This is Your Captain Speaking

Things are certainly busy at the shed - with 60+ athletes already training in the competitive squads, the first head race of the year already complete, athletes heading off to selection trials and a flurry of head races and masters regattas on the way over the next few weeks, there's hardly time to draw breath...

Welcome to another installment of the Captain's newsletter!

Glenda Hirsch
WARC Captain 2010

Guildford to Garratt Results

20 Westies athletes anointed the murky waters of the river Swan on Sunday 18th April to kick off the Winter competitive season!

All three crews posted competitive times, with the ME4X+ taking the first glassware of the season for fastest E grade quad.

Many, many thanks to Sten Campbell and Peter Klemm for driving the trailer and providing a storage solution given the shed was inaccessible during the red bull air race!

Mens 8+ (Jolly, Moore, Taylor, Klemm, Jones, Hort, Cartagena, Winch, cox: Wilson) - 3rd, 22:45
Womens 8+ (Rule, Pace, Devery, Scully, Downes, Davis, RIley, Mitchell, cox: Walters) - 2nd, 26:42
Mens 4X+ (Lane, Scott, Roworth, Myers, cox: Murdoch) - 5th, 26:38

The Perth to Freo, The Unloading and The After Party

The longest head race of the year, the Perth to Fremantle, is less than a fortnight away!

A number of Westies athletes will be competing this year, which ends at the FRC boatshed. Immediately after the race, the boats will need to be derigged and loaded on the trailer. We need a minimum of 10 volunteers to then return to the WARC shed and unload the boats. As long as we have enough volunteers to get the job done, we will have it done quickly (at this point it is highly advised that all athletes have a shower). If you can lend a hand, please notify your coach. Then we can move on to...

The P2F after party!

Two outside tables of 15 (30 persons) have been booked at the Norfolk hotel in Freo.

Venue: Norfolk Hotel, 47 South Terrace, Freo
Date: Sunday 2nd May
Time: 12 noon, onwards
Booking Name: Alex Jolly

All athletes, supporters, WARC menbers family and friends are welcome - even if you're not competing, please come down to celebrate surviving the longest race of the year!

Parking at the Shed

Westies has 5-6 parking bays at the front of the shed. Whilst they are not reserved for any particular club members - typically the rule is first in, best dressed - please remember that these bays are not a car park, they are a loading zone. Therefore a few rules apply:

- Be aware that parking inspectors may give you a fine for parking in the loading zone (this has happened before!)

- A very large garbage truck needs to get past, so make sure your car doesn't protrude onto the access road

- Try to park in a manner so that as many cars as possible can fit

and finally....

Don't park in the bays during training sessions if you don't need to! It's a loading zone, so those dropping off or picking up trailers and/or other gear often need access, and there is nothing worse than trying to drop off some bulky gear and find there is no parking. There is plenty of free parking available during training sessions on the northern side of Riverside Drive, near the belltower or on Terrace Rd, all of which are only a 150m walk away!

Lord Mayor's Cup

Sunday 21st March saw 20+ novice crews hit the water for the 21st Lord Mayor's Cup Regatta. Despite the now customary rough weather, all entrants had a fantastic day and the regatta even finished right on time!

Many, many thanks to all of the volunteers (far too many to name here) who pitched in on the day and in the months leading up to the regatta - all your hard work paid off!

Fundraising at AMRC

The club needs your help! We will be performing some fundraising at the Australian Masters, as outlined below. Without your assistance, the club cannot afford to maintain the resources currently available to the competitive squads, so please pitch in!

Rita Campbell and Carolyn Murdoch are looking for volunteers to help make 200 sandwiches on the Saturday morning of the Australian Masters Regatta (5th June). They are to be made, wrapped and delivered to Champion Lakes by 10am. They will be made at a venue yet to be decided. The club will be rewarded handsomely for this venture. The willing participants please email murdochs@bigpond.net.au.

Next regatta: Perth to Fremantle Head Race, Sunday May 2

For the Diary...

Saturday 24 April - WA Masters Games, Albany
Sunday 2 May - Perth to Fremantle Head Race & after party
Saturday 8 May - First 6km erg test
Sunday 9 May - Masters Regatta
Sunday 16 May - Mettam Head Race

2010 Membership

All 2010 membership forms and payment are due on 30th April - beyond this date you must be a paid up member to row, so please get your forms and payment in soon!

You can get a copy of the 2010 Membership form and the 2010 rowers manual from the club's website at warowingclub.org.

State Masters Team Selection Trials

Five WARC athletes recently competed in selection races for inclusion in the state eight and quad at the upcoming Australian Masters Rowing Championships.

We achieved a WARC clean sweep in the mens events - well done to all athletes and good luck!

Womens 2-
Mason - Selection postponed

Mens 1X
Wakeford - 1st
Salisbury - 2nd

Mens 2-
Wakeford/Taylor - 1st
Klemm/Salisbury - 2nd

National Team Selection Trials

Best of luck to the following four WARC athletes who travel to Canberra this week to participate in National Youth Team Selection Trials!

Hannah Vermeersch
Thea Adamson
Matt Cochran
Mike Stott