The Rowing ACT Winter Time Trials are an event unique to the ACT. First started in 1986 by Mark Kwiatkowski and Alison Chinn, they are an institution on Lake Burley Griffin. The running of the event was handed over to Rowing ACT who have held the event since being handed over.
The race is over about a 4 km course running from Scrivener Dam to the top of Orana Bay in Yarralumla, following the contours of Lake Burley Griffin, and is raced over 2 days each month between May and September annually, with singles and pairs being contested on Saturdays whilst crew boats take to the water on the Sunday.
History:
In 1986 Alison and Mark Kwiatkowski created the ACT Winter Time Trial series, a group of long-distance time trials open to all levels of competitors, who race on handicap. Supported by a small group of club volunteers Alison and Mark coordinated the series for its first decade. Beginning as a monthly one day single scull-only event, its success enabled it to grow to a monthly two day event, with small boats (1x and 2-) racing on Saturdays and big boats on Sundays. However, the event’s growth meant a big lift in workload for Alison and Mark behind the scenes. In 1999, they handed the coordination to Rowing ACT, which recognized the value of the series and formally made it a part of its regatta program.
The inclusiveness that Alison and Mark designed into the structure of the Winter Time Trial series has ensured its success. The series is open to all athletes, with the handicapping system designed to create a competition which is won by the crews that show the most improvement across the series.
Winners:
Trophies are awarded to the Men’s and Women’s Single Scull series point score winners, whilst other boat classes also recognise overall point score winners. There are several names on the single scull trophies of up-and-coming athletes who later went on to win national championships and represent Australia, including Sarah Cook OLY and Luke Letcher.
Lyn Cirulis Shield – Women’s Single Scull
Kwiatkowski Cup – Men’s Single Scull
Across the many editions of the series, there have been several impressive performances. Times under 15 minutes for small boats are considered very impressive, whilst bigger boats will occasionally crack the 14 minute and under barrier, with even less beating 13 minutes.
Adair Ferguson held the women’s single scull record from 1996 until 2022, when Cara Grzeskowiak became the first women to go under 16 minutes in the single scull. The Junior Men’s Quad of Luke Hennessy/Henry Gundry/Mitchell Punch/Randall Bulley held the course record in a time of 12:47.81 for a number of years before a Men’s eight in 2012 went under 12:30.
As part of the celebration of 40 Winter Time Trials, Rowing ACT has attempted to collate the best times for different boat classes across the 4km course. With records spread widely amongst the history of the time trial, and crews constantly improving, who knows when that 12 minute barrier might get rowed over.