THE local rowing community will be well represented as part of the 2023 Victorian Masters rowing squad.<\/p>\n
Wendouree Ballarat Rowing Club\u2019s Lee Martin has been selected for the women\u2019s quad scull, and Rebecca Gribble will row in the women\u2019s eight.<\/p>\n
Sharon Waters and Sam Hutchison, from Ballarat City Rowing Club and WBRC respectively, have been selected to coach the Victorian women\u2019s eight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really thrilled to be part of it, along with Sam as co-coach, and I hope to bring together nine women from different clubs to make sure they\u2019re as competitive as they can be,\u201d Waters said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great to have Ballarat regionally represented, and to have our good, local talent recognised at an elite level.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the youngest rower in her squad, Gribble said her crew is feeling confident heading into the state championships this weekend, and the nationals in Sydney in June.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re in the early stages of finalising the combination of seating of the crew, but we had a win on the weekend at the Ballarat Regatta,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe average age of the crew had to be 50, so being the youngest rower in the squad, I need to be as fit and strong as I can be, and make it worthwhile for everyone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m grateful to be part of the crew, and I\u2019ve worked hard for it, so it\u2019s nice to be recognised.\u201d<\/p>\n
Waters said rowing is a “lifetime sport.”<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a testament to the fact that it doesn\u2019t matter how old you are, you can learn to row with time and effort,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She said Ballarat has a stronghold in the sport because of the city\u2019s deep rowing history, and the athletes produced here prove you don\u2019t have to be on the Yarra to succeed.<\/p>\n
\u201cBallarat City Rowing Club was the sixth rowing club nationally to be established, back in 1870, so rowing has been a part of Ballarat for 150-odd years, including the Olympics in 1956,\u201d Waters said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had numerous world champion and Olympic representatives from Lake Wendouree across all our community clubs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re still up there and worthy of contention, even though we\u2019re not Melbourne-based. Rowing Victoria is just that, it\u2019s about rowing Victoria, and it\u2019s wonderful that Ballarat athletes have the opportunity to nominate and get selected.\u201d<\/p>\n
BCRC’s Ebony Ebenwaldner was also close to qualifying for the quad scull.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE local rowing community will be well represented as part of the 2023 Victorian Masters rowing squad. Wendouree Ballarat Rowing Club\u2019s Lee Martin has been selected for the women\u2019s quad scull, and Rebecca Gribble will row in the women\u2019s eight. Sharon Waters and Sam Hutchison, from Ballarat City Rowing Club and WBRC respectively, have been […]<\/p>\n