Rowing Sport
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Mr Phillip Jurjevich Rowing Coordinator
006 has been a very rewarding season with the Rowing Club placing a close third in the Hamer Cup and a second in the Challenge Cup in a time of 5.59.4, a new record for the school and the second fastest time ever after this year’s winning crew, Christ Church.
To start the season we had a great performance at the Guildford on Swan Regatta with our 1st and 2nd VIIIs and our 1st and 2nd IVs all winning and placing the school second to Scotch, the first time anyone but Guildford has won the event. Then in December, before the Christmas break, the rowers in contention for the 1st VIII went on a tour to Tasmania to compete in the Tasmanian State Championships and be coached by John Driessen, the Australian Rowing Team coach. James Ielati placed 12th out of 44 rowers in the National selection trial into a howling headwind. Other highlights included a trip to Cradle Mountain with Liam Plummer versus gravity and rocks, the coaches winning in a quad, Ben Fairclough winning a race with no seat, Liam Plummer setting a record up Barrington’s 3.4km of vertical roads in 14.22 min and winning 14 out of 17 races. St Virgils and St Marys – a Christian Brothers combined school from Hobart with boys and girls were our hosts and stayed and trained with us at the lake. Damien Messer, Trinity Old Boy, teacher and son of Mr John Messer the longest serving 1st VIII coach and rock of the Club, was essential in making the tour happen. We have extended an invitation to the rowers of St Virgils to join us for our January camp in 2007.
parents in stealth. Mrs Cath Gomboc and Mr Toni Ielati made enormous contributions with the running of the kitchen and accompanying the Tour respectively, toast and espresso may never again reach the same heights! The work of the Platts family, the Ielati family, the Cherubino family, the Dee family and Guy and Glenda Grant were pivotal in raising the extra funds to enable us to buy this boat. This was the last year of a successful period with Guy Grant as the President and we thank him for his passion, you have been a great inspiration with your hard work and enthusiasm. Special efforts were plenty with Josh Hicks pulling a 6.47 Ergo as a Year 10, James Ielati the open Ergo and scull Champion with 6.31 and James Ielati, Will Brockwell, Christian Eyres and Brendan Murray all being selected to train with WAIS. Thanks to all of our coaches and a welcome to Gavin Russell a dual World Champion Coach and former Head of WAIS Junior Coaching. Gavin has been an enormous addition and has enabled the boys he has coached to stake their two arms and legs against anyone’s and perform. The Club numbers are at bursting point with us unable to accommodate any more rowers. Rob Thomas was an exceptional Captain with Liam Plummer and James Ielati Vice Captains and Jay Colton Captain of Coxswains. All four were exceptionally generous to all other boys in the Club with their help around the shed and coaching the youngsters. Mr Phillip Jurjevich Rowing Coordinator
The season was all you could ask for with every crew going into the Head of the River regatta having a real chance and a win at some point through the year. James Ielati continued our run of success in the George Xouris Cup. Only the 2nd IV came first but all crews were rewarded with the experience of a brave campaign and pushing the boundaries of their capacity. With three weeks to go in the season there was a great boost with the arrival of the “Kosovich Spirit” a new eight to celebrate the contributions and passion of the Kosovich family, Ray, Sue and Tony over the last 13 years. This was a surprise with the new hull being hidden under the pool and assembled by coaches and
Mr Ray Kosovich christens “The Kosovich Spirit”
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