Head of the Yarra (HOTY) 2016

On November 29 at the mighty “Head of the Yarra” 255 crews of 8 rowed the windy 8.6 km course from Birrarung Marr to Hawthorn Rowing Club in Melbourne.

Balmain was represented in a record 7 crews this year. (FMD8+, FMAC8+, XME8+, MD8+ (x2), MO8+, and XLTA8+.)

including 2 para crews, competing for the very first time in this category at the event.

Congratulations to Liam James and everyone involved in bringing the 2 para crews together from around the country. It was a fantastic experience for everyone involved and the significant achievement was recognised by 'World Rowing"

Many thanks to Owen, Bernie & Nick for driving the trailer down; to John Reading from St Josephs College who trained the mixed crew and provided a boat and transport; to Riverview College for also providing a boat; to former BRC member, Angelic Lele and Jackie from Carrum Rowing Club for coxing the mixed 8 crews and womens masters and of course to all our coaches and squad coordinators for helping us prepare for the big race! A celebratory dinner was enjoyed at the Merchant Osteria Veneta on Collins St.

Head of the Yarra 2016 - a snapshot by June Henning

Our BRC mixed masters V111 began training together in a borrowed boat named the John Reading racked at Saint Joseph's College at Hunters Hill where Beverley Malone a member of the MixM8+ has worked as the archivist for quite a long time. BRC and SJC have a long history of sharing resources and our crew enjoyed an enormous amount of sincere generosity. John Reading (the man) and head of rowing at SJC offered to coach us and Nick (our coach) graciously gave us his blessing. We did not have a lot of weeks to prepare for HOTY but we embraced it with zeal on and off the water. The sense of team and purpose was tangible and everything from charging the cox box to unloading and sectioning boats came together with ease. BRC and SJC worked together to achieve a good outcome; SJC even trailering John Reading (the boat) to Melbourne free of charge for our MixM8+. Race day was sensational ... perfect weather and a good honest row. Rowing is relationship based and this was clearly seen in our squad post HOTY dinner ... much fun and friendship new and old were clearly evident. Thanks to Beverley daring to ask and the willingness of Joe Mark Peter and Bob to row with 4 senior Masters Women and Kim's coxing throughout training there would not be such a brilliant story to tell. GO TIGERS