Gippsland Grammar rowers continue their hot form in 2023 under director of rowing Nick Bartlett, most recently finding success at the 2023 Rowing Victoria State Championship Regatta in Nagambie.
Gippsland Grammar rowers brought home 10 medals; three gold, five silver and two bronze, from the 2023 Rowing Victoria State Championship, hosted on the first weekend of March.
Year 11 student Ella Gerrand claimed gold in the 2000m Female School Single Scull finishing the race in 7:59.70, pipping her second-place opponent at the post by one tenth of a second – the first time Gippsland Grammar has won a single school title since Lachlan Wilmont in 2018.
Gippsland Grammar was also awarded gold in the Male C Grade Coxed Four and Female Under 17 Coxed Quad Scull.
“The last regatta we went to was the state championship regatta, which was such a fun weekend in Nagambie,” Gerrand said.
“Our quad had a very tough race, where we discovered that there were minor things we needed to change so we can improve.
“The highlight of my weekend was winning the schoolgirl single as I’m classed in U17s, so I was competing against girls up to two years older than me.”
Gerrand began rowing in 2019 after taking part in Gippsland Grammar’s Year 7 physical education programme, Learn to Row.
“Apart from winning, the best part of rowing would be the family we have created among the senior girls,” Gerrand said.
“We all get along really well, and it makes training and long bus trips much more fun. The worst part would have to be the early morning starts, which lead into long days at regattas.”
Gerrand won silver in the Women’s Under 17 Double Scull with Ballarat Grammar teammate Aleesha Walker at the 2022 Australian Rowing Championships, placed sixth in the Single Scull, and won gold in the 1000m Year 10 Female School Single Scull at the 2022 Head of the Schoolgirls (HOSG) Regatta.
“Winning silver last year at nationals in a double is my biggest achievement, as well as winning HOSG in a single,” Gerrand said.
“A big goal I have would be to come home with a national title one day, if not this year, in the future. Our crew is aiming to win HOSG this year, which has been a season-long goal for all of us.”
Gippsland Grammar director of rowing Nick Bartlett said it was a terrific effort by Gerrand to take out the Female School Single Scull at the 2023 Rowing Victoria State Championship Regatta.
“She [Gerrand] is really excited to step onto nationals this year and also go for state team selection,” Bartlett said.
“We’re confident she can give it a good go.”
Local rowers snagged silver in the Female Under 15 Single Scull, Male Under 17 Coxed Quad Scull, Male Under 17 Single Scull, Male B Grade Coxed Quad Scull and Female A Grade Double Scull at the 2023 Rowing Victoria State Championship Regatta, claiming bronze in the Male School Double Scull, Male A Grade Coxed Quad Scull and Female B Grade Eight.
Returning from the 2023 Rowing Victoria State Championship Regatta with a silver and gold medal, placing second in the Male Under 17 Single Scull and third in the Male A Grade Coxed Quad Scull, are the biggest achievements in 15-year-old Lagan Joshi’s young rowing career.
“Us inter boys did very well and racked in the medals [at the 2023 Rowing Victoria State Championship Regatta],” Joshi said.
“The highlight of the regatta was us finally getting some decent medals.”
The Year 10 Gippsland Grammar student has been rowing for three years after he was introduced to the sport by a friend.
The opportunities rowing provides were a major motivator for Joshi to join the sport.
“The chance to excel and progress while staying fit and healthy [were the driving forces that got me into rowing],” Joshi said.
“It’s also actually fun; the best things are meeting new people from around the state.”
Joshi aspires to make the A Finals at nationals and plans to row to the end of his senior season, although he is unsure whether he will further a career in rowing after high school.
Bartlett described the 2023 Rowing Victoria State Championship Regatta as a successful weekend.
“It was really good,” Bartlett said.
“I think for us, it’s a bit of a rebuilding year after so much success last year, but to see the kids step up so well and still pick up so many medals has been really, really awesome.”
Gippsland Grammar rowers’ focus will now shift to the 2023 Scotch Mercantile Regatta – Junior Boys State Championships on March 18, the 2023 Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta on March 19, and the 2023 Australian Rowing Championships in Western Australia from March 27 to April 2.
Sale Rowing Club also found success at the 2023 Rowing Victoria State Championship Regatta in Nagambie, where they won their first state medals in a long time – silver in the Male B Grade Coxed Quad Scull and Para Double Scull and bronze in the Male B Grade Coxed Four.
“It is really awesome to see them A come back together as a club from not existing and B pick up some medals at states, which is fantastic,” Bartlett said.
“They’ve done a really good job.”
