Rowers point bows to Head of the River

After months of training on and off the water, 45 rowers from The Armidale School are heading into the business end of the season, which for most culminates at the NSW Schoolgirl and NSW Schoolboy Head of the River this weekend, 13–14 March.

Across the two days, crews will compete in single scull, pairs and coxed quad events at the Sydney International Regatta Centre. The girls will race on Saturday, with the boys competing on Sunday.

Crews will face some of the best school teams from across NSW and the ACT, but for co-captain of rowing Olivia Bellinger, the season has been as much about the journey as the destination.

“We don’t have the training on Sydney Harbour or the Brisbane River; instead we row on Malpas Dam, shared with all kinds of wildlife, often arriving at sunrise with the world is still and silent. As the mist drifts across the water, and the first light of morning slowly burns through the fog; as your crew pushes off the pontoon and the oars propel through the water you are reminded why you love it,” she said.

“It’s not the freezing early mornings, the brutal hill sprints, the exhausting ergs, the heavy weights or the long bus rides… it’s sharing it with the others in the boat in front and behind you, celebrating the achievements and being supportive through the hardships. That’s as much a benchmark of a successful season, as the results at a regatta.”

Head of Rowing Harry Rorke said there was optimism in the boatshed ahead of the event.

“The crews have proved they can be competitive on the water and are looking forward to giving it their best this weekend,” he said.

“It would be great to think we can repeat the recent success at state championships and come home with a few medals. More important, though, is that every rower comes off the water satisfied with the progress they have made throughout the season and that they left nothing in the boat for themselves, their crew or the school.”

It will not be the final outing for five senior rowers, who will compete at the national championships in Tasmania next month.