COROWA Rowing Club has fallen just short of defending its title as most successful club at the annual Murray Rowing Association Regatta at Lake Moodemere on the weekend.
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Corowa recorded 11 wins, third behind victorious Hawthorn Rowing Club with 13 and runner-up Barwon Rowing Club with 12.
More than 1200 people lined the banks of the lake over the weekend to take in the 310 races featuring 450 rowers and clubs from across Victoria.
“We’ve had very positive feedback on what’s been a great, fun regatta,” Murray Rowing Association president Paul Somerville said.
“This regatta has been the fastest growing in the state for the past eight years and when we go away people talk about what a great, fun regatta it is.”
In the blue ribbon races, the Victorian Championships, the men’s sprint fours was won by Hawthorn, the women’s sprint fours by Barwon and Hawthorn also won the men’s sprint eights.
Among the local winners were Corowa Rowing Club’s Rhylee Dea, 17, from Wahgunyah, and Doug Shelley, 19, from Rutherglen, in the men’s C-grade scull and Rutherglen Rowing Club’s Joel Chambers in the D-grade single scull.
“Joel is an up and comer and we’re expecting even bigger things from his during the season,” Somerville said.
“He’s only been rowing for a year.”
Somerville said funds raised from the catering of the free event will go back into the sport in the district.
“The funds raised go to putting on the regatta, which is used to promote the sport in the area as well as the high schools and clubs,” he said.
“Corowa Rowing Club is going very well, Wahgunyah Rowing Club is going OK and Rutherglen Rowing Club is in a rebuilding phase at the moment.
“Rowing is very much a grassroots sport, very few people get paid to do it and very few people get paid to coach it.”
Somerville said the busy event had gone off without a hitch.
“It’s gone very smoothly considering the hot conditions,” he said.
