are obviously no ferries, the canal didn t appear to be connected to the river in any way although one would have to turn around every 2 km. Considering the recent turbulent history of Bulgaria under communist rule it was surprising that such a world class venue would be here. Plovdiv is also a very pretty city worth a visit (spring is the best time) with a long walk street where the locals of all ages are up until late and the Romans have also left a rich legacy with an outstanding amphitheater. This was found when a local was digging in his garden, found some artefacts and ended up with all the houses being removed. The local joke is one should not dig in the garden or the authorities may destroy your house. Food, drink and accommodation are extremely cheap, the locals are possibly the most friendly and helpful of any country in Europe and it is probable one would be welcomed on the canal to have a row. Unfortunately we didn t have time not knowing it was there, we happened to drive alongside side it on the way in. Say Hi to the Masters next time you pass them. Perspective: The winning Masters Quad at the CRC "125 Not Out" Regatta in October 2002 ( to celebrate CRC's 125 year birthday) comprised three current Members Pedro, The Monk and Wazza Marler. Two of whom, Pedro & The Monk, 12 1/2 years later got together with Harry and Peter to win the MMF4x at the QLD Masters in May President Penny Dixon informed the crew that it was the first time ever that a CRC crew had won the event. 11

12 A stern view...by our Lucky Eddie Like many good stories, context and history are essential. So in order to tell you my coxswain story, I must return to when I was 13. I was grade 9 at Rocky Grammar School. I m not sure exactly how I fell into rowing, but a grade 10 girls lightweight 4+ needed a cox. The Fitzroy River was a wonderful river to learn to cox and row. Wide, very long, fresh water, and while there were a few ski boats, there was definitely no ferries or tinnies to contend with! No bull sharks, supposedly there were crocs in the river, but I don t remember seeing any! Over the next two years, we competed very successfully in many regattas throughout Queensland, and in those days, races in SEQ took place on The Hinze Dam, while many State Championships were also held on The Fitzroy River in Rocky. While I can t exactly remember specific details, we went on to win Qld Lightweight Schoolgirls 4+ in 1980 and 4+ in This newspaper article is from The Morning Bulletin, November Rockhampton has a fine rowing history. Bruce Hick partnered our own Gary Lynagh to World Championship and Olympic victories. Bruce s Dad Frank (in picture was president of the Leichardt Rowing Club and VP of Qld Rowing), coached many fine rowers from Rocky Girls Grammar, including our amazing Christine Taylor and Liz Ralston (GPS). CRC s Rob and Ceinwen Fay are now back in Rocky keeping the traditions going. Our club, CRC, has such rich history, and we honour them every time we jump in a boat named after one of CRCs legends. We are the oldest rowing club in Brisbane, even Toowong Rowing Club members are envious of that. So back to the story. How did I get to be at CRC? My daughters rowed at St Margaret s from grade 8, and at a Kawana regatta, Annette Quayle and I spoke about rowing and how her husband Ted had rowed at Churchie, and had recently joined Commercial. I told her my rowing story. The next thing was a text from Annette asking if I would consider coxing Ted s 8, as coxes were as rare as hen s teeth. Hmmm, so I pondered, and asked myself, would I want to get up at stupid o clock and sit in the cold for two hours telling lycra-clad men what to do?? Crazily, I jumped at the idea! I coxed both men s masters crews when I could, enjoyed the Winter Racing Series thoroughly, and then HoTY was something else. That was so much fun! 12

13 Last year I had the wonderful opportunity of coxing the QLD Women s Masters 8+ on a few occasions. I knew then that I wanted to get the chief coxswain s job, and while I had my sights high, achieving Queen s Cup or Qld Masters cox was my dream. This was going to be no easy feat, if at all. Many, many hours were spent sitting in the cold. Many hours being on The Brisbane River. Many beautiful sunrises. Many hours reading rowing blogs and watching rowing videos. Many enjoyable hours sitting under the tree at the CRC shed. Many hours spent learning from my amazing C men s masters crew, learning from incredible CRC rowers and coxswain s with such rich histories, stories and successes. Learning to row also helped me to understand my calls, and just how strong rower s minds are (or crazy)! Bill O Chee walking the Yarra course with me last year was also an enriching experience and one that allowed me to take the best route possible, but also bigger picture and looking at water in a different way. I was asked to cox the CRC composite (made up of Queen s Cup ladies) crew at the State titles earlier this year at Bucca Weir. Thank you to Charlotte, Fleur and Christine for asking me. It was like a fairy tale. Another step closer to my dream? We got a very close 2 nd. Then being asked to cox the CRC Open Men s Eight, stroked by our own Adam Bakker the next day was another honour. I mean, gosh, who was I? I d only coxed Head races. Steering straight was something that I hadn t done for 30+ years! And races that lasted for 6-7 minutes? What were the coaches thinking? Another even closer 2 nd. Trialling for the QLD Masters Women s 8+ cox was super exciting. The campaign lasted three months and was an amazing journey. Coached by super-coaches Ange Ellis from Toowong and our own John McGuinness ensured our Qld crew had THE best preparation, advice, process and journey. I learnt so much. Our interstate journey culminated in success at The Australian Masters Championships last month. Everything came together for the crew at the picturesque Sydney International Rowing Centre. Our first outings were the C+ Eight heat and final. Our warm up, the semi was just incredible. The Mulligan flew. Crew and coaches knowing that there was something special brewing that day. We knew that we were in the mix for the C+8 final, but we had another race later that day that was more important. The State of Origin of rowing was our prize. We rowed a solid race and again were flying, but we held back, and that was the race strategy. It felt easy and everything was sweet with our 3.28m. We were ready. The D8+ final seemed to take forever to come around, having to wait a good 5 hours between the C and State race, I was worried that the crew s endorphin level wouldn t peak again. I was concerned about what calls I would use, would they be the right words? Foreboding blue skies, not maroon of the night before told us that Victoria were hungry. A dark Saturday twilight. It was time. I couldn t see the lane buoys, only an official s boat 1000m away. Our crew were sooooo ready to race. And race our hearts out we did. We were hungry. We heard your screams and that pushed us even more. The best time ever in this history of racing for a State women s crew: 3.25m. Fleur reminded me the day after race that I said to the crew at the start line, You re not going to like me, but I m going to ask you to give me more. It will hurt but I know you will give it. I have learnt so much about a rower s character from sitting in the 9 th seat. How you overcome pain, and the power of giving more. How you won t let down your crew, and the ability to dig when you just want it to stop. I am truly honoured by this thought every time I go on the water. I could name so many people who have helped me in my journey but this article would be far too long. The past two years for me has been filled with such precious memories, and you all have been a part of allowing me to achieve my rowing dreams. Edwina Luck 13

14 Mining the archives This race was the MMB4+ at the 1999 Canberra Australian Masters (Very Cold Lake Burley Griffin). The four (Bow rigged) comprised of Stroke seat Mark (Chook) Farmer, 3 Seat John (Turtle) Horrocks, 2 Seat Keith Love, Bow seat Pedro The Swift, Cox was the smallest kid Turtle could find at the regatta. She had to carry a house brick to weigh 55Kg. Our 4+ was bow coxed without a coxbox, so no cox calls could be heard. The Great Sammy Holst coxed the Canberra crew beside us so we used his calls. Ended up beating Canberra to take out the gold medal. The same crew followed up the next year winning gold in the MMC4+ at the 2000 Australian Masters in Bundaberg. Pedro QLD Representative Honours for Rebecca Callanan; 1999 QLD Youth 8+ Stroke 2000 QLD Youth 8+ Bow 2001 QLD Lightweight 4x Stroke Also won a couple of National lightweight titles in those years....in 2008 at the rowing nationals MUBC and UQBC lead the way in the final results with 9 golds each. CRC finished a close third with 8 golds with Pipa Savage winning the Women's Open Single and the Women's Interstate Single She went on to row the Single at the Beijing Olympics. 14

15 What about the bronze won by Women's Masters club 8+? First time for this race event to be included in Australian masters, and was a terrific race. Congrats to Vic and Alecia, Fleur and Christine winning their respective age group pairs in tough competition. More regatta results are available over coffee or on ROMS. 15

16 OUR HENLEY MASTERS CAMPAIGN - Jo, Jenny, Lou, Mary Last October we committed to competing at Henley Masters and in January we began our preparation in earnest. We arranged boat and oar lease through Leander Rowing Club, airfares, accommodation again at Leander and a coach. And we trained - setting our eye on the July target and progressing through a series of local regatta's as well as Australian Masters. Our aim: to race as hard and as well as we could in this elimination-style racing on an unknown course...and to enjoy the training, the camaraderie and the challenge of the event. Henley Masters takes on the format of the Royal Regatta where two crews race side by side within barriers on a straight course. The winner of that race proceeds, the loser is gone from competition. No second chances, no progressions. So there is certainly a bit of "the luck of the draw" The week prior to our Regatta we experienced the Henley Royal Regatta for semi-finals day. What an event! A real carnival atmosphere that continued, to a lesser extent, through the following week with the Henley Festival. The Masters regatta, hosted by Upper Thames Rowing Club, had most activity happening at the half way mark so crews were cheered on through the 500 metre buoys with fewer spectators at the finish. Each race was followed by the umpire boat - a launch dating back to 1930s or thereabouts. Leander provided Empachers for our use - great boats needless to say. Well maintained and well looked after on a daily basis - each boat gets dried off before going onto the shelf. We arrived a couple of days earlier, after 3 days in the Cotswolds tapering well. It was pretty hairy taking the boat out for the first time - the Henley was chocka full of river craft - large ocean-going launches to little row boats, moored 2-3 abreast in parts. There was also a huge stage erected and jutting out into the river and the barriers to maneuver through. Subsequent training rows were less stressful. In the quad we won our quarter final easily on Friday against Lea. Karl who coaches the junior program here at Leander had spent some time sharing his local knowledge of the course: although it is a straight course it is on a crooked river which causes water movement that makes it rather tactical. Eg there is wind at Fawley field that affects one side more than the other, turbulence under the water in much of the stream. You race against the stream and mostly into a head wind as was the case with us. He advised the tactics are: commit to a race start for as long as it takes to get in front-usually about 60 strokes, move into the middle of the course to upset the water for the crew behind so it's difficult for them to pass. Then hang on. We found the conditions very heavy; a combination of wind, stream and not being all that large anatomically. The way our boat was rigged for Brisbane's saline conditions was possibly not that well suited to the Thames (Karl offered that view). Unfortunately we couldn't change the oars to make it lighter for us as Leander is a Club for mainly men and big girls. The net affect was we had trouble getting our rating up above 32 for most of the race. We made it to the semi-finals - a race we knew would be tough - against a Scottish and Durham composite crew with past experience on the course. They were the eventual winners. Our double events were going to be interesting no matter what as neither of the combinations had raced together before - we had switched partners just a few weeks before we left. Lou and Jo - due to event scheduling - had to race down in a C category. They managed to put in a strong and steady race without progression. Jen and Mary, raced the semi against the eventual winners, and were pleased with their inaugural row. The heavy rigging was quite noticeable in these races. All in all a fabulous regatta. Fitness was certainly not an issue. I think we were out-raced because of local knowledge and we may have to return to prove that point. We met some terrific people, made some contacts for future overseas jaunts and we got to ride in the Umpire boat to follow some races. Special thanks to Noel Langton - we rowed better than we ever have because of his superb coaching!

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18 Men's Masters Squad Brian Parmenter, Michael Malakellis and Jonathan Brett hatched a plan in late 2014 to try and rally the men at Commercial to participate in more short course racing. From about sixty masters men, the squad has trickled down and distilled into a score of dedicated racing men helping to maintain a distinctive presence at club, state and national regattas. Brian Parmenter has been the glue that has helped stick these crews together. Late last year there was many an awe inspiring morning watching several CRC men s crews chasing each other down the river being closely scrutinized and coached by BP. Brian s coaching and direct involvement has been disrupted, which has concerned us all. But he is back with a vengeance. BP is back in the tinny and there is now no place to hide.read on, about the trials, tribulations and successes of our newly invigorated Men s Masters Racing Squads. JB Lessons learnt: Give early notice to men on any upcoming races/regattas. COLLATE and CONFIRM proposed crews. Once confirmed...submit to Regatta Secretary. Once submitted, every rower is then responsible for paying their own seat fees. This year the Club s male masters squad is larger and more active than it has been for several years. It includes some familiar seasoned club members, some experienced athletes returning to serious competitive rowing after a break, and a number of new less-experienced recruits. Ages range from late 20s to early 60s, allowing plenty of scope to form crews in different age categories. The squad made a serious foray into short-course racing at the Urban Rowing, Brisbane & GPS, and State Championship regattas at Coomera. At the Urban Rowing regatta, it recorded three wins, five 2nd places and one 3rd place. At the Brisbane & GPS regatta, despite being depleted by unavailability and sickness, it managed one win, two 2nds and five 3rds. At the State championships, it achieved three wins, two 2nds and three 3rds. These performances were certainly noticed by the main opposition, which was far from pleased to see its expected clean sweeps disrupted by CRC crews and disturbed to find some of its star crews pressed much more closely than it had anticipated. Unfortunately, unavailability and administrative problems prevented the squad from making the impact on the national championships that its earlier form had promised. But overall it was an encouraging return to regatta racing and a great basis from which to build for next season. The squad has now begun serious preparation for the head racing season. Two eights and a quad have performed well in the Winter Racing series. More than twenty athletes are participating in a training program that requires four on-water sessions per week and one ergo session. Hot competition for seats in all crews is now emerging. With the Winter Series concluded, there will be some keen intra-squad racing on Saturday mornings from now on. All this activity should culminate in some very competitive crews entering the Head of the Brisbane and the Head of the Yarra later in the year. Brian Parmenter Over the past few months the CRC Male Masters have made some progress towards achieving the two broad objectives that we set ourselves, namely: To maximize participation by masters men at regattas; and To boat CRC crews at regattas and head races that are as competitive as possible. We identified that there was an appetite among the men to maximize competitiveness. It was also evident that CRC had some high quality oarsmen that could spearhead such a push. We identified that the main impediments to CRC men attending regattas were lack of ORGANISATION, STRUCTURE and DIRECTION. In March we surveyed the CRC men that expressed an interest in racing via a questionnaire. We collated the information provided by almost 40 respondents and we now have a database that can grow and evolve and help us organize the group more effectively.

19 Men s Masters Squad In the context of achieving the two objectives listed above we were also keen to encourage greater club spirit by facilitating interaction between the members. Without some structure the default (of convenience) seems to be that members form little groups and row with the same people for years on end. New members find it hard to get involved; established crews lose the odd rower (work, family, alternative sport, injury etc) so end up breaking up, rowing in smaller boats or rowing sporadically. One aim of the squad is to give everyone a chance to meet and row with other members. Hopefully, this will open up many more options to identify and work together with members that have similar skill levels and similar objectives. Since we started the squad structure I have rowed with at least 26 different male members, many of those at regattas. By the end of the year I hope to have at least one paddle with every squad member that will have me in their boat. Not every paddle will be great, some might even be shocking. However, I see every paddle as a chance to raise the average level of skill & fitness of our group: I will learn from other oarsmen and I may be able to pass on the odd idea or tip. Challenge yourself to row with as many people as you can over the next six months. It is no secret that the competitiveness of crews drawn from a given group of oarsmen depends critically on the quality of the coaching resources. We were lucky to get Brian Parmenter involved. Brian provided valuable coaching input and prepared training programs for the group. Brian was ably assisted by Andy Botting. A small glitch in this arrangement occurred when Brian decided to have his ticker reconditioned and Andy allowed work to get in the way of rowing. It is great to see Brian back on the water bellowing instructions in the still of the night in front of the waterside mansions where lovely people have their beautiful dreams shattered by bellows such as DON T HESITATE PUT IT STRAIGHT IN and I WANT YOU TO GO HARD FOR 15 MINUTES. Given the starting point and the resources at our disposal, we feel that the first few months of the existence of the squad structure have been positive. We had over 20-odd squad members attend regattas. Relative to recent years, this is a big increase in representation. It was great to see lots of 2-blues dotted through-out the men s races. A bonus is that some of our men s crews did very well and certainly created a bit of a stir among the other clubs who had not seen more than one or two CRC men s crews for years. The step up in our performance has been noted by the biggest clubs in town. However, the biggest indicator of the success of the squad structure is that there is a real buzz around the shed. People want to be part of the squad. They can see the improvements that are being made and the commitment of others to becoming better. Some blokes who have never done an ergo in their lives have been seen to mount the machine and pull on the chain. We expect that it will take another year or so to bed down the squad structure. This time around we found it very difficult to sensibly divide the 30-odd rowers who indicated a willingness to race into formal squads. Boat availability and large variations in age and ability were the main impediments. Ideally, we would have a combination of one or two 8s, one or two 4s, one quad and a few small boats allocated to the squad (to cater for 20-odd rowers per session). For example, we could have 1 session with two 8s and a 4-, another session with one 8, two 4s and a quad etc. We will work with the Committee to figure out how to best manage the logistics of boat allocation. We expect that large variations in age and ability will be less of an impediment going forward. This is because more people are committing to the squad, filling out the distributions, and because the skill gaps are closing. It is in everyone s interests to help enthusiastic members who are committed to improving their skills and fitness. As the Winter Racing Series draws to a close our focus will turn to the Head of the Brisbane and the Head of the Yarra. Brian has started us on a training program targeting these events. Shortly we will send out a call to get members to formally register their interest in participating in these races. Once we have these firm commitments Brian can make recommendations about what sort of crew combinations we might want to consider. He can also tailor the training program to suit. We expect Brian will focus on crews that will be selected on a competitive basis. We support Brian in pushing in this direction on the basis that squad members opt in to this process. We also support members who want to opt out of the competitive process and put together crews on other criteria. Michael Malakellis

20 Coaches Answer Here is a query from Andrew Abaza I am a bit interested in the use of "prognostic" scores (98.8 % in the newsletter) and "benchmarks" and how those relate to those less than super human. The National Rowing Centre e.g. puts a minimum 120 kg squat 3 RM for lightweight men and a 30 min ergo at 20 spm for 8550 m which is all very difficult to translate... and impossible for just about everybody including the best to achieve (without breaking something) [ which might go to explain why so many drop out of rowing altogether - which is a shame] Maybe the guru coaches who understand these things could set out a basic glossary and some simple "what does it all mean" - 'on water prognostic times etc etc" "calculated prognostics" HOW do you do the calculations etc etc. 3RM so the rest of us north of the border know what Canberra is on about! And then maybe (for the ancient rowers over 25 years) there might be some domestic or international "bench marks" available (other than "indoor rowing events") that could be published. Not sure I have the full context of this query, however will give it a shot. I think the performance guidelines around the 3RM and 30' rate 20 erg are old guidelines, as certainly the 30' rate 20 erg is no longer used as a test. These were however used as indicators of international standard performance. The use of prognostics is all about boat speed as an indicator of international standard. The calculation is based on the world's best time for the boat class. It is a pretty simple calculation. World's best time in seconds/crew time in seconds x 100. Selectors are using this as a way to determine whether crews are fast enough to be selected for Australia and also to rank crews that have been selected, so that boats can be prioritised. Of course it is not as simple as that as different boat classes have different degrees of difficulty in terms of achieving high percentage prognostic times. The kiwi men's pair has over the last few years lowered the WBT significantly and they have been way ahead of the field, so getting a high prognostic in this boat class is much tougher then say the men's 4+ which has not been raced at Senior level for quite some years and therefore has a relatively slower WBT. I did a quick analysis of the Aussie team performance in the heats of the recent world cup in Varese and the prognostic times were interesting to review. I have listed just the women's scull boats to give an idea. wbt race time % place W1x first W2x first W4x third So the women's quad race was a relatively faster race than the women's single or double and there were a number of crews who were very close to the WBT in the heats. As coaches, we can also use the prognostic speed concept to get an idea of how our crews are going. For example, one of the methods I have used is to set an 80% of WBT target for steady state training. The kiwi pair can apparently hold this speed in training for 20k. Hope this answers rather than raises questions. Ian Edmunds 20

21 Coaches Answer The requirement in question asks for three maximum weight reps of a squat at 120kg or more, and for the athlete to do a minimum of 8550m in thirty minutes on the ergometer, at a rate of 20 strokes per minute. This is a benchmark test, designed to set a desired minimum standard for athletes seeking higher level selections. The thing to bear in mind about benchmark tests like these is that they don t actually tell us how to train, nor even how well a person is performing, but merely set minimum standards at a certain point in an athlete s selection or training. From a training point of view, improvement is more important than absolute performance, whether that puts the athlete under or below the benchmark. The reason for this is that in most clubs squads, and even some elite squads, the coach is working with a closed pool of athletes. That is, the coach doesn t always have the luxury of disregarding people who don t make a benchmark. As a club coach, I therefore find more benefit in conducting baseline testing, such as a 20 minute or 30 minute erg, a lactic acid saturation test, and max tests for incline leg press and bench pull. I will then try to build a program to maximize individual improvements based on the results, and the time available. The question, however, also exposes a common misunderstanding: that training is about achieving benchmarks. The key to training is to have a good program, do the work set, and let the improvements come as they will. From my own experience, I achieved much higher levels of performance than I could ever have imagined when I just did the work my coach set without obsessing about some notional objective. For these reasons I never set training objectives, and instead ask athletes to show me the results of their training. It almost always leads to better training outcomes. Coach William "Bill" O'Chee 21

22 Coaches Answer Please explain to me why ancient rowers over 25 are looking at the Elite Prognostics & Programs anyway, they are for elites! There is no correlation between the two types of rowers, therefore anyone that is not in and continuing in an elite program straight from school moving through the elite junior, under 21, under 23 systems and finally the Open elite program should only be perusing the programs put out by R.A. and most certainly not comparing them to their own program even in the slightest. People in these systems eat, sleep and dream rowing 24 hrs a day, because the bar has been lifted so high, they have to punish their bodies daily to the max in just to be to be competitive, that s why the conversion rate of rowers from school to club rowing, is only about 6%, and out of those only 5% make it to the top, it is too hard for the average person. A classic case of this is our own Adam Bakker, who so far has progressed through the school system, into his 2 nd year in the Australian Juniors. The training work load he has would break an average young rower, let alone an ancient and he will have to keep improving in all aspects of his rowing through the system until he reaches the open s should he make it to there. Re your prog and weight scores, etc, enquiry, those mention are for the top competitors, who have been in the rowing system for at least 10 years and who probably will need another 5 yrs at the top before they reach their best. They do achieve them, but only with time and total dedication. Prognostic scores are a % of what R.A. perceive as being the time to win a Gold Medal in that class at the Olympics. Weight scores are the strength factor scores R.A. perceive is required by a rower to be able to row the time required to win Gold at the Olympics. Ergo scores are a combination of strength, aerobic capacity and the x factor top rowers need reach, as perceived by R.A. to be able to row the time etc,etc. These scores are derived from earlier and continuing studies, tests etc of those that have reached the top, then they are continually upgraded each year, as the bar is lifted higher and higher. BUT having these alone still doesn t qualify you, you have to be a boat mover, if you cannot make a boat move on top of all the above, you won t make. In summary, ancients first must be realistic about their ambitions and times. They can use times from around the world both on and off water in their class to compare themselves and set up a suitable program that can make them at the least competitive, and at the most take them to the top, dependant on the old saying of how much you put in is about what you get out of it. William Caldwell 22

23 Rowerscopes Winter 2015 Aries Most people who are driven, search out stimulating ways to live life. You re a rower and everday is a new adventure on the water. Taurus Do your planning in advance so you don t get blocked on what you want to achieve. If you had an infinite time and money, what boat would you like to row, what regattas would? Write these things down - what does it look like and what will it take to get you there. You are now on your way! Gemini Be comfortable when you are on a learning curve as this point is the core of making transitions. Find the child inside you experience life hands on, live in the moment and have FUN! Cancer There will be a big celebration in the next couple of months and it is your time to shine! Be calm, confident and enjoy your success. Leo Just as the tide changes, another rowing season passes. Although you may feel like you are not making progress, celebrate your achievements. A new moon is coming and new opportunities await. Virgo There is a satisfaction interacting with people who are doing challenging work or winning in competition and those around you derive indirect pleasure from your success. Don t underestimate the impact you have on people around you. Libra Did you know there are several people inside you? One person when you are at home, another when you are with your friends. Another when you are at work and before a competition...look out... as you unleash the warrior self. Scorpio We all want to row the perfect stroke and we practice and practice. If we are doing what s right and we keep doing it, how can it ever be wrong? Unless, that is, we think we are doing what s right but we are actually doing what s wrong. Celebrate our coaches and thank them for their humour and patience. Sagittarius Little things can make a big difference. The greatest journeys on the river can only happen by taking one stroke at a time. Be patient and enjoy the journey! Capricorn Don t like rowing in the dark? Don t worry, the shortest day of the year has passed and your wish for more sunshine will be upon you soon! Aquarius One stroke at a time you paddle along focused and making great progress...and then suddenly you feel something creeping over your shoulder. Remain on full alert and ready for the unexpected! Pisces The winter months bring on the sniffles and some days you just feel like you re in the fog. Just push on and the fog will lift! 23

24 The Importance of Coaching for Club Success Cometh the coach, cometh the results Rowing Australia has developed a comprehensive structure for coaching development and accreditation. This has been put together after careful analysis of best practice around the world. The purpose of National Coaching Accreditation Scheme is to ensure all athletes get access to the best possible coaching for technical development and performance. The NCAS not only provides a system for training coaches at different levels, but a system to ensure that coaches remain up to date with their professional development. This means coaches have to regularly maintain their skills or they cannot maintain their coaching accreditation. This is a great thing for clubs, because they don t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to coaching. It does, however, require them to support their coaches in maintaining their qualifications, and in improving their coaching skills. Good clubs have taken this to heart, and have seen coach development, and coach support as the key to success. The system works, because those clubs that pay close attention to their coaching structure produce the results on the water. No matter where you go around the world, good clubs have structures to group athletes into similar skill and interest levels, and assign them to coaches who will take responsibility for the progression of those athletes. The very best clubs make coach development their number one priority for the allocation of resources because they know that the best athletes will follow the best coaches. Over the 30 years I have been a Commercial member, I have seen that our best years have always been when we have had a proper coaching structure to support our athletes. That has always included having a head coach to support and guide the other coaches like me, and to provide leadership for the club. The thing to remember about coach development is that it is not only the preserve of clubs that want to produce elite athletes. Good coaching has "trickle across benefits that boost every section of a club. This is because the right structure allows coaches to help each other, to share skills, and to guest coach across squads so that the benefits of that coaching are available to every member of the club. It is somewhat embarrassing to admit that our old foes at Toowong do a much better job of recruiting and supporting coaches then we do. That is why they achieve consistently good results in junior, open and masters rowing classifications. By contrast, we do very little to support our coaches to develop their skills. Commercial needs to put in place a coaching structure and coach development program as well as a structure to ensure that flows into effective benefits for all our rowers. Rowing Australia wouldn t put so much effort into coach development if it wasn t worthwhile. After 29 years of coaching I have a thirst to be better still, and to better help the athletes with whom I work. It is up to Commercial to accept that Rowing Australia is right, and that prioritizing coach development is in the best interests of all our members. Coach William "Bill" O'Chee 24

25 Emma McCarthy coaches a couple of the masters members every now and again at Commercial. Here are photos of Anette Quayle & Janelle Meyers Young. 25

26 Race DAY.Don t panic..keep Calm and Keep rowing As a seasoned racer at numerous regattas over the years it still amazes me how busy regatta days can be. And it s certainly not all about the racing! There is no end of lugging regatta bags, boats, oars and other paraphernalia to the course - followed closely by an endless frenzy of rigging, re-rigging and frigging with the rigging. Into and out of boats - managing the nerves whilst contending with sun (or wind or rain or cold or heat or..), imposing looking crews attempting to psychologically conquer you before the first stroke is taken and marshall-nazi s who don t have too much else to do with their time than to wind up your nerves. You will all know the training tips, the warm up routine and the trailer plan but there are other things that might make your race day a little easier - I ll part with just a couple of little gems from my somewhat OCD repertoire. Know your race schedule - your boat allocation - your desired boat rig and oar set up - your lane number. Fuel well: but don t overdo the carb load. Day before the regatta take a bakery stop for an extra but moderate carb load. For dinner the night before have one more portion of carb than is usual - so instead of 1/4 protein, 1/4 carb, 1/2 vege/salad - switch the vege & carb portions. A glass of red is good too! Hydrate well: Start to load 3 days before Race Day by drinking a couple of extra glasses of water (with food) each day. Race day: You can t race properly if you re tense so be prepared. Plan your day to make sure you re in the starters hands on time every race (an OCD template below ) Before your race: Take 10 minutes quiet time - calm yourself, consider your race, prepare. Make sure you have everything you need in the boat with you. 26

27 Keep fuelled Caffeine is OK - if you can t get your early shot of coffee take a no doz instead (same amount of caffeine without all that milk) For short gaps between races - have a shot of something short acting e.g. kiddy-sandwich with jam on white bread, no crusts; gatorade; For bigger gaps between races - have something longer acting (my mum donated the recipe below which is already a favorite at regattas!) NUTTY CRUNCH SLICE 1 cup each of sesame seeds, pumpkin kernels, coconut, chopped brazil nuts 1 packet of ginger nut biscuits 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots 1 tsp ground ginger 125 gm butter 1/2 tin condensed milk Combine the seeds and nuts and stir over a low - mod heat for 6-8 minutes until it starts to pop and coconut turns golden. Transfer to a bowl. Crush the ginger nut biscuits to a fine crumb. Stir biscuits, apricots and ginger into the nut mixture. Can add some chocolate buttons too! Melt condensed milk and butter over a low heat and pour over the dried ingredients - mix well. Press the mixture into the base of a lightly greased baking tim (20x30) Cover and refrigerate for about an hour before slicing it up. Store in the fridge or the freezer. Take care to eat well Take care to hydrate too 27