Australian Youth Olympic Festival News

Four Thousand Kilometre Drive to Australian Olympic Youth Festival

Parents always support their kids in sport and there will many parents cheering in the grandstands during the Australian Olympic Youth Festival. But two Perth dads have to take the Gold Medal if there was one to be awarded.

Ray Baran and Ray Polinelli, whose children will be rowing for Western Australia volunteered to drive the WA boat trailer across the continent to the AYOF. Speaking from Balarand in south west New South Wales, with still 900 kilometres to go Ray Polinelli said: “a few of the other parents have done it, the team manager asked us and we said yes.”

With 15 boats firmly strapped onto the specially built trailer they can not go any faster than 70 to 80 kilometres per hour. “It has been very hot, and hard on the vehicle we have not been able to push it too hard. So far the trip has been uneventful” he said “it is my first time to travel by road across our country.” Ray Baran’s daughter Charmaine will be racing in the lightweight double scull, four and eight, Ray Polinelli’s son is a good prospect in the single scull and will also race the quad scull and eight.

Despite the distance Western Australia has been a strong rowing state at all levels they have produced numerous champions at all levels in World Championships, Junior World Championships and National Championships. The two Rays plan to have the boats safely to Olympic Course in time for the rowers to train in. They will watch their children race and then after competition drive the 4,000 kilometres back to Perth. That is dedication.

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