Following a comprehensive analysis and review by the Regatta Committee, the Board of Rowing Tasmania has determined several changes to RT Regatta Program.

The Board has taken a whole of sport approach when assessing the changes which are effective for the 2019-20 season.

Note: It is intended all current Club Championship events will be retained, with some additional U21 championship events to be added.

The following U19 boat classes will be deleted from State Pennant Regatta program for State Pennant Regattas, but championship events will still be conducted if entries warrant.

• Men’s U19 and Women’s U19 Coxless Fours.
• Men’s U19 and Women’s U19 Coxless quads.

Over recent years entries for U19 coxless events have not been well supported and a serious

decline in entry numbers is evident. Significantly, competitors in U19 events are students engaged in organised school rowing programs.

Schools’ events do not cater for coxless fours nor coxless quads, primarily from a safety perspective, therefore schools do not generally purchase coxless four or coxless quad boats. However, participation in U19 coxed events has remained strong for decades.

On the other hand, our member clubs do purchase coxless fours & quads to cater for more experienced club rowers and for participation in State & National regatta events, therefore;

The following U21 boat classes will be included in the State Pennant Regatta program and State Championships.

• Men’s and Women’s U21 Single Scull
• Men’s and Women’s U21 Double Scull
• Men’s and Women’s U21 Coxless Pair
• Men’s and Women’s U21 Coxless Four
• Men’s and Women’s U21 Coxless Quad
• Men’s and Women’s U21 Eight.

Page | 1

The inclusion of U21 events provides a natural 2 yearly progression through underage categories from U17 – U19 – U21 to Senior. i.e. first year to learn to race, second year to consolidate form & competitiveness.

Whilst it is acknowledged that U21 is not an International category, we are seeing a significant increase in U21 participation numbers locally, nationally and, through the Trans-Tasman series, limited international competition.

Note: Canada is again sending an U21 team to the New Zealand leg of Trans-Tasman series this year. Rowing Tasmania believes that U21 category (including Youth 8+) is the true pathway bridge between school leavers & club rowing.

The following Senior boat classes will be retained in State Pennant Regattas and State Championships.

• Men’s and Women’s Senior Single Scull
• Men’s and Women’s Senior Double Scull
• Men’s and Women’s Senior Pair
• Men’s and Women’s Senior Coxless Four
• Men’s and Women’s Senior Coxless Quad
• Men’s and Women’s Senior Eight.

It is expected that during State Pennant Regattas, U23s (Senior B) will row in Senior events. Championships will still be conducted for both Senior A & Senior B (U23.)

In future, if sufficient U23 entries warrant, Rowing Tasmania may consider splitting Senior events into Senior A and Senior B (U23) at State Pennant Regattas, with Pennant points allocated for both categories.

Rowing Tasmania Board does aspire to increase participation numbers via retention of school leavers and “prematurely retired rowers”, but analysis of recent registration, entry and race data does not support expansion nor retention of separate U23 category events at State Pennant regattas.

The Board does acknowledge & appreciate that rowing is a cyclical sport regarding age categories, and obviously our regatta program must be subject of regular review as participation numbers in the various categories change. However, it is undeniable from a statistical perspective, that U23 is poorly patronised at present and we are better to combine U23s (Senior B) within our Senior events.

State Championships: To be eligible to compete in U23 events at State Championships that are not offered during Pennant season, rowers must have regularly contested in that boat class (i.e. Senior 1X, 2X, 2-, 4X, 4-, 8+) during the Pennant season.

Additional Regatta Program changes:- (1)

As a trial this coming season, the following events will be deleted from our State Pennant #4

Regatta program:-

• Men’s Senior Coxed Four
• Women’s Senior Eight
• Men’s Senior Eight

This change will allow for the following event to be added to the State Pennant #4 Regatta program:-

• Head of the Lake – Handicap Long Distance Eights Race to be conducted as last event on Saturday afternoon at SP #4 only.

(Approximately 5K, starting from opposite the waterfall @ Kentish Park, ending at LBI 2000m finish line)