Rowers from The Armidale School more than held their own against school and club crews from Sydney and Queensland at the annual Taree Summer Regatta on 10-11 January, coming home with a win.
On Sunday the school’s First IV took out the Men’s B Grade Coxless Four over 2000m, ahead of Newcastle and Drummoyne Rowing Clubs. Their time of 7:24:55 was significantly slower than the 6:42:29 they had raced before in the Men’s Open Lightweight Under 23 Coxless Four, a reflection of the varied conditions across the weekend that ranged from racing with and against the tide, in choppy and windy weather, and then on Sunday, in the rain but on smooth water.
The three crews raced in three 2000m event and a 1000m event at the regatta, which is one of the largest in eastern Australia. The regatta was the culmination of a week-long rowing camp for the 12 rowers and three coxswains, held at Oxley Island at Taree.
“The camp was an important opportunity to trial different combinations to finalise the makeup of each crew, and for the boys to build team and technical skills,” TAS rowing coach Will Caldwell said.
The boys will next compete at the State championships on 14 February, before the AAGPS Head of the River in Sydney on 7 March.
