Greetings, intrepid paddlers.

From the weekend... of the 50 boats which completed the Mettam headrace on Sunday, eight were from WARC and we had four wins: The MD8+ which recorded the second fastest time (GO GUYS!), the WD8+ (GO GIRLS!), the WB4- and the WE4+ which won a jar of pickles for recording the slowest time on the day. For the full results, check out the rowing wa website.

Now before you worry about our WE4+, it's worth pointing out the crew of girls, who have been training under the banner of Squad X, were also the ONLY first-year women's crew competing in the Mettam headrace and looked incredibly clean coming across the finish line after battling a kicking head wind for the final 2km straight.

They were coxed by the very able Tim Murdoch, while their male counterparts had a slightly-concussed Zak Campbell as stringy. The guys were also the only crew entered in the ME4+ event, which means all those rowers picked up points for WARC.

Given I have been baiting the ANA captain about how WARC is coming to get the pie-bald paddlers from upstream, this bodes well for the rest of the season. (Even though they did jag a few more points on the weekend).

To add more accolades to WARC's success, three athletes training with Alan Salisbury also had a wicked weekend, picking up two firsts and a second at the schoolgirls regatta at Canning on Saturday.

Mt Lawley senior high school rower Emma Yann jagged a win in the freshman single scull, St Brigid's College student Natalie Serles won the Year 9B single and Bronte Walter, also from St Brigid's, grabbed a second in the Year 9A scull. See here for more results.

The girls will compete this weekend at another school regatta with a high probability of boating a quad.

Keep an eye on the West's sports section, some very organised rowing people have managed to send the school rowing results in for the Monday sports summary so Emma, Bronte and Natalie's names have already appeared in print.

FOR THE DIARY:
Roland turns 30, Zak turns 17: June 13
Entries for pennant regatta at Canning due: June 14
Next WARC committee meeting: June 14 (after training)
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull movie: June 15
Draw for the pennant regatta: June 17
First pennant regatta at Canning Bridge: June 21
Bunbury fundraiser for Alex and Jamie: June 21
Next erg test (2km) plus busy bee: June 28
First pennant regatta at Champion Lakes: June 5
Boat christening: July 12
WARC headrace: July 13
Youth cup athletes/coach application cutoff - July 14

How to look beautiful in red

For rowers who borrowed zoot suits for the Mettam headrace: Please wash any zoot suits you borrowed and return EITHER to the owner, if you know who it was, or to me (Peta). I will be down on Friday and Saturday mornings when everyone is training so please bring them along.

For rowers who need a zoot suit (and there should be lots of you, including all of Squad X and any other newbies): Amy "Bobbins" Walters will be placing another order THIS SATURDAY with Oarsome to get everyone in the cardinal-and-gold.

Please catch up with Amy on amy-walters@hotmail.com or call her on 0422 737 933 to place your order. To find out your size or just to procrastinate by looking at rowing kit, check out the oarsome website. After this order, we will be changing suppliers to Pontoon sports who are keen to give WARC our own site, so members can order directly through a supplier.

Amy still has bowlight holders for sale at $10 a pop (although we've currently run out of lights themselves) and special 10mm-11mm either-end spanners which are going for $5 each. We will not be buying communal spanners this year so when the next regatta comes around, you will need your own to help rig and de-rig boats.

Membership matters

The very capable Carolyn Murdoch has taken over administration of the WARC membership database. This year we have asked all members - including life members - to fill out membership forms, which are available here so we can have an up-to-date database.

If you have not yet paid any money for your membership, or filled out a form, you are causing me problems so please get your act together. We know who you are!!

Members who have Skippers Tickets, Working with Children cards, Bronze Medallions, coaching qualifications, first aid certificates and the like will need to copy their qualification and either put it in the green letterbox or scan and email it to Carolyn on murdochs@bigpond.net.au.

Tickets for the Indy flick still available

This Sunday's fundraiser for the four WAIS rowers heading to the Junior World Championships in Austria, Christian Eyres, David Watts, Elliot Bannan and Harley Mooney, are still available.

Their coach (and former WARC headcoach) Sean Leyland is selling the tickets for $20 a pop. You can catch up with Sean either at the club or on 0415 470 558. I'm keen to go, so if anyone else wants to come see the man with the whip reprise his role at the ripe old age of 60 (I'm talking about Harrison Ford here) please grab a ticket!

It's been an honour to have the guys training out of WARC and we wish them all the best. We also hope they remember us at the London Olympics in 2012 and thank WARC in their winning speeches!.

The flick is on at the Astor Cinema, 659 Beaufort Street in Mt Lawley on June 15. The $20, includes complimentary snacks and a drink from 3.30pm.

Equipment

We've copped a bit of damage and have a few new boats going around the place. I am putting this in the newsletter just so everyone knows what's going on with our gear:

- This week WARC has received a new 70-80kg four from Sykes and a newish HW 1X from Sydney (plus a privately-owned double which will be stored at WARC.) Last newsletter I mentioned the MW8+ from Adelaide, which has already won its first race in the Mettam.

- The Moose is out of order today (and could be tomorrow, unsure at the moment) after the pin anchor snapped. It is in the capable repair hands of Alan Salisbury. One of the Challenge/yellow sculls has also been damaged and is undergoing reparis.

- The 3 Sisters has a backstay on order after one got bent and the Mason is missing a backstay end which we're also dealing with.

- The Sarah Hardy is likely to be stored... somewhere... to allow for rack space for the new MW4-.

- Four club speedcoach cradles (note: NOT speedcoaches, just the cradles) have been ordered and will be put on boats allocated by the coaches. Rowers who have privately-owned speedcoaches are welcome to use the cradles.

- A new, 4th speedboat is due to arrive at WARC on June 23.

On the WARC priority list are the following boats and equipment:

LW4-
LW2-
HW2-
HW1X
HW4+
HW4-
HW8+
Ergos x 4
Trestles

If you know of where to source any of the above boats, have spotted some additional damage that needs to be addressed, or have something else on the wish-list, please email Pete Tomic on mensvc@warowingclub.org or call 0407 303 382.

Need a bit more rowing? How you can get involved...

Lets be honest here: Over the years, I've written many, many newsletters so I don't hold out a great deal of hope with what I'm about to write. And worse, this is a repeat from the last edition.

All I can offer is my undying devotion and support for anyone who puts their hand up for any of the tasks listed below. Some of them are actually rewarding... scouts honour. Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing this.

At WARC:

Secretary: Our current secretary the magnificant Marie Limb is busy procreating and will shortly be unavailable to come to committee meetings, take minutes, deal with correspondence and generally help out (not to mention row.) WARC will need another secretary or, if not, another committee member as someone else steps up to the plate as Marie takes time out.

Vice President: WARC Vice President Steve Parks is returning to whence he came (the US) with wife Kelly in tow, much to the devastation of those who rowed with both of them. While we wish them all the absolute best, Steve leaves a gap on the WARC committee in the form of a role for a vice president. Caine Holdsworth holds one of two positions for VP, while Warren Anderson is the incumbent President.

Social secretary: In recent years, WARC has held a quiz night and a cocktail party. Without a social secretary to drive these events, they will not happen. Former social secretaries have simple task lists to follow so it's just a matter of following instructions for some of the best nights in the WARC function room. If you're up for a party, please step forward to drive these events.

At RWA:

Umpires: As of 2007, clubs with insufficient umpires will face penalties for not supplying umpires. WARC has been targeted as one of the clubs with insufficient umpires. All it requires is a bit of weekend time, a skippers ticket and a love of the sport.

Secretary: RWA, the governing body of rowing in Western Australia, is also short of a secretary.

Pennant points

ANA - 414
WARC - 379
BRC - 165
UWA - 163
FRE - 128
SRRC - 114
CUBC - 111
MURC - 102
PRC - 35

Next club regatta: Pennent regatta at Canning Bridge, Saturday June 21.

WANTED: Trestles

WARC is in the market for some trestles. If you know how to make trestles (preferably stainless steel) or know someone else who does, who might be in the market for a bit of extra work, please contact Peter Tomic on mensvc@warowingclub.org or 0407 303 382.

WANTED: A coach!

WARC is looking for another coach to add to the family in red and help bring along the aspiring athletes at our ever-burgeoning club.

This year we have taken on two coaches in paid positions and are now looking for a third.

If you know someone who would be suited to joining a well-supported and already-set program who has a good eye for detail and is interested in taking their career as a coach further, please email peta.rule@amawa.com.au or call the captain on 0414 282 448. Remuneration is both competitive with other organisations (including schools!) and based on experience.

UP FOR GRABS: lockers

WARC still has lockers up for rent for the 2008 season.

For $20 you get a lockable spot to store all your rowing kit (a tip from regulars: don't leave stinky rowing socks in them though), plus a key.

To put your name down and get a locker, contact Peter Tomic on mensvc@warowingclub.org or 0407 303 382.

Rowing on the box

Fox Sports is committed to the coverage of the 2008 Rowing World Cup season and will
broadcast the events at the following times.

World Cup 2 ‐ Lucerne June 13 - 18:00 June 19 - 15:00
June 21 - 10:00 July 9 - 01:00

World Cup 3 - Poznan
July 3 - 23:00 July 5 - 08:30
July 7 - 07:30 July 9 - 02:00

Skippers tickets

If you missed out on the WARC-run skippers ticket course oon January, you have another chance to get your ticket through RWA.

VENUE: Canning Bridge Rowing Centre
DATE: Wednesday 16th July
TIME: 6pm
COST: $150

The course consists of a revision session plus a theoretical examination followed by an on water practical assessment the following weekend or when a suitable time can be arranged.

Please note: that the practical on water assessment assumes that you can already drive a dinghy and does not include practical tuition sessions.

You must pick up a work book to complete the theory session. These cane be obtained from the Dept of Infrastructure and Planning or RWA do hold a small supply. The theoretical test that you sit will be taken from this book.

To book, email Pierre on executiveofficer@rowingwa.asn.au.