This was the 157th running of the rowing regatta and is Australia’s oldest regatta right here on our doorstep.
The clubs were relieved to be back in full force after two years of COVID restrictions and more recent widespread flooding which meant that most regatta leading up to Christmas were cancelled.
This regatta was the first major Rowing Victoria Regatta for the season.
Over 500 competitors together with coaches, parents, club supporters and spectators thronged the banks of Lake Moodemere to watch two days of exciting racing.
Crews came from all over Victoria and Southern New South Wales to attend this iconic regatta. Many of the strong Melbourne and Victorian Clubs sent up a strong contingent of rowers to compete at the regatta including Mercantile Rowing Club, Powerhouse, Richmond, Essendon, Corio Bay and Barwon Rowing Clubs.
The three local clubs were also well represented. Corowa Rowing Club demonstrated their great depth in winning many races over the weekend and also placing many crews in the finals. Wahgunyah Rowing Club fielded a very wise masters crew and with two of the crew members having their first race at a regatta. Five individual rowers from Rutherglen Lake Rowing Club won their first race at a regatta over the weekend; the highlight for Rutherglen being Lily Rose Krause and Jo Somerville storming through the field in the final of the A grade double sculls on Sunday to claim the Victorian Sprint Championship for the female double sculls.
Essendon Rowing Club won the Red Gum shield for the most successful club at the regatta narrowly from Corowa Rowing Club.
“The Murray Rowing Association would like to thank all of the club volunteers for the combined hundreds of hours that went into the preparation of the regatta and the catering,” MRA President Paul Somerville said.
“We would also like to thank Parks Victoria for allowing us to host the regatta at Lake Moodemere and for their quick work to repair the road leading down to the regatta area of the lake.
“Also, we commend Indigo Shire for their continuing support for the regatta. We would like to thank the business community who generously support the regatta through their sponsorship. In particular we express our gratitude to James Webb and Focus Engineering, Neville Hetherington and his crew at Hetherington Plumbing Services, and Stephen Jackson of Murray Valley Piling.
“Lastly, and by no means least, we wish to thank an unsung hero of the regatta in Lachie Julian from the Corowa Rowing Club.”
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Corowa rowers on the winners list
Wahgunyah in good form
First timers perform well for Rutherglen
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