Archive for category: News

Rowing ACT extends its congratulations to Nick Hunter OAM, who was added to the Rowing Australia list of Life Members. This is one of the highest honours in Australian rowing, and recognises the significant and enduring service and dedication that Nick Hunter has given to the sport of Rowing.

At the Club, State, National and International levels there is very little that Nick Hunter has not given to the sport of rowing. He is synonymous with rowing in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), being a long time Club President of the Australian National University (ANU) Boat Club, a former Rowing ACT Board Member and current Life Member. In addition to his roles as an Australian and World Rowing Umpire, a former ACT and Australian rowing coach, and long-time Australian Sports Commission (ASC) administrator, Nick was crucial in the procurement of funding for what was then the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Rowing Centre.

Nick has represented umpires on the Rowing Australia and World Rowing Umpires Commissions. He was also the first Australian to be appointed to World Rowing Umpires Commission. 

Nick’s dedication to rowing is matched by very few. His knowledge of rowing history is truly incredible, with encyclopaedic recall and enjoyment in sharing the stories of athletes, equipment and events. Sharing his knowledge, Nick has supported the development of Rowing ACT staff through many changes and new faces, spending time with each to help guide each through the administrative side of rowing. 

Coach and Athlete

Nick represented Australia at the 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, as well as the 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1990 World Championships.

Nick began his coaching career in 1988, going on to become the Head Coach of the ACT Academy of Sport (ACTAS) rowing program from 1994-2000, and continuing in a coaching role until 2003. During that time, seven ACTAS athletes were selected for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and five for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Between 1989 and 2000 Nick ran talent identification programs in the ACT, with 14 athletes subsequently selected to represent Australia and three becoming Olympians. Nick was an Australian team coach between 1990 and 2002, including for the 1990 World Championships, the 1999 and 2000 World Junior Championships, the 2001 and 2002 World Junior Championships, and as Assistant Team Coach for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Nick continues to coach at the ANU Boat Club on a regular basis. 

Umpire

Nick is a World Rowing, Rowing Australia and ACT umpire. He regularly assists in the development of new umpires at all levels in education and assessment. Nick has been a part of the teams that lead the development of rowing umpiring as it currently stands, including the usage of zonal umpiring and the development of Australia’s umpires in Coastal and Beach Sprint Rowing.

Nick has been on Rowing Australia juries as an umpire on multiple occasions since 2006, including seven Australian Rowing Championships. He was President of the Jury at the first Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprint National Championships. 

On the world stage, Nick has been on World Rowing juries multiple times. In 2022, Nick served as President of the Jury for the World Rowing Under 19 and Under 23 Championships.

Development and Administration

Nick constantly aims to develop individuals, roles and responsibilities to further the sport of rowing. At an Australian level, he currently sits on the Rowing Australia Umpires Commission, the Coastal Rowing Working Group and the Rowing in Australian Working Group. Internationally, Nick is a member of the World Rowing Umpires Commission, the first Australian to be appointed to this Commission.

During Nick’s time as a member of the Australia Sports Commission, he was an integral part of the business case and development of the $2.2million expansion of Rowing Australia House and AIS Rowing Centre in Yarralumla, now the Men’s National Training Centre.

In 2016, Nick was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his service to the rowing community. Nick has said he keeps showing up because of what rowing has given to him, and there is no denying his dedication to the sport of rowing.

Rowing ACT is very pleased to announce our ACT Interstate Team to compete at Lake Barrington in Tasmania at the Australian Rowing Championships.

These crews will represent the ACT in distinction, and join the ACT’s rich history of interstate representatives. In Tasmania, our debutants will join the likes of Sarah Cook OLY, Kathryn Ross, Nikki Ayers PLY, Caleb Antill, Jaime Fernandez OLY, Tom Westgarth and Luke Letcher, and so many others that have represented the ACT with great pride and distinction.

When these athletes take to the water in Tasmania, they will be wearing the ACT crest with great pride. We encourage all our ACT representatives, past and present to wear the crest with pride. To take pride in yourselves, your crews and your state.

Our crews for the Interstate Regatta are:

Presidents Cup for the Men’s Single – Hamish Harding #299

Nell Slater Trophy for the Women’s Single – Catherine Khan #363

Penrith Cup for the Lightweight Men’s Four – Matthew Rickard (#365), Oliver Manning (#371), George Bowditch (#372), Garvan Hayes (#373) Alex Tomanovits (Reserve)

Victoria’s Cup for the Lightweight Women’s Quad – Alexandra Moylan (#325), Ruby Gray (#368), Ronja Staerker-Ashby (#369), Abbyghail Richards (#370)

Noel Wilkinson Cup for the Men’s Youth Eight – Jesse Rosin (#374), Darcy James (#375), James Robson (#376), Max McAlpine (#377), Dylan Outram (#378), Cameron Schmidt (#379), Harrison Braithwaite (#380), Benjamin Haywood (#381) and Moira Geraghty (#382), Angus Scott and Campbell Milne (Reverses)

Good luck to all!

The Nominations for the 2025 Interstate and Pathways Teams are now open. The policy for Senior and Youth Team Members can be found here. This policy is the same as 2024.

The 2025 Senior and Youth Team Interstate Processes can be found here. The nominations for Senior Team Members close Friday 20th December 2024, whilst nominations for Youth Team Members close Wednesday 15th January 2025. Nominations for both teams may be made here

School Pathway Nominations

Nominations for the 2025 School Pathways Squad are also open. The policy for the Pathways Squad may be found here. The processes for the 2025 School Pathways Squad can be found here

Nominations for the School Pathways Squads are now open and will close on Wednesday 15 January 2025 at 5pm. Nominations may be made here.

The Annual General Meeting will be held at 6:30pm, Tuesday 29th October 2024, at the Canberra Grammar School Rowing Centre. Please see the agenda and biographies of the nominees for the two elected director positions.

Agenda

Nominee Biographies

Annual Report

Rowing ACT is searching for an enthusiastic person to join our small team as an events and participation officer. The successful candidate would support the Executive Officer in the delivery of major events and stakeholder engagements, as well as the administration of the ACT Interstate Teams and other events.

For more information, interested individuals should head to the Job Description or email eo@rowingact.org.au

The Annual General Meeting for Rowing ACT Association Inc. will be held on Tuesday 29th October at the Canberra Grammar School Rowing Centre, commencing at 6:30pm.

All members of the community are welcome to attend, although only one member per club or school may act as a voting proxy.

During this meeting, there will be two director positions for election. If you are interested in, or know of someone who would be a suitable nominee for an elected director position, please fill out the following form and email it to Sarah at eo@rowingact.org.au by close of business Monday 21st October 2024.

We at Rowing ACT are so incredibly proud of our home grown legend, Nikki Ayers PLY who last night claimed Australian first ever Paralympic Gold Medal with double partner Jed Altschwager.

Nikki started from small beginnings here on Lake Burley Griffin with Capital Lakes Rowing Club Canberra and the ACT Academy of Sport not that many years ago, and we are so incredibly proud to have seen her grow to a Paralympic champion. From LBG to Nikki’s adopted training ground over with Rowing South Australia she and Jed have done the country proud.

Beyond the water, Nikki is true symbol of hope and achievement. She is an ambassador for Thrive with Pride, moonlights as a registered nurse when not smashing it as a paralympic rower and a great example of what determination and courage can lead to.

Nikki, all of Canberra is so very, very proud of you!

For more on Nikki and Jed’s incredible efforts, check out the Rowing Australia article on their race here.

As many  would be aware, the Australian University Championships are being held in Canberra in September this year. 

Rowing ACT will be responsible for the management of the Rowing event, and as part of this, we are seeking Expressions of Interest for a paid role as Competition Manager to support the Executive Officer and Officials during the competition week. 

Interested individuals should send an email with their expression of interest to Kent Peters at president@rowingact.org.au

For more information, see the attached PD. Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact eo@rowingact.org.au

NCA are currently completing works on the rowing course. Please be aware that there will be a maintenance vessel in the lanes on the rowing course throughout the day over the next few weeks.  The maintenance crew will not be able to move out of the way for boats on the course. Coaches and crews are requested to use vacant lanes when training on the course, and ensure to steer around the maintenance crew.

If you see the maintenance crew on the water, please give them a big thank you for their work. Rowing ACT is very excited by the possibilities a fully buoyed course brings and we hope our community are as well.

Any questions, please do not hesitate to get in contact with RACT Executive Officer Sarah Davoren

With great sadness, Rowing ACT acknowledges the passing of Dennis Hatcher, former Australian Rower and former ANUBC coach, on the 9th of June.

ANU Boat Club shared the following post:

Dennis’ health had deteriorated over the past year, and particularly the last two to three months.

Dennis had a distinguished career in rowing and Australian sport. He represented Australia at the World Rowing Championships in 1978 and 1979, winning a bronze medal in the lightweight eight in 1978.

He later became a national selector, co-selecting Australia’s World Championships teams from 1989 to 1994, and the Olympic team in 1992 which won Australia’s first Olympic rowing gold medals in 44 years.

Dennis’s working career included roles as a Deputy Director of the Australian Institute of Sport, Director of the Northern Territory Institute of Sport, and Director of Sport Science at the ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence in Qatar.

Dennis was the ANU Boat Club’s men’s squad coach in 2018, and coached the ANU student eight that toured China that year.

Our thoughts are with Dennis’ family at this time.