Manning River Rowing Club athletes entered 20 of the 72 events. The men’s masters squad were the heavy hitters of the regatta.

The crew of Colin Broos, Rhett Pattisson, Graham Nix and Roy Halliday won the first division of the men’s masters quad scull, starting off a four second handicap.

This crew would later divide into two double sculls and each win their own men’s masters division double along with Raymond Beeton and Richard Reddel who also won their division. Roy Halliday would also go on to win his division of the men’s masters single scull by a margin of 15.59 seconds.

Rhett Pattisson teamed up with Endeavour Rowing Club’s Sean Donza to take out the second division of the men’s C grade double scull.

Manning River senior members Pauline Arnold and Karen Anderson teamed up with novice junior rowers Emma Johnston and Hannah Smith in the women’s D grade quad scull. They won their division by more than 17 seconds. This was Johnston’s first ever race. 

Smith later had the most exciting performance of the regatta for Manning coming from behind to win her division of the under 15 single scull.

The crew of Amanda Cavill, Sandi Kippax, Heidi Pullen and Nicole Pullen took out the women’s C grade quad scull by more than 24 seconds.

The Pullen sisters  teamed up with Pauline Arnold and Karen Anderson from the D grade quad to win their division of the women’s masters quad scull, starting from a handicap of 10 seconds.

Hugh McLeod was unable to retain men’s single scull champion title.

He was defeated by Newcastle University sculler Oden Mackintosh.

McLeod, who had spent more time coaching than training in recent months, said “he was ready and I was not.”

Manning River Rowing Club’s youngest competitor Hannah Smith took home two gold medals at the event.

This is the 12-year-old’s first season and only her third regatta.

She was a part of the D grade women’s quad and won the women’s under 15 single scull.