Somerset Rowers Start with a Win

More than 70 Somerset Rowers recently competed at the first regatta of the Gold Coast Schools Rowing season, at the Coomera Lakes rowing course, which was also hosted by Somerset. The rowers faced a variety of weather conditions across the day, from gusty winds in the morning, calm conditions, rain and then back to extremely strong winds which led to the regatta being cancelled.

It was very challenging for the young rowers and they did a great job to make it through the day without any major mishaps.

Year 8 students Nathalie Brown and Emily Macbeth both started their Rowing careers with a win, with each of the girls taking a win in the novice single sculls event. The two girls made it through the day undefeated also racing in the double and quad sculls. Emily teamed up with Mackenzie Cadman to win the division 3 double scull. Nathalie teamed up with Eden Dovrat to win the Division 2 double event and along Katherine Jordan, Jessica Velloza, and Emelia Fink, they also won Division 1 of the Girls Year 8 Quad Scull.

Some of the Year 8 boys also had a winning start to their rowing careers with Xavier McMullen, Timothy Hornsey, Zak Van Den Brink, Harrison Jordan and Callum McClure all taking out first place in their novice single sculling events. Raffi Anderson, Riley Bust, Harrison Jordan, Callum McClure and Zak Van Den Brink were narrowly beaten by Trinity Lutheran College in Division 1 of the Boy’s Year 8 Quad Scull whilst the crew of Thomas Gray, Timothy Hornsey, Xavier McMullen, Jasper Mansell and Lachlan Hartley took out victory in Division 2.

In other highlights the Somerset senior rowers won both the Boy’s and Girl’s open eight races. Katherine Plume and Jade Mansell Mansell won the open Girl’s Double Scull and the Boy’s Open Quad Scull of Blake Mills, Marc Eksteen, Lachie Munro, Cian Muenster and Jasper Mansell took first place. There were many other strong performances across the day including second places in the Girl’s Year 10 Quad Scull and also the Boy’s Year 9 Quad Scull.

As always the Somerset parents and supporters were fantastic in their running the catering and the logistics for the Regatta. I would like to extend a thank you to all of the volunteers including the Rowing Queensland boat race officials and all of the Somerset staff members who helped to make the day a great success.

The rowers will continue to race the Gold Coast regattas throughout Term Two.