After months of training on the Murray River Corowa rowers relished the opportunity to compete at the Nagambie Regatta last weekend with some great results in preparation for the upcoming state championships.
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Competing over the full 2,000m and 1,000m courses it was a great lead up to the state championships to be held in Ballarat on March 1.
The club’s first race was the female under 15 Quad Scull with Sommers Hogan, Eva Broad, Adelaide Robb, Zoe Hague and Cox, Adelyn Holland up against the two Gippsland Grammar crews in a first and final.
The Corowa crew had the best of the starts to take the lead and in a controlled race extended their lead to take the win.
Emily Tidd and Bella Heagney lined up in the final of the Under 17 Double Scull for their first race over the 2,000m course. Up against the inform local Nagambie crew the Corowa girls were in second place at the halfway mark. With the race on for second place the Corowa crew moved well clear of third place to claim second.
Julie Underwood also competed over the full course in the B grade single lining up in the 6 Sculler final. Julie made her move after 500m and in a strong push moved clear to take the win.
The afternoon events saw Emily and Bella line up in the Under 17 single over the full course.
With two heads both girls needed a top three finish in the heat to qualify for the final.
The male and female D grade Double Sculls were up next.
Corowa crews entered were Alex Schultz and Liam Fitzgerald and the combination of Lachie Hogan and Cameron Budic needing a top three finish in their heats to make the final.
Liam and Alex had a great battle down the course with the Banks Crew finishing in second place.
Lachie and Cameron were in a tight race and in a great finish claimed third place and moved into the final.
The Banks Crew took an early lead as the crews settled, Liam and Alex were in second and Lachie and Cameron in 5th place as the crews crossed the finish line.
The female crews featured Emily and Bell, Clancy Tomlinson and Yasmin Budic and Liz Sandow and Claire Macdonald, with three heats a top two finish in the heats were required.
First up was Liz and Claire who were having their first race together.
The crew took the lead from the start and kept in front all the way down the course to take the win. Bella and Emily were in the same heat as Yasmin and Clancy.
Bella and Emily rowed a controlled race to lead all the way for the win.
Yasmin and Clancy were in for a battle as they closed in on the all-important second place but with the finish line looming fell just short in third place.
The final featured six crews and as expected the standard lifted with Bella and Emily claiming third place and Liz and Claire finished in sixth.
The quad sculls were up next with strong representation from city and country crews.
The female crew featured Claire, Liz, Yasmin, Clancy, Cox and Imogen with a close race over the 1000m course seeing the Corowa crew make a dash for the line to finish in third place and just missing out in the final.
The male crew featured Liam, Alex, Lachie, Cameron Cox and Adelyn and in a strong showing won the heat and in a close race finished in second place in the final.
Julie Underwood continued her great season to take out the heat in the C grade single and claim the win in the final.
Julie is working hard and is training for selection in the Victorian Masters crew competing at the Australian master championships held in Tasmania in late April. The results at this regatta will do her selection chances no harm.
Emily and Bella were in two heats of the Female Under 17 single with the first three from each heat moving into the 2,000m final.
Bella was up first and in her first race in the single over the long distance finished in second place.
Emily also entered in her first 2,000m scull race and put in a fantastic performance to claim the heat win. The conditions were starting to be affected by the wind in the final as Emily got away to a great start to hold a narrow lead at the 500m mark.
As the pace lifted the Footscray sculler made her move to take the lead as Bella and Emily fought the race right to the line with Bella taking third place and Emily finished fourth.
The final races for the club were the Male and Female under 15 single and double scull events. Spencer Holland and Brodie Julian lined up in the double scull and in a dominate display led all the way for the win.
In the female event Sommers and Adelaide and Eva and Zoe represented the club. Sommers and Adelaide took an early lead as Eva and Zoe found their rhythm to move into second place. The Corowa crews held their places as they crossed the line taking first and second places.
The single scull featured Spencer and Brodie up against a field of six scullers. Spencer continued his seasons great form to take the lead and in a great battle Brodie finished in third place with the local sculler splitting the Corowa scullers taking second place.
The female event featured three scullers Sommers, Adelaide and Eva. With six scullers entered, the Nagambie sculler took the lead early and in a great battle down the course Sommers claimed second, Adelaide third and Eva finished in fifth place.
As the rowers prepare for the State Club and School Championships over the next month the crews will be working hard to ensure they are rowing their best when it counts most.
All new members are welcome to have a look at the new facilities on offer at the Corowa Rowing Club.