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Nikki Ayers PLY becomes the first Australian Paralympic Gold Medallist

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.

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University Championships Competition Manager EOI

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

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Maintenance works and Upgrades on the Regatta Course

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

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Vale Dennis Hatcher

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.

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ACT Interstate Team and School Pathways Squads

Rowing ACT is excited to announce the crews for the 2024 Interstate Regatta, as well as the squads for the 2024 schools pathways regatta in April. The Selectors and board were greatly impressed by the number and quality of nominees and is excited to see the ACT compete on the national stage.

2024 Interstate Team

President’s Cup – Men’s Single: Caleb Antill, coach: Dave Fraumano

Caleb returns to the Men’s Interstate Single, hungry for a gold medal. Caleb has represented the ACT on 4 occasions and has claimed a minor medal on three of those races. Could 2024 be the year?

Nell Slatter Trophy – Women’s Single: Cara Grzeskowiak

It’s been a long break between races for Cara, and as the 2024 Australian Rowing Championships returns to Sydney in a flourish, so does one of the ACT’s most successful women’s scullers. After a bronze medal in 2019, Cara will be looking to upgrade her placing.

Penrith Cup – Men’s Lightweight Four: Ishan Shalliker, Matthew Rickard, Jonathon Adams, Alex Tomanovits, coach: William Hatcher

The ACT returns to the Penrith Cup for the first time since 2019. With some strong local talent, including two members of the ANU Lightweight Four that placed second at the 2023 University Games, the four is one to watch out for.

Women’s PR3 Single: Nikki Ayers PLY, coaches: Dave Fraumano and David Bagnall

Nikki Ayers is looking to go four straight wins in the PR3 Women’s Single and is looking good to make that happen. She has never not podiumed in the PR3 single and we can’t wait to see her shine!

Men’s PR3 Single: Stuart John, coach: Dave Fraumano

Stuart John returns to the PR3 Men’s single after a successful 2023. He continues to go from strength to strength and is looking strong for a top finish at the 2024 Interstate Regatta.

2024 Schools Pathways Squads:

After a strong 2023 result in the school’s pathways regatta, the future is looking bright for the ACT Squads. With the best up and coming school athletes from the nation’s capital, the squad is looking strong. Crews for the Pathways regatta will be selected after the Australian Rowing Championships with crews to be split between quads and eights after the introduction of the Coxed Quad at last year’s event.

Coxes: Aidan Brooks, Chameesha Dayajeewa, Izzy Faris, Moira Geraghty, Olivia Noonan, Timothy Robson, Lucy Robins

School Boys: Austin Bennie, Harrison Braithwaite, Harry Budd, Charles Carter, Euan Greig, Garvan Hayes, Ben Haywood, Conor Malouf, Hamish McKee, Joshua Miller, Campbell Milne, Ethan Murphy, Joseph O’Brien, Dylan Outram, Cameron Schmidt, Angus Scott, Nicolaas van der Walt, Rohan White

School Girls: Charlotte Bowen, Samantha Burns, Amelie Brennan, Madison Duncan, Sophie Frost, Hannah Griffiths, Holly Howard, Isabel King, Eliza Lilley, Aprilla Mitchell, Sophie Murphy, Cate Oliver, Addison Perry, Estella Robertson, Tahlia Turnbull, Zara Turner, Emily Walker, Jade Wilson

Coaches: Caroline Pijpers, Max Myers, Ally McBain, Riley Taylor, William Hatcher

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Veteran’s Indoor Rowing Competition

Rowing ACT is excited to announce our new Veteran’s and Families Indoor Rowing Competition on the 19th of August!
With our community partners, Invictus Australia and the support of the @Community Services Directorate and the ACT Government , the competition will run in person on Saturday the 19th and as an online early entry for participants who are unable to make it to Canberra on the day in the week prior.
Entries can be made via the link below, with entries closing on Sunday the 6th of June 2023.
Get excited!
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Australian Masters Rowing Championships Wrap Up

Congratulations to all our Rowers who headed up to Sydney to compete in the 2023 Australian Masters Rowing Championships this past week. The ACT had athletes competing from ANU Boat Club, Black Mountain Rowing Club, Canberra Rowing Club and the ADF Rowing Club – a strong contingent to represent our territory!

ANU was the best of the ACT clubs coming in at 20th on the medal tally and 3.5 golds in the bag. ADF and Black Mountain both took home some bling but it was in the interstate where the ACT shone.

Three crews, all claiming a podium position is a great result for our small state. Stuart John started us off well, taking home a silver in the PR3 Men’s Masters Single – a strong row from Stu! Sue Donoghue stormed out of the gate to take home the gold in clear water, making that back-to-back for Sue! Our Women’s quad was strong off the blocks and was leading through the 500m but was pipped by Victoria to take home a strong silver.

 

We are very proud of all the ACT crews, and every athlete who participated over the weekend. Well done to all!

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Australian Masters Rowing Championship Crews announced!

Rowing ACT is excited to announce the crews that will be representing the ACT at the Australian Masters Rowing Championships in Sydney early next month. These crews been working hard for the past few months and we are excited to see them compete!
 
Our Masters PR3 Men’s Single will be contested by Stuart John who is looking to upgrade his fourth from last year into podium position. Stuart also represented the ACT at the Australian Rowing Championships earlier this year, so his ACT pride will be on display loud and proud!
 
Our Masters PR3 Women’s Single is defending champion Sue Donoghue – can she go back to back?
 
Finally our Masters Women’s Quad is looking strong with Adair Ferguson coming back from last year’s strong 4th place crew, whilst Dearne Grant makes her return to the crew after a year off, and Zoe Lynam and Jane Clews helping to make a highly competitive boat!
 
Good Luck to all crews!
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Pathways Regatta – ACT Crews Results

Congratulations to the ACT School’s Pathway’s Eights who competed in Sydney last week at the Rowing Australia School’s Pathways Regatta! Both crews represented the ACT with distinction and should be very proud of their efforts.

The Pathways Regatta is held consecutively with the Rowing Australia Under 19 Trials and sees the best school rowers compete head to head for the pride of their state. The two ACT Eights both made A finals, and rowed fantastically across the 2 days of competition.

 

Thursday afternoon saw the eights on the course for their heats, with the women’s crew of Holly Howard, Zoe Macintosh, Jade Wilson, Sophie Mckay, Emily Walker, Ash Watts, Madison Duncan, Imogen Lang and Cox, Amelia Mukherjee take out second place in a fiercely contested heat, whilst the men’s crew of Harry Budd, Austin Bennie, Elliot Jallier, Luke Jallier, Connor Malouf, Rohan White, Dylan Outram, Jamie Bjerregaard and Cox Jack Mcdonald hold onto third in their heat, scrapping through to the final. 

 

Thursday night was the annual pathways dinner, a long standing Rowing Australia tradition that encourages all states athlete’s to mingle and make new friends! Guest speaker Tara Rigney spoke about the hardships of rowing, how she bounces back (even after falling in at Nationals!) and feeling starstruck meeting Ash Barty at the Olympics!

 

Friday morning was the finals, and both crews performed spectacularly! The Women’s eight had a flying start to finish 4th, just off the podium whilst the Men’s crew had a battle with Victoria in the final 500m and came up short by a seat to finish 5th.

 

All crews should be proud of their efforts, and the way they held themselves whilst representing the ACT. A massive thanks to our coaches, Sarah Peterswald, Caroline Pijpers, Riley Taylor and William Hatcher, with additional thanks to the Rowing ACT staff, Tom Creber and Sarah Davoren who supported the team.

 

Final congratulations to our two Under 19 trialists, Darcy James and Jesse Rosin who rowed fantastically in the singles on Thursday, with Darcy finishing second in the B final and Jesse taking out second in the A final.

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