WENDOUREE-Ballarat Rowing Club masters Pat Gabb and Grada Richards are retiring from the sport.<\/p>\n
Part of the club since 1985 as a parent to athletes, Richards began rowing with WBRC a decade later.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 1995, some friends from my basketball team felt the need for a new experience, and I suggested rowing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked Mark Wilson if he would like to teach a group of mature women how to row and he bravely accepted. Unfortunately, life got in the way and one-by-one, the crew shrunk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Richards learnt to row a single scull and enjoyed hours of fun on the water by herself, but when Gabb arrived at the shed looking for a partner, they \u201cclicked\u201d immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the best actions I have ever done is walk into the Wendouree-Ballarat rowing shed in approximately 1997 and ask if there was anyone who would like to row with me,\u201d Gabb said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrada happened to be in the shed at the time and said, \u2018I will,\u2019 which was the start of a wonderful friendship that will endure and continue to the day we die.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur time spent together has been full of fun, laughter, serious and relaxed rowing, support of the club and… each other in times of challenge. Participation and fun was the number one priority for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The duo\u2019s time on the water may be concluding due to Richards\u2019 health, but there\u2019s much they\u2019ve achieved apart and together, and are proud of.<\/p>\n
Studying physical education, Gabb was introduced to rowing on the Yarra River at the University of Melbourne.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was involved with the creation of the Melbourne University Ladies Rowing Club in 1969, developing a deep passion for the sport,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found myself at the start of women\u2019s rowing in Ballarat when we travelled up to facilitate rowing workshops and the formation of the Begonia City Rowing Club who we subsequently competed against.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was involved in the creation of Lake Hamilton and the start of rowing in that town, whilst I drove or flew to Melbourne each weekend to train.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabb made the Victorian State four in 1971, and the first Australian women\u2019s pair in 1972.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was also working towards Olympic selection, but it was decided not to send women to the Olympics for rowing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Once they met, Richards and Gabb would row together at 8.30am on Monday mornings after school rowers had left the shed.<\/p>\n
In 2002, they went to the Australian Masters Rowing Championships in Adelaide, and competed at the Ballarat-hosted World Masters Games in women\u2019s and mixed eights, and sculls.<\/p>\n
Both athletes rowed at separate times in the State Masters eight, and when Lake Wendouree was dry, they drove to Nagambie or Geelong to row.<\/p>\n
Richards said she is sad to say goodbye to her beloved sport, but that \u201c25 years is a good innings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will leave you with my rowing motto; row anywhere, in any boat, anytime, with anybody,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Richards\u2019 single scull will now be rowed by a young girl at WBRC, while Gabb\u2019s double scull is to be donated to Ballarat Grammar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WENDOUREE-Ballarat Rowing Club masters Pat Gabb and Grada Richards are retiring from the sport. Part of the club since 1985 as a parent to athletes, Richards began rowing with WBRC a decade later. \u201cIn 1995, some friends from my basketball team felt the need for a new experience, and I suggested rowing,\u201d she said. \u201cI […]<\/p>\n