June 2026 Bow Ball Bulletin
Celebrating our Hawthorn Australian Champion Masters!
Our Australian Champion Masters Rowers!
Hawthorn Takes to the West: Australian Masters Championships 2026
As an intrepid band of ten Hawthorn rowers headed west to Perth for the 2026 Australian Masters Championships, a few questions were occupying our minds:
Would the weather be as bad as forecast? Heavy rain, thunderstorms, and overcast skies every day suggested a sequel to the Nagambie States.
Would the location reduce competitor numbers and weaken the competition?
Could Hawthorn improve on its 2025 Nationals performance in Penrith?
And perhaps most importantly, could the Hawthorn men keep up with the Hawthorn women?
As it turned out, we received answers to all four questions.
The Weather
First, the weather gods smiled upon us. Despite the forecasts, we enjoyed generally good conditions, just some head winds, a few short periods of rain bursts, and only one distant lightning bolt. Compared with Nagambie, it barely qualified as weather, although the G Mixed Quad was to be found bailing water out of the boat while they waited to line up.
The Competition
The numbers were certainly down. Perth attracted about 670 competitors compared with nearly 1,000 in Sydney last year.
Unfortunately, it seemed that only the very competitive ones made the trip.
The field included several formidable crews from New Zealand, who may have been under the impression that Perth was just a short ferry ride from Auckland, and at least one competitor from the UK who clearly takes rowing, or frequent flyer points, very seriously.
The Medal Rush Begins
Could we improve on last year? It felt unlikely looking at the competitors, but the Hawthorn women wasted no time showing we could.
On the opening day, Robyn Blake, Julie Cotchin, Ruth Oliver, and Frances Graham combined with Carrum to win Gold in a nail-biting Women's F8+. It was a tremendous start to the regatta.
Not to be outdone, Mark Campbell picked up a Bronze in the Carrum composite F4+, proving that even "orphan" rowers can find a happy home.
The medals kept coming.
With Natasha expertly steering, Robyn, Julie, Ruth, and Frances rowed the Hawthorn Women's F4+ to a hard-fought Bronze in strong winds, and also won fastest Club medal.
On day 3 the same quartet joined forces with Carrum again to claim Bronze in the Women's G8+.
Several Carrum female rowers could be heard saying, "We love the Hawthorn girls."
No-one volunteered an opinion on the Hawthorn men. We took that as a good sign.
Enter Shane
Meanwhile, Shane O'Connor-Smith was quietly assembling a medal collection large enough to require additional luggage.
By the end of the regatta he had accumulated: 1 Gold, 2 Silvers, 2 Bronzes and 1 Club Medal.
He formed a medal-winning Pair with Conrad Tulloch, and both represented Victoria.
Shane is something of a rarity in sport — an outstanding coach who is also highly successful as a competitor. Usually, coaches spend their time telling everyone else what to do while trying to avoid being tested themselves, but not our Hawthorn coaches.
The Last Medal Holdouts
After a couple of days, JB Stewart and I were beginning to wonder whether we might be the only Hawthorn rowers leaving Perth empty-handed.
Fortunately, Ruth and Julie came to our rescue.
On Day 3 we joined forces in one division of the Mixed G Quad. We led early, surrendered the lead around the 700m mark, and eventually crossed for Bronze behind two composite crews.
That also earned us the Club Medal as the fastest club crew in the event.
To add a little salt and pepper to the story, our time would have comfortably won Gold in the other division of the same event.
But rowing, like life, does not always distribute opportunities equally.
The Great Oar Heist
Not every challenge came from the opposition.
After experiencing Carrum's beautifully balanced lightweight sweep oars earlier in the regatta, Robyn, Julie, Ruth, and Frances wisely arranged to borrow them for the Women's E4+.
The plan was excellent.
The execution was less so.
The oars were carefully placed on one pontoon. The boat was launched from another. Following some last-minute shoe adjustments and a hurried departure to make the start, the crew unknowingly picked up a set of heavyweight men's oars instead.
For the first 500 metres they remained right with the leaders before the combination of high winds, heavier gear and rapidly tiring arms began to take its toll. They eventually finished fourth, just two seconds off a medal.
Only afterwards did Shane identify the problem.
Meanwhile, somewhere around Champion Lakes, four bewildered 150-kilogram heavyweight men, were presumably wandering around wondering why they had to race with a set of cocktail sticks.
A Successful Campaign
By the end of the regatta, Ruth and Julie had each accumulated: 1 Gold, 3 Bronzes and 2 Club Medals.
Virgin Australia may still be investigating the unexplained excess weight on the Perth–Melbourne flight.
Overall, it was a superb four days of racing.
Several Hawthorn crews narrowly missed the podium with close fourth-place finishes, and throughout the regatta Hawthorn demonstrated that it could compete strongly at a national level.
And the Australian Masters Championships are generally regarded as one of the strongest and deepest masters rowing competitions in the world —behind only the World Masters Regatta and the US Masters Championships, and stronger than the national championships elsewhere (such as in UK and Canada).
Perhaps the most encouraging aspect was that many of us are relatively new to the sport, having rowed for less than ten years. (And that is very new at our age…)
A few years ago, some of us would have looked at the Australian Masters Championships and thought:
"What's the point? We'll never win anything."
That would have been understandable.
Perth proved otherwise.
Click on our ‘oarsome foursome’ below for some exciting vision!
Australian Masters Championships RESULTS!
The Final Tally
What was most pleasing was that every Hawthorn rower who attended Perth came home with at least one medal in the number two nationals in the world(!), and our final results were:
🥇
ME2- - Shane O'Connor-Smith, Conrad Tulloch CLICK HERE FOR RACE HIGHLIGHTS
WF8+ - Robyn Blake, Ruth Oliver, Julie Cotchin, Frances Graham with Carrum CLICK HERE FOR RACE HIGHLIGHTS
🥈
MC4- - Shane O’Connor-Smith CLICK HERE FOR RACE HIGHLIGHTS
MD2x - Shane O’Connor-Smith. CLICK HERE FOR RACE HIGHLIGHTS
ME1x - Shane O’Connor-Smith. CLICK HERE FOR RACE HIGHLIGHTS
🥉
MD4x - Shane O’Connor-Smith CLICK HERE FOR RACE HIGHLIGHTS
WF4+ - Ruth Oliver, Julie Cotchin, Robyn Blake, Frances Graham, Cox: Natasha Kinsman CLICK HERE FOR RACE HIGHLIGHTS
WG8+ - Ruth Oliver, Julie Cotchin, Robyn Blake, Frances Graham with Carrum CLICK HERE FOR RACE HIGHLIGHTS
MG4+ - Mark Campbell CLICK HERE FOR RACEHIGHLIGHTS
MixG4X- - Mark Oliver, Ruth Oliver, Julie Cotchin, John B Stewart. CLICK HERE FOR RACE HIGHLIGHTS
🥇
FASTEST CLUB MEDALS
WF4+ - Ruth Oliver, Julie Cotchin, Robyn Blake, Frances Graham, Cox: Natasha Kinsman
MixG4X- - Mark Oliver, Ruth Oliver, Julie Cotchin, John B Stewart
Looking Ahead
So, every Hawthorn rower who travelled to Perth returned home with at least one medal from what is widely regarded as the second strongest masters championships in the world.
Not bad for a club where many of us are relative newbies.
So if you're looking for a challenge, enjoy pursuing high performance, don't mind spending quality time on an ergometer, and appreciate the camaraderie that comes from shared suffering, consider joining the Hawthorn Masters campaign next year.
The venue is yet to be announced. Canberra appears to be the early favourite, although after the weather forecasts for Perth, we've become suspicious of all forecasts.
The best time to start preparing is now.
Well, perhaps tomorrow.
But definitely before entries close.
You might surprise yourself too.
And one final observation: almost everyone in the Hawthorn group who medalled this year invested in one-on-one paid coaching. We are fortunate to have outstanding coaches at the club including Shane, Tristan, Max, and Emile Stigter. The first three may already be fully booked, but Emile still has availability and helped JB and I to win a World Masters Gold last year.
Mark Oliver
~~Member of the Month ~~
~~Member of the Month ~~
This month’s Member of the Month is Sue Lilly - one of our quiet achievers.
Sue works tirelessly behind the scenes on Head of the Yarra, documenting processes and creating procedures so future committees have everything at their fingertips. She regularly attends the World Masters Regatta, and although a recent shoulder injury forced her to withdraw this year, Sue has continued to organise boat bookings and coordinate entries for the Hawthorn team travelling to Slovenia in September. Taking on that responsibility while unable to compete is a generous, impressive act - thank you, Sue!
by,
Julie-ann Cotchin
〰️ The President's Desk
〰️ The President's Desk
From the President's desk.
Well winter is now well and truly with us, ushered in by some pretty crisp performances by our Master's contingent rowing at Nationals over in Perth earlier this month. Congratulations to all those who raced and represented the club so well. And looking forward to racing in the Winter Sculling Series, Hawthorn has been quite visible so far, with very good numbers in the first three events.
For those less enthusiastic about getting out into what can sometimes be challenging weather to row in, there are erg (rowing machine) sessions on offer at varying times. Guy Beasley runs some brilliant, well targeted sessions online, Monday and Wednesday nights at 6:00 PM sharp. They usually last 1/2 hour, and can be attended via an invite from Guy, basically wherever you can access the internet and an erg, including at the club. The President also runs erg sessions, reasonably consistently, now at the new time of Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6:15 PM at the club. These sessions can be structured a bit more individually, as needed.
These second erg sessions have been changed to a later time to reduce potential clashes with our junior program, which runs every Tuesday and Thursday from 4:15PM to 6:15PM. This change is in turn in recognition of our club and its member's obligation to adhere to standards, policies and codes of conduct laid down by Rowing Victoria through our affiliation with them. These include the RV Child Safe Code of Conduct, with an excerpt shown below. I would ask that adult members avoid using the change rooms during these times (Tues/Thurs 4:15-6:15 PM), or observe at least at the minimum:
b) Only enter change rooms if accompanied by another adult, avoiding one-to-one unsupervised situations with CYP (other than with their own child).
c) Notify the CYP in the change room of their intended entrance, prior to entering the change rooms.
d) Not dress/undress in the change room whilst CYP are present unless they are participating in a Senior Team and there are other members of the team present.
e) Ensure that photos, video, or other recordings are not taken in change rooms...
(CYP means a Child or Young Person)
We take the safety of all our members at HRC very seriously, especially our younger members, and I would invite everyone to remind themselves of their obligations in this regard via the RV Website.
Speaking of safety, do you check your heel ties EVERY time you go out? Yes, every time;assume nothing, check.
You remember that log on Brewery straight you bumped into? Did you check the hull, rudder and fin for damage? Did you report it?
Did you find you had to change the shoes in a boat? OK, but then CHANGE THEM BACK when you have finished!
DO NOT change the settings on club oars, without discussing with the Captain first.
DO NOT modify club boat settings, beyond foot stretcher horizontal adjustment, or gate height, without discussing with the Captain first.
If you used it, wash it and put it back where you found it (or where it actually belongs!). This one goes for downstairs AND upstairs. We are a club, not a hotel; a maid does not come in and tidy up after you have been. Take some pride, and keep our club looking presentable!
And when all else fails, go for a row!
Bill Olayos
HRC President
〰️ HOTY SPONSORS〰️ HOTY SPONSORS
〰️ HOTY SPONSORS〰️ HOTY SPONSORS
Head of the Yarra 2026 Sponsors!
The Hawthorn Rowing Club is seeking additional sponsors for the Head of the Yarra 2026 event, to help us build on the success of past events. If Members have direct contact (through work, friendship or some other direct association) with potential HOTY corporate sponsors, please provide contact details to either Simon Watts ( sponsorship@hawthornrowingclub.com) or Rob Perkins (chair@headoftheyarra.com). We would be pleased to talk to any potential sponsors and share our sponsorship document with them.
Simon Watts
〰️ HOTY HISTORY 〰️ HOTY HISTORY
〰️ HOTY HISTORY 〰️ HOTY HISTORY
HOTY History
Head of the Yarra - 28th November 2026.
Women’s rowing at Hawthorn
Amazing as it now seems, women were not invited to row in Head of the Yarra until 1982, and the club did not have its first female members until early1981 when Kim Maasdijk and Debbie Code, both daughters of long-standing members, became our first female members. Amongst the changes this brought, the bathrooms needed adjusting to afford our new members their own space!
Tentative moves to introduce female membership were made at the half yearly meeting in February 1977 – fully 100 years after the club’s formation. The motion to establish an “associate” membership was withdrawn after discussion. Further discussion at the March committee meeting referred to associate non rowing membership. A motion was drafted to allow female membership and put to the AGM in July 1977 but failed by one vote to achieve the necessary 2/3 majority required to change the constitution. At the half yearly meeting of 1979 the constitution was altered to read persons instead of gentleman.
The first mention of female members is recorded in the annual report of 1981/82 in which President Frank Dennis, after the successful vote to admit female members, reflected on the question of the founders of the club anticipating that it would be necessary to address the club attendees as “Ladies and Gentleman.” Clearly the ladies had arrived!
Later that year the first female HRC crew raced at the Essendon Regatta. The annual report of 1981/82 proudly reports the first victory for HRC women by a novice pair –Kristen Zito and Catherine Brown coxed by Helen Brown. Catherine was awarded the Frank Hiscock trophy for most improved rower in that season.
The earliest photo I can find is hiding in the ladies change room – the Dimboola Regatta of November 1983.
Winter Novice Pair. Dimboola, November 1983.
N. Bourke (Stroke) C. Lethlean (Box) L. Weiss (Cox) L. Cosgrove (Coach)
The annual report of 1993/94 records a doubling in membership over the previous five years. Open up the club from 50% to 100% of the population and membership doubles. Genius!
The HRC women’s senior four won the Victorian state championship, and at the World Masters the HRC women’s “C “ four also won.
1994 World Master’s Crew: Fay Philp (str), Joan Harris, Jill Stansfield, Gabby Hare-Brown (Bow)
And the rest they say is history. Female membership of HRC now exceeds 50% and their participation and performance has made the club what it is today. A true community club.
Head of the Yarra has also enjoyed great popularity amongst female crews with close to 50% of the entries being female crews. The growth of HOTY from the early 80’s (pre female) where there were typically 50 crews in total to today where we are nudging 300 speaks for itself.
Rob Perkins
Chair, Head of the Yarra Committee 2026
rob@perkinsgroup.com.au
tel 0411 402 832
〰️ Latest Socials
〰️ Latest Socials
Social, Training, Learning and Returning to Row!
There are many opportunities to row at HRC. Social rows currently on Monday, Wednesday evenings from 5pm-6pm with Richard James in charge. Check the WhatsApp chats to see these offerings, reply to the calendar invite and you can enjoy a row to at least MacRob Bridge and back.
Training rows, coached Learn to Rows are a regular occurrence on Saturdays, in particular the social row at 2pm with Richard.
This month our Club Races will be replaced by HRC’s participation in the Melbourne Pride Row on Sunday 21st June.
SAVE THE DATE!
July Club Races will be held on Sunday 19th July before the AGM!
This month’s photos, include Saturday morning long row and our Friday social row. The ‘brightly clad rowers are our contingent of HRC members who rowed in the ‘Pride Row’ on Sunday 21st June. Lots of laughter and a few tired muscles after approximately 18 kms of rowing! A BBQ held at Banks RC and slower row home!
Royal Flying Doctor Service Rowathon
The ‘Long Row’ from 8am is in preparation for the Royal Flying Doctor Service Rowathon held in September. The 2026 (RFDS) will take place on September 12. This annual marathon rowing event, hosted by the Wentworth Rowing Club and is held on the Darling and Murray Rivers. At present we know the official length of the Rowathon is approximately 73 kms! Leg 1 is 26kms; Leg 2 is 21kms; Leg 3 is 26kms.
Please contact Dom Horne at dhornehrc@gmail.com or 0411026128 if you are interested in participating or want more information. She would love to hear from you!
The 2025 HRC rowathon squad.
Plenty of rowing opportunities at HRC each week.
〰️ Trivia
〰️ Trivia
J.B’s. Trivia
Q. 1. What do they call a public address system in the U.K?
Q. 2. What kind of structure has two basic types, Gravity & Arch?
Q. 3. Schipol airport in Amsterdam means literally what when translated to English?
Q. 4. The imaginary Goyders line across South Australia separates what from what?
Q. 5. Which English Premier League side play their home games at St James’ Park?
A. 1. Tannoy. A. 2. Dam. A. 3. Ship Hole. (The site is on reclaimed land that was once a ship graveyard). A. 4. Land below which agriculture was possible and above which was not possible. A. 5. Newcastle United, (St. James’ Park is considered one of the most hostile environments for visiting teams to play in).
Brought to you by:
J.B. Stewart.
〰️ The Bridge Hotel
〰️ The Bridge Hotel
The Bridge Hotel
supports Hawthorn Rowing Club through it’s loyalty club.
〰️ Regatta News
〰️ Regatta News
Regatta News
Winter Sculling.
Saturday 20th July - Cremorne Rail Bridge to the Judge’s Box.
REGATTAS
Please find the regattas for June/July/August.
Winter sculling:
Round 1 Sat 20 June
Round 2 Sat 27 June
Round 3 Sat 4 July
Round 4 Sat 11 July
Round 5 Sat 18 July
Round 6 - The Final - Sat 25th July
Head of the Maribyrnong Sat 1 August Maribyrnong River Raleigh Road bridge to Lynchs Bridge
ROWING DEVELOPMENT
Rowing Development - Saturday is at 2pm (where there are no regattas) and Sunday is at 9am. Make sure you book these at least the night before.
Rowing Development will return on Tuesdays and Thursdays, (5:45pm arrival for 6pm on the water) 6pm - 7:30pm with the return of Daylight Saving.
Make sure you book in prior to 3:30pm on the same day!
Progress Squad should continue to open up as well with more opportunities for sessions on Sunday once the exam period for the coaches is over.
All progress Squad and RD can be booked via https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/20b74586/?categories[]=Rowing%20Training.
Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Tristan Krstevski.
Club Captain.
〰️ Membership policies
〰️ Membership policies
Ouch, bumped again!
Boat damage reporting. Please notify Tristan ASAP or you could be liable for the full damage of the boat. captain@hawthornrowingclub.com.
Below you can see scratches and small chips on a single scull owned by Adam. It is accumulating damage on the exposed side. Adam washes and cleans his boat every time it is used and checks for damage. Please be careful when you carry boats and equipment to and from the shed, move the racks gently and walk slowly.
Please use the changerooms for storing your personal items. Not the downstairs areas.
BOOK BOOK BOOK. Do not use without booking boats. If you don’t have permission, don’t use it.
Please let the Captain know beforehand if you are making a repair or if you have made one.
Tristan Krstevski.
〰️ Spotlight
〰️ Spotlight
Spotlight on our ‘Tally Ho’ members!
Spotlight goes head to head with ‘Tally Ho’!
What is Tally Ho?
Tally Ho or rather Tally Ho Fitness Group has been bringing people together since February 1970, meeting every Saturday morning for running, fitness, balance, agility and strength related exercises. The group was established primarily to promote physical fitness and well-being but also very importantly to encourage good fellowship and camaraderie between its members. Although all of Tally Ho’s 100+ members are male, we don’t exclude based on gender. 60-70 members regularly meet every Saturday morning (we NEVER cancel!) from 7:00-8:30am at our clubhouse at Southern Reserve, Mulgrave for exercise activities that are organised by the designated and rostered Fitness Leadership Development Trainers for the day. The group caters for all abilities and usually splits its members into – MonStars, AllStars and WereStars – and of course Lites. One Saturday of each month, we have an away session at an organised location – usually a park, scenic or historical environment for a run or walk. The youngest member of the group would be in their mid-early 30’s and the eldest member we have is in their mid 90’s – believe it or not!
Who are the members who have joined HRC?
Alan Purton who is a long-time member of the Tally Ho Fitness Group introduced Terry Morias, Nick Papahatzis and Sam Plumejeau to HRC. Sam’s wife Christine has also found great interest in rowing and has joined the HRC.
A description of your T-shirt.
The Tally Ho Fitness Group T-Shirt is our latest iteration that was designed through collaborative efforts of the THFG committee and members. The key log figure – the Tortoise was designed by one of our late members many years back. It symbolises “Being involved in physical activity – get out of your shell – your comfort zone of physical activity”.
Your only female member!
I’m ashamed to say that we don’t have any female members at this point. We did have quite a number of female members some time ago – from what I’ve been told – well before my time though. We’re open to having female members join. If we get enough members, we could create a separate group specially for females as we do have external training facilitators who are female already providing training to the group on a regular basis. Having said that, Christine has been indoctrinated into the Tally Ho ROWING Group brandishing the same T-Shirt!
Alan Purton has been a great inspiration to us and sparked our interest in joining Hawthorn Rowing Club. He has welcomed us warmly and generously given his time and patience to help us build the right foundations. We sincerely thank Alan for his support and encouragement.
Terry Morias.
〰️ Roaming Rowers
〰️ Roaming Rowers
Whatever you do, don’t row on the Tideway…
Our Roaming Rower,
Eve Williamson, June 2026.
“Whatever you do, don’t row on the Tideway”…It was pitch-black. Rain was beginning to fall. I was steering a coxless quad and the tide was running hard. Trying to appear calm and in control—when in reality I was anything but—I pushed aside Ruth Oliver's warning and told myself I could do this. All I had to do was manoeuvre the boat away from a cluster of barges and houseboats, thread it onto a tiny, unlit metal landing that was shorter than an eight, and somehow get everyone safely ashore.
As some of you know, I have recently returned from living in central London for a couple of years. Upon arrival, a top priority for me was to find a suitable rowing club. I sounded out a few clubs and soon realised that Master’s rowing in London had a totally different commitment level, with expectations of 6 water sessions and time in the gym each week…I quickly decided that it was not possible for me, so I chanced upon a rowing group at Furnivall Rowing Club located on the Lower Mall at Hammersmith that had social sessions running 6 days a week.
Furnivall was formed in 1896 and was for its first five years strictly girls only, but today it operates in a much more liberal fashion and everyone is welcome to row under the green and gold colours. It was quite a vibrant and diverse club. Much like a lot of things in London, club rowing cost twice as much as Melbourne, and the equipment & facilities were no where near the standard we enjoy at Hawthorn. To be fair, the conditions on the Thames would see anything deteriorate quite quickly.
After passing a rudimentary test on an ergo, I was instructed to acquire a pair of the essential Wellington Boots and I was then tossed into a scratch social crew for an “outing” and found myself battling the multiple & never-ending physical & mental challenges of rowing on the Thames. Not only did I row on the Tideway, within what seemed a micro-second I was deemed competent to steer and captain the boat – me, the clueless Australian!
While proficient at ‘threading the needle’ through the Swan Street bridge on the Yarra, The Thames was a totally different matter. Being a tidal river there are enormous fluctuations in water levels and conditions across the day, let alone during a 90-minute outing where the water could move by meters – launching off the riverbed and returning to see water lapping against the landing. The club tended to row on the stretch of river up to Chiswick (just below Kew) and down to Putney. Very pretty during the warmer months and quite dramatic and austere during the winter.
Being the Tideway, you rowed against the current in the slacks and crossed the river at several points along the journey to remain in the slack water. Rowing with the current, you travelled down the centre of the river, watching out for much larger and very intimidating watercraft on a working riverway. Of course, the direction of travel reversed for the rowers with the changing tide (you had to swap sides of the river) & confusion reigned supreme at the top / bottom of the tide! The magic was to get a ‘double-header’ – a row out to Chiswick on the peak of an incoming tide & return on the beginning of an outgoing tide cruising along with a positive current in both directions.
Not that you ever cruised. Often the wind would blow up the water against the current and you navigated through chop. Certainly, no-one ever adjusted their riggers – it was rarely ever millpond-like!
To make things even more challenging there were various obstacles such as buoys, moored boats, widow-maker drains, sand bars, and zillions of rowers….this was challenging enough in the daytime and super scary in winter with poor light.
Furnivall was conveniently located alongside a couple of pubs and the warmer weather brought massive crowds out to drink (it’s what the Brits do best) & so the relatively narrow mall was shared by rowers, walkers, cyclists, runners and folk enjoying a session - sitting on the wall of the embankment imbibing in a pint or two. Yet another navigational challenge!
Furnivall is a sculling club and of course when I joined, almost on cue, I was told my rowing was utter rubbish & so over months it was unpacked and put back together again. Very much into a long hold at the finish, slow up the slide, powerful stroke yet leaving the oars in at the finish to get an extra metre or two of distance with a very deliberate, clean tap out and a real emphasis on letting the boat run.
One of the very best moments was being in a crew that was totally humming - we were tapping along beside an Oxford Eight that was training for The Boat Race – they lifted and we rose to the challenge, satisfyingly holding them off for quite a few hundred metres – it was a good laugh and very rewarding.
And on my final outing, my trusty Hawthorn Rowing Club cap—which had accompanied me through every Tideway adventure—blew off near Putney and landed in the river. We made a valiant attempt to retrieve it, but eventually watched it drift away before disappearing beneath the milky waters of the Thames. It felt like a fitting farewell to my London rowing chapter.
The Lower Mall at Hammersmith, low tide on a beautiful winter’s morning facing East looking across to Hammersmith Bridge
〰️ 150 Years of HRC 2027
〰️ 150 Years of HRC 2027
Tales of Y’Oar.
Tales from HRC archives that have morphed into legends.
Hawthorn Rowing Club’s - Alan Purton
I was introduced to rowing when I was 18 by a colleague at the National Bank and competed in the Interbanks Rowing Regatta. In 1965 I rowed in the National Bank eights. In the 1960s the Melbourne Banks were not content to compete for business commercially but they also competed on the river Yarra. It was usual for the regattas to be watched by a crowd of 3,000 people, as well as staff and CEOs. My rowing development was interrupted when the Bank transferred me interstate and then overseas.
Thirty years ago my son Jared told me he wanted to row and his P.E. teacher had recommended he apply to HRC. I took him to HRC to meet the coach who told him he couldn’t row on his own. They both looked at me and I was back in a boat.
After a couple of years my son moved on to other challenges and I then rowed sweep oars with some of the old Hawthorn legends like Frank Dennis who had been President for 29 years. For the next couple of decades I was mainly involved in sweep rowing on Sundays but on 2017 I teamed up with my good neighbour Dimitrios and we decided in 2019 to enter the Australian Masters on Championship Lakes, Perth. This entailed a switch to sculling and training three days a week.
In 2021 I was lucky enough to buy my own single scull and entered Winter Sculling and training sessions increased to 4 or 5 days a week. I have rowed on the Murray River, Flying Doctor event, on the Brisbane River (Head of the River) and World Masters at West Lakes Adelaide. I really enjoyed being part of the HRC team at the World Masters on Lake Banyoles, Spain. I would describe myself as a rower who has had a long and very happy association with HRC. So many memories.
I am still rowing 4 or 5 times a week and currently I am enjoying encouraging and assisting four friends from our fitness club. Terry, Nick Sam and Chris are enjoying the new fitness challenges presented by rowing and appreciate the welcome they have received at HRC. I am also enjoying the Tuesday rows with Jenny, Mike and friends.
I recommend rowing as an invigorating workout, a great sport and an opportunity to make wonderful friends and visit fascinating places.
2025 Head of the Yarra Sponsors
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Next month….
Regattas:
3/9/2026Thu-Sun 2026 Australian Beach Sprints Championships Rowing Australia North Kirra Beach, QLD Beach Sprints