The strength of local youngsters was evident recently when a group of Scone Grammar School students competed in two rowing regattas.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The regattas were held on Saturday, February 7 and Sunday, February 8 at the Berry Park Rowing Complex near Morpeth.
Lake Macquarie’s Regatta was held on Saturday and the Endeavour Rowing Club hosted the regatta on the Sunday.
The youth competed against many other clubs including Lake Macquarie, Manning, Port Macquarie, Newcastle Grammar School, Hunter Valley Grammar School, Newcastle, Endeavour, Hastings, Brisbane Waters, Newcastle University, North Shore, Brisbane Waters and Central Tablelands.
Rowers could be of any age including Masters rowers, University students and school students.
The events were raced over either one or two kilometres depending on the division and age group.
Scone Grammar School was represented by Rohan Edwards, Hugh Price, Sebastian Carroll, Fintan Conway and Tom Nichols in the boys and Karinya Harvey, Nat Catzikiris, Mardi Norton, Ellie Brown, Abbey McDonald, Elizabeth Croaker and Lily Collins in the girls.
The Scone boys and girls raced in quads and doubles over 1000 metres and quads over 1750 metres.
The boys were successful in winning their first ever medal in Division 3 of the Men’s D Grade quad skull.
Norton also raced in a composite crew with an Endeavour rower to win a division of the Women’s D Grade double skull and Harvey and Catzikiris also composited with some girls from Lake Macquarie and Endeavour to win the Under 19s quad skull over 1750 metres.
All of the students competed in more than six races each over the two days so were totally exhausted by the end of the weekend.
Scone Grammar School teacher Nick Price said due to school holidays and swimming carnivals they had only been able to get on the water to train for a couple of early mornings before school in preparation for the regattas.
“This aside, the students were very keen to race and for most of them it was the first time they had raced at regattas on consecutive days,” Price said.
“We have been given so much assistance and encouragement from the other clubs with the Endeavour Club allowing us to use their boats and oars to race in, as well as combining with our students to form crews when we have not had the numbers needed to compete.
“This has given our students wonderful opportunities to compete with more experienced rowers for which our young rowers are very grateful.”