TWELVE Manning River Masters rowers head to Penrith this weekend for the NSW Masters Rowing Championships at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.
The championships to be held on the Olympic course are for rowers aged from 27 continuing right through to the oldest competitors in their mid-80s.
Strong entries have been received from not only clubs within New South Wales, but also Queensland, the ACT, Victoria and New Zealand.
Manning River’s “C” quad scull race their heat early on Saturday morning with the crew of Marj Phillips, Genni Dobbs, Kaye Pullen and Nicole Pullen requiring a top four finish to make it through to the final.
In the adjacent lane will be the NSW Masters women’s quad scull racing down an age category as preparation for the Australian Masters at Nagambie in Victoria. Manning River’s Mandy Cavill is a member of the NSW Masters crew. Other crew members are from Port Macquarie, Newcastle and Endeavour Rowing Clubs. They covered some distance in recent weeks in order to form a successful combination for both championship regattas.
Canberra Rowing Club is also in the same heat and is expected to be one of the crews vying for medals in the final.
On the Sunday, Kaye’s daughter Nicole will be replaced by Narelle Drake for the “D” quad scull where Cavill’s NSW Masters crew, Canberra, and also Mosman share the favouritism for medals in the final.
The Manning River Club is also well represented in the men’s “F” single scull for over 60s with Dick Reddel having his first race this season after claiming the same event and the champion of champions single scull at last year’s Australian Masters Championships. Joining Reddel in the two heats are Phil Peade and Graham Nix, with all three scullers expecting to make it through to the final.
Heidi Pullen is the youngest of the 12 making the trip to Penrith and is racing the women’s “A” single scull and lines up alongside Mosman’s Sarah Hill.
At the corresponding event last year it was Hill who took the honours in a sprint finish by less than half a boat-length from Pullen, with both scullers rating in the mid 30s at the conclusion of the race. Hill has competed in open competition at the Australian Rowing Championships this season and would be favourite for back to back titles, however Pullen is expected to claim a medal in this event.
Pullen will also race the women’s “B” quad scull less than two hours later in another straight-out final with her sister Nicole, Cavill and Balmain’s Janine Lippi.
Lippi has spent some time on the Manning River in recent weeks in training and this crew would share favouritism with Leichhardt and the North Shore composite crew in the field of six crews.
John Corbett is the sole Manning River competitor in the “D” single scull for men and has drawn a tough heat with Canberra’s Mark Kwiatkowski and perennial medallist Mark Williams of Mosman.
With the top four to go through to the final, Corbett should progress and feature in a high quality field including a former double-sculling partner, Peter McLaren of St George, who along with Brisbane Waters’ David Cullen is in very good form this season. Corbett gives away plenty of size to his competitors and would be hoping for flat or even following conditions, rather than having to match power into a headwind with much taller scullers such as McLaren.
Late on the Saturday, Manning River stands a very good chance in the men’s “F” quad scull with Peade, Nix, Reddel and Ray Beeton combining to take on a quality Mosman crew among others. This crew then split up to race the double scull in the same over 60s age category on the Sunday. However, that will follow the “E” quad with Beeton jumping out and John Corbett coming in and this crew would be gunning for a top four place in their heat to claim a finals berth.
Mandy Cavill will once again do battle with Canberra’s Sue Donoghoe in the women’s “C” single scull, the two having raced each other at Masters level for more than a decade.
The contrasting styles have seen spoils spread between these two on occasions; however Donoghoe’s finesse has come out on top of Cavill’s power more times in the past.
Live results, including split times at the half way mark (500m) will appear on the NSW Rowing website: www.rowingnsw.asn.au