Gippsland Grammar rowers have returned from the Australian Rowing Championships at Lake Barrington in Tasmania with gold and bronze medals, as well as plenty of respect on the national stage.
April Harrison, Scarlett Tavasci, Tara Dihood, Lily Canfield and Lucy Hodges (cox) won gold in the Schoolgirls Quad Sprint (500 metres), before backing up and winning bronze in the Schoolgirls Quad (2000 metres), the school’s first medal in this event since 2010.
The results mean the local girls are officially the fastest Victorian schoolgirl crew in the country, after finishing behind interstate contenders Northern Beaches Secondary (NSW) and Canberra Girls Grammar in the 2000 metres.
School rowing director Nick Bartlett was delighted with the outstanding result.
“The bronze medal was a really massive moment for our program. It was a mature row for the girls and they deserve the success they achieved,” Bartlett said.
There were plenty of praise from different quarters for the girls efforts.
“One of the best things for me was to consistently hear the commentators and other schools praise our students, for both their rowing ability and their demeanour. It feels like we have a new level of recognition from our peers. People don’t seem to be saying we’re punching above our weight anymore,” Bartlett said.
The efforts are a combination of a huge team effort, with that not lost on the experienced and highly successful coach.
“Another highlight of the event was to see
the school’s students volunteer in supporting roles during their down time between races,” Bartlett said.
Students were holding the boats at the start line, directing traffic in the carpark and some were even working with media crews or in the finish tower.
