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Age Is No Barrier for Masters Rowers!

The 2005 Castaway Seaspray Australian Masters Rowing Championships raced in the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton Queensland warped up today. Three days of competition has seen some tight racing and fantastic results. Some athletes competed in up to 22 races covering all boat classes and age groups.

The feature race of the day, the Champion of Champions Sculling Race saw the winners of all age categories in the single scull taking on each other. In the men’s race, H category (70+ years) sculler John Sympkens from Armidale was given a healthy handicap. Swan River’s Mike Scott, G category winner (65+ years) made a late charge but was unable to catch John before the line. Ken Ambler from Sydney rowing club completed the medalists taking bronze.

In the women’s champion of champions sculling race Barbara Wicks from Surfers Paradise Rowing Club (E category 55+) made up a 10 second handicap to record a convincing win over Noosa’s Karen Turnball, F class winner (60+ years) from the previous day. Canberra Rowing Club’s Susan Linacre, D class winner (50+ plus) came third.

The championships saw a number of brilliant performances. None more so successful than Bunbury’s jenny Bingham who won 7 gold medals. For the men 1976 Olympic oarsman Ian Luxford was a standout winning several gold and stroking the Queensland Eight to an Interstate Win in the eight.

The standout clubs for the Championships included Banks Rowing club (VIC), Canberra Rowing Club and Mosman Rowing Club (NSW). These clubs lead the way with numerous medals won in all age categories across all boat classes. An encouraging outcome of this regatta was the strong participation of regional clubs and their achievements. Participants attended the regatta from Bunbury in Western Australia through to Cairns in Queensland and everywhere in between and even Hong Kong.

For more information please contact Adam Horner, National Development Officer, Rowing Australia on 0408 585 771.

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