The 2018 Rowing Season required a quick turnaround between the brutal wind and disappointment of the cancellation of A Finals for Head of the Schoolgirls, to our Senior VIIIs flying out to the Australian National Rowing Championships in Sydney.

The disappointment of the HOSG Regatta was tough for all, however the students of the Geraldine Ilott crew and the St Catherine’s 120 crew were on the ergos on Monday afternoon, commencing their preparations for racing on the national stage.

Senior parents also made the pilgrimage to the Sydney International Regatta Centre as well as School Principal, Mrs Michelle Carroll, Director of Student Programs, Mrs Gina Peele and Head of Year 12, Miss Jeanette Gunn to support our students in their racing.

The Geraldine Ilott crew again experienced disappointment, through a heavy storm lashing the regatta centre and causing the cancellation of the Sprint Championships Finals, for which they had qualified with an impressive heat row where they were narrowly defeated by the MGGS Senior First VIII+. Not being able to defend their national championship in this division for the Geraldine Ilott crew was a bitter blow. However, students (in typical St Catherine’s fashion) backed up the following day for the B Final of the Schoolgirl VIII+, where they defeated their season rivals MLC to claim bragging rights as the fastest Senior Second VIII+ in Victoria and Australia. This was a fitting end to the season for the girls, having their best row and confirming their quality.

The St Catherine’s 120 crew, qualified straight through to the A Final through their heat row on Friday. The Sunday A Final was one of the gutsiest performances I’ve seen in Rowing. Outsized by many of their opponents, the ‘Scotty’ led the field for the vast majority of the race only to be overtaken by Pymble Ladies College in the last couple of hundred metres to come second by a narrow 1.7 seconds and claim the silver medal. Their start was clean and efficient, they then rowed a long and powerful rhythm and drove their rhythm right the way to the finish. It was a complete performance for the SCOT. They prepared well, they raced with pride and they demonstrated utmost professionalism in everything they did. Unfortunately on the day there was a crew that posted a slightly faster time. But that’s sport!

In our eyes these crews are champions; we don’t need titles to tell us that. In what our Senior crews can control, their season has been flawless. We could not be prouder as a School.

Thanks again to all of St Catherine’s School in supporting the Rowing program in 2018. We’ll be back in the boats in July!

YEEEAAAH ST CATHS!