CENTRAL DISTRICTS ROWING ASSOCIATION 1981 - 2020 - An Historical Study Peter Bond
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CENTRAL DISTRICTS
ROWING ASSOCIATION
1981 - 2020
An Historical Study
Peter Bond
June 2020
Central Districts Rowing Association - Office Bearers
President Vice President Secretary/Treasurer
1981/82 Alan Sawyer Col Randell Graham Nix
1982/83 Alan Sawyer Ray McManus Graham Nix
1983/84 Alan Sawyer Ray McManus Graham Nix
1984/85 Ray McManus John Burgess Graham Nix
1985/86 no elections Graham Nix
1986/87 no elections Graham Nix
1987/88 David Munroe Paul Drinkwater Graham Nix
1988/89 David Munroe Robert Williams Graham Nix
1989/90 David Munroe Robert Williams Graham Nix
1990/91 Robert Williams Fred Bunt Graham Nix
1991/92 Robert Williams David Munroe Peter Bond
1992/93 Robert Williams Tim Morgan Peter Bond
1993/94 Robert Williams Graham Nix Peter Bond
1994/95 Robert Williams Graham Nix Peter Bond
1995/96 Graham Nix Val Kost Peter Bond
1996/97 Graham Nix Val Kost Peter Bond
1997/98 Graham Nix Tim Morgan Peter Bond
1998/99 Graham Nix Tim Morgan Peter Bond
1999/2000 Graham Nix Tim Morgan Peter Bond
2000/01 Graham Nix Tim Morgan Scott Barnett
2001/02 Graham Nix Tim Morgan John McLeod
2002/03 Graham Nix Tim Morgan John McLeod
2003/04 Graham Nix Tim Morgan John McLeod
2004/05 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2005/06 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2006/07 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2007/08 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2008/09 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2009/10 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2010/11 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2011/12 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2012/13 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2013/14 Graham Nix Brian Kelleher John McLeod
2014/15 Graham Nix Peter Bond John McLeod
2015/16 G Nix/P Bond P Bond / C Isaacs John McLeod
2016/17 Peter Bond Carol Isaacs John McLeod
2017/18 Peter Bond Carol Isaacs John McLeod
2018/19 Peter Bond Hugh McLeod John McLeod
2019/20 Peter Bond Hugh McLeod John McLeod
2020/21 Peter Bond Hugh McLeod John McLeod
CENTRAL DISTRICTS
ROWING ASSOCIATION
1981 - 2020
Historical Perspective
In the late nineteenth century, various rowing clubs were formed in country regions outside metropolitan
Sydney. On the Hunter River, short lived clubs were formed in Newcastle (1870-1874, 1880-1896 and 1940-
1941) and Maitland (1883-1890 and 1923-1931). On the far north coast, clubs were formed on the Clarence
River at Grafton (1882) and Maclean (1885) and on a tributary of the Richmond River at Lismore (1896).
These northern clubs were more long lasting and are still operational today.
The New South Wales Rowing Association (NSWRA) was formed in 1878 with membership restricted to
amateur oarsmen. As prize money was awarded at regattas on the Hunter and the northern rivers well into
the 1950s, membership of the NSWRA in the first half of the twentieth century was limited to Sydney
metropolitan clubs only.
The Northern Rivers Rowing Association (NRRA) was formed in 1959 for NSW clubs north of the Hawkesbury
River. With money prizes no longer presented at regattas, the NRRA affiliated with the NSWRA.
Although Manning River RC was fully involved with the rowing and administrative activities of the NRRA, the
club in Taree began to investigate the possibility of forming an association closer to their position on the
mid-north coast of NSW.
Prior to the formation of the CDRA, five clubs were operating at various levels of rowing activity in the mid-
north coast region: Manning River Rowing Club at Taree, Newcastle University Boat Club (NUBC) on the
Hunter River at Raymond Terrace, Hastings River Rowing Club at Port Macquarie, Central Coast Youth Club
Rowing Club in Gosford and Hunter Valley Rowing Club in Singleton.
Manning River Rowing Club boatshed – opened 1971
The Central Districts Rowing Association is formed
At a meeting in the Macquarie Hotel, Port Macquarie on 6th June 1981, a resolution was passed to form the
‘Central Districts Rowing Association’ for rowing clubs within the boundaries of the Nambucca River in the
north and the Hawkesbury River in the south. A committee of president Alan Sawyer (Manning), vice-
president Col Randall (Hunter Valley) and secretary/treasurer Graham Nix (Manning) was elected. A club
affiliation fee of $40 was set to cover the $100 affiliation fee with NSWRA. Founding members were
Manning River RC, Hastings River RC, Hunter Valley RC, Central Coast Youth Club RC and NUBC.
In July, a CDRA bank account was established with an initial deposit of $140.50 transferred from the NRRA,
being half of that association’s bank balance at the end of June.
The primary purpose of the association was to provide a means by which the local clubs could affiliate with
the NSW Rowing Association. Although this could be achieved through the Northern Rivers association, the
CDRA offered the additional benefit of a voice in discussions with the NSWRA that supported the interests of
the mid-north coast rather than the far north.
Annual general meetings followed in June 1982, 1983 and 1984, each at Port Macquarie following the
Hastings River regatta. During this period, the only activity within the association was the conduct of an
annual regatta by Manning River RC in October and by Hastings River RC in June. Manning River also
conducted a limited number of events as part of the Manning River Aquatic Festival in mid-January.
Hastings River RC changed their name to Port Macquarie RSL Club Rowing Club in 1983.
“Reg” fours racing in the Manning River Aquatic Festival during the 1970s
At the 1984 meeting, the affiliation fee was raised to $50 in response to NSWRA’s increase to $200.
By this time, Hunter Valley RC had ceased to operate and NUBC was in hibernation. Port Macquarie went
into recession soon after with the 1984 regatta their last to be conducted on the June long weekend. The
club handed the shed keys to the council who called a public meeting in August where the keys were passed
to Jim Young and Paul McReynolds who reformed the club as Port Macquarie Rowing Club.
Hiatus
The 1984 AGM was the last meeting held for three years with very little association activity during that time.
Payment of the NSWRA affiliation fee in 1985 left a balance of $9.03 in the bank. No club affiliation fees
were received by CDRA and no affiliation was paid to NSWRA for another two years. The association needed
a kick start.
In 1980 Bob Williams, a life member of Manning River RC, had moved to Warners Bay on Lake Macquarie
where he coached schoolboys in a reg four on loan from Manning River. In 1987, boat storage was obtained
in the Speers Point Sailing Club shed and Hunter Rowing Club was formed.
Hunter Rowing Club regatta finishing at Speers Point Sailing Club – November 1991
CDRA Reactivated
With the advent of Hunter as a viable rowing club in the Newcastle area, moves were made to re-invigorate
the CDRA. A meeting labelled “annual general meeting” was held in the Speers Point Sailing Club on 9th
August 1987 with representatives from Manning River RC, Port Macquarie RC and Hunter RC. Dave Munro
(Port Macquarie) was elected president and Paul Drinkwater (Hunter) vice president with Graham Nix
continuing as secretary/treasurer. A new fee structure was introduced with a $20 affiliation fee plus
capitation fees of $5 per senior rower and $2 per junior. These fees would remain unchanged for 7 years.
Member clubs of the re-activated CDRA were Central Coast Youth Club RC, Hunter RC, Manning River RC,
NUBC and Port Macquarie RC. Four regattas were foreshadowed: Manning in October, Hunter in November,
NUBC in March and Port Macquarie in March or June.
In the following August, an attempt was made to hold an annual general meeting that failed with only 3
people in attendance. The $250 affiliation fee to NSWRA was outstanding with insufficient funds to meet the
debt. The secretary/treasurer was directed to “write to each club outlining the alternatives to the
continuation of the association” and asking clubs “to advise … if they feel that the association should
continue to operate”. CDRA had been re-activated but not re-energised.
In a document titled ‘Future of the Association’ it was stated “It is fair to say that virtually all that has been
achieved is affiliation with NSW Rowing Association each year.”
Alternative methods of affiliation were given as:
● Continue with the CDRA at an estimated cost of $120 for a club with 20 members plus $20.50 for each
member to compete in NSWRA pointscore regattas.
● Disband the CDRA and clubs join NRRA for a similar cost.
● Disband the CDRA and clubs individually join NSWRA at an estimated cost of $2058 for a club with 20
members.
The adjourned annual general meeting was successfully conducted in October 1988 with the resolution “that
the current clubs remain within the CDRA and that the association continue in its present form”. Dave
Munro and Graham Nix retained their positions with Robert Williams (Hunter) elected to the position of
vice-president. Regattas were listed as Hunter in November, Manning in January and Port Macquarie in April.
With the payment of fees to CDRA, the NSWRA affiliation fee, due before the beginning of the racing season,
was finally payed at the end of the season.
Port Macquarie Rowing Club – boatshed and clubhouse
Regattas in the mid-north coast region up until this time had been club based with the host setting the
events, accepting the entries, conducting the draw and running the regatta. Entry fees were paid to and
retained by the club. In recent years, regattas had been listed on the NSWRA regatta card having the status
of NSWRA pointscore regattas from time to time.
Seasons 1 to 3 – CDRA Develops an Association Regatta Program
After 8 years of limited and irregular activity, CDRA introduced their first program of association regattas for
the 1989/90 regatta season. The program was made up of 5 CDRA pointscore regattas alongside 3 NSWRA
pointscore regattas, 2 non-pointscore regattas and a 15km marathon. Host clubs continued to be
responsible for call of entries, regatta draws, provision of trophies and conduct of regattas.
Regattas were conducted over 1000 metres and ran between 9.00am and 12.30 with races starting 10
minutes apart averaging 3 crews per race. Manning River RC, Port Macquarie RC and Hunter RC participated
fully throughout the season with minimal entries from Newcastle University. Although Central Coast had
been a member of the association since its inception, the club did not compete during the 1989/90 season
and would not appear at any further CDRA regattas.
For the second season of CDRA regattas, the association took on the responsibility of regattas draws with
entries and entry fees submitted to the association rather than to the host club and the secretary/treasurer
conducting the draw.
It was resolved that prize money would be awarded to the annual pointscore funded by an increase in seat
fees with prizes for 1990/91 being $500 for 1st, $300 for 2nd, $100 for 3rd and $100 to the winner of a schools
pointscore.
In the following season it was decided that all of the association’s share of entry fees would go to the
monetary prizes with first place to receive 50%, second place 30% and third 20%. As the season’s income
reached $999, the prizes awarded were $500, $300 and $200.
In August 1990, Bob Williams (Hunter) was elected to his first of five years as president.
After ten years guiding CDRA through the difficulties of foundation, decline and re-emergence, Graham Nix
stepped down from his position as secretary/treasurer at the 1991 AGM leaving the association in a healthy
state of positive growth with Peter Bond (HVGS) elected in his place.
Scone Rugby Club Rowing Club affiliated with CDRA in December 1990 although they would not make a
regatta entry for another two seasons and then under another name.
At the beginning of 1991, Hunter Valley Grammar School (HVGS) developed a rowing program based at the
Walka Water Works dam in Maitland and affiliated with the association.
In November 1992, CDRA accepted the affiliation of Newcastle Rowing Club.
Seasons 4 and 5 – The Regatta Program Expands – Championships Introduced
For the fourth season of CDRA competition, a Championship
regatta was introduced to be conducted on the Manning River
course at Taree with open championship events over 1500
metres. In the following season, a Schools regatta was added,
conducted at Taree on the same weekend as the Championship
regatta. Races conducted at Saturday’s Schools regatta included
school events plus championships for Veterans and the new
category ‘Senior’. Open and Junior championships were
conducted on Sunday.
After programs in the first 3 seasons had consisted of 5
pointscore regattas, the program in season 4 expanded to 8
regattas including the CDRA Championships. Programs have
fluctuated between 7 and 8 regattas since that time.
At a meeting following the second regatta of season 5, the
question of composite crews was discussed. It was resolved that
composite entries be accepted in all events and that points be
Graham Nix
awarded proportionally. This became a defining characteristic of
Inaugural winner of CDRA
CDRA that enabled small clubs to participate in many events
Champion Mens Single Sculls.
locally that NSWRA rules prevented them from entering in
Secretary Treasurer 1981-1990
Sydney regattas.
President 1995-2015
The 1992/93 racing season saw a significant increase in participation with 5 clubs regularly competing: Manning, NUBC, Port Macquarie, Hunter and HVGS. Mens singles and mixed events went beyond a single race into multiple divisions at most regattas, something that had rarely happened in previous seasons. The success of the season saw the prize pool growing rapidly and the decision was made to cap it at $2000. The pool eventually grew to $3,117. Prizes awarded at the end of the pointscore season were $1000, $600 and $400. Scone Rugby Club Rowing Club changed their name to Upper Hunter Rowing Club prior to the start of the 1993/94 racing season, becoming a regular participant at CDRA regattas for the next 11 years. During the season, applications for membership of the association were accepted from Newcastle Grammar School (September), Armidale Rowing Club (November) and Irrawang High School (January). Prize money was discontinued in 1994 with pointscore winners receiving CDRA banners from season 5 onward. 1994 - A Special Annual Meeting – CDRA Adopts a Constitution With the growth of the association and the differences in the points of view of several of the participants over procedural matters, it was decided that a constitution was needed to define the operational parameters of CDRA. The annual meeting of May 1994 had two components; a special general meeting to adopt the constitution and the annual general meeting. With the adoption of the constitution, the association became the ‘Central Districts Rowing Association Incorporated’. The annual general meeting completely revised the rules of boat racing applicable to CDRA regattas, with several amendments made in consideration of regional conditions. Membership of the NSWRA and the ARC (Australian Rowing Council) was discussed. Membership fees to NSWRA included an ARC levee. Rowing’s share of government sports money was dependent upon the number of registered participants. To encourage all participants to register, NSWRA waived their membership fee for 1994, collecting only the ARC levee. CDRA was informed that all individual rowing competitors must register with NSWRA and pay the $21 ARC levee. For the first time, all CDRA rowers were obliged to become members of NSWRA.
The May 1994 meeting of CDRA closed at 7.52pm. It had been a marathon meeting, but a lot had been achieved. The association finally had a constitution and a significant section of the protocol for the conduct of CDRA regattas had been formalised. CDRA/NRRA Challenge Armidale RC became a CDRA regatta host in season 6 with crews from the Northern Rivers Rowing Association invited to contest the CDRA/NRRA Challenge on Lake Malpas. Entries were received from 6 NRRA clubs and 8 CDRA clubs in 1995 with CDRA winning the Challenge Shield. The CDRA/NRRA Challenge continued for 5 years with four wins to Central Districts and one to Northern Rivers until an infestation of blue-green algae closed Lake Malpas and cancelled the Armidale regatta. CDRA/NRRA Challenge Medal Armidale Rowing Club boatshed In 1994 and again in 1995, 2 CDRA juniors who were members of talented athlete programs were directed to transfer to Sydney metropolitan clubs. The justification for these forced transfers was that NSWRA rules did not accept entries from composite crews in championships events. Much heated correspondence passed between the two clubs concerned, CDRA and NSWRA over the matter. Proposals were put to the Rules Revision Subcommittee of NSWRA with the eventual rule change that composite crews be accepted in U18 and U19 championship events – more was to come of this later. Graham Nix Takes the Helm - Rowing Established at Berry Park At the 1995 AGM, Bob Williams stepped down after 5 years as president with Graham Nix beginning the first of his twenty years at the head of the association. In June 1995, HVGS was obliged to cease operations on the Walka Water Works dam due to blue-green algae contamination. An alternative 500 metre course for the HVGS regatta was found on Fennell Bay at Blackalls Park. Three regattas were run on this course during the 1995/96 season with both the Newcastle and Hunter events transferred from their programmed sites due to unrowable weather conditions. Access to the course was lost at the end of the season when the key-holder’s daughter ceased competitive rowing. In early 1996, HVGS bought land on the Hunter River at Berry Park and built a boatshed ready for their annual regatta. The 1750m stretch of water finishing at the school’s boatshed was to become the most used course in the region.
HVGS regatta October 1996 – the first regatta on the Berry Park course
As a follow on from the dispute over composite crews in championship events, CDRA formulated a
submission to the NSWRA to permit regional clubs to compete in composite crews. The proposal was
adopted at the 1996 June General Meeting of NSWRA enabling entries to be accepted in championship
events from composite crews representing either CDRA or NRRA.
CDRA Sprint Championships
In 1997, the maximum distance of CDRA regattas was increased from 1500 to 2000 metres (1750 at Berry
Park).
The CDRA Sprint Championship regatta was introduced in the 1998/99 season over a 500 metre course on
the South Arm of the Hunter River. After being conducted at 4 different venues in 4 years, the Sprint
Championships found a permanent home on Throsby Creek in 2002.
The 3 lane, 400 metre Throsby Creek course in Carrington had been established by Newcastle RC in 1999 at
the site where their future boatshed would be constructed 10 years later.
CDRA Sprint Championships – Throsby CreekIn 2002, the Schools and Championship regattas were consolidated into the single two-day CDRA
Championships at Taree as the final regatta of the season.
Club Developments in the late 1990s
City Rowers Club’s application for membership of the association was accepted at the 1996 AGM.
At the 1998 AGM, Endeavour Rowing Club was admitted as a member club.
After eleven years paying rent for boat space in the Speers Point Sailing Club, in 1998 Hunter Rowing Club
gained access to public land at Booragul next to Teralba Sailing Club where they built a boatshed of their
own.
Following 3 seasons of minimal participation, Newcastle Grammar entered sizeable squads in the 1998/99
season to join Hunter, HVGS, Manning, Newcastle, NUBC, Port Macquarie and Upper Hunter as one of the
regular participants at CDRA regattas.
Hunter / Lake Macquarie Rowing Club boatshed
CDRA’s Right To Conduct Its Own Affairs
An incident had occurred at the 1999 championship regatta which had far reaching consequences. City RC
lodged a protest on the conduct of an event and disagreed with the subsequent ruling of the jury. The CDRA
constitution outlined the path of appeal as being to the CDRA committee first, a general meeting second and
finally to the NSWRA. However, City RC appealed directly to NSWRA whose ruling was that NSWRA had no
jurisdiction as the regatta was run under rules modified by CDRA.
At a subsequent meeting between the CDRA committee and members of the NSWRA board in January 2000,
the CDRA hierarchy of appeal was endorsed with the NSWRA board accepting the responsibility of “ultimate
appellate body”.
It was stated that “NSWRA empowers CDRA to promote and control the sport in its region on behalf of
NSWRA”. The board agreed that CDRA had the authority to set its own regatta program, to approve its own
rowing courses and to make resolutions that take precedence over NSWRA Laws of Boat Racing for CDRA
regattas.The meeting also clarified individual membership of NSWRA. The board emphasised that rowers must be
registered members of NSWRA to compete in NSWRA regattas but competitors at CDRA regattas did not
need to be registered. This corrected the belief held by the CDRA committee since 1994 that rowers must be
registered with NSWRA to compete at any regatta.
The Introduction of On-Line Technology
After 9 years in the position of secretary/treasurer,
Peter Bond stepped down at the 2000 AGM to be
succeeded by Scott Barnett (Upper Hunter). At the
2001 annual general meeting, Scott relinquished his
position due to pressures of work and John McLeod
(Newcastle) took on the role of secretary/treasurer, a
position he would hold for two decades.
At the 2000 AGM, the association decided to make use
of the NSWRA regatta management system using the
state association’s web site. Unfortunately, technical
problems prevented on-line entries during the first
season, although the NSWRA system was used to
publish draws and to record regatta results. John McLeod
As a consequence, results of CDRA regattas became Secretary/Treasurer 2001-2020+
available on the NSWRA website from the third
regatta of the 2000/01 season onwards.
The technical problems were overcome for 2001/02. Regatta entries were submitted electronically by clubs
to the NSWRA website. The completed entry file was emailed to regatta manager Brian Kelleher who carried
out the draw and emailed it back to be published on the NSWRA website. Following the regatta, Brian
entered the results and emailed the completed file to NSWRA for publication and storage.
As electronic entries were made from NSWRA membership files, it became mandatory for all rowers to be
individual members of NSWRA before they could be entered in CDRA regattas.
Brisbane Water Rowing Club boat storageAt the 2004 AGM, the association executive took on a format that would remain the same for 10 years with
Brian Kelleher (Hunter) elected as vice president alongside president Graham Nix and secretary/treasurer
John McLeod.
As banners were no longer available because the company had gone out of business, CDRA plaques were
presented to the award winners in 2005. Plaques have continued to the present as association trophies.
Club Developments in the early 2000s
2000/01 was the last season of participation for City RC and Irrawang HS.
In January 2001, additional land was purchased at Berry Park that enabled Endeavour RC to build a shed of
their own, with the club’s boats transferred from the HVGS shed in July. In August, NUBC relocated from
their dilapidated building in Raymond Terrace to boat space leased in the Endeavour shed.
In September 2003, Brisbane Water RC was accepted as a member of CDRA.
In early 2004, NUBC had a boatshed built at Berry Park and moved their boats into the ‘NUSport Pavillion’ in
April.
Following reduced participation during the 2005/06 season, Upper Hunter RC went into hibernation with no
regatta entries for another 8 years.
In October 2008, Central Coast RC was accepted as a member of the association.
Following the closure of their shed due to the discovery of asbestos in April and damage from the Pasha
Bulker storm in June, Newcastle RC put their boats into storage in July 2007. As a consequence, Newcastle’s
participation during the following 2 seasons was minimal.
In February 2009, Newcastle obtained development consent on government owned land beside Throsby
Creek at Carrington. Construction of Newcastle’s boatshed was carried out in the first half of 2009, with the
shed officially opened at the club’s regatta in December.
Central Coast Rowing Club boat storage
NSWRA Regattas in the CDRA Region
When the CDRA regatta card was established in 1989, 3 clubs hosted NSWRA regattas: Manning River, Port
Macquarie and Hunter. In 2002, the Henley-on-Hunter regatta hosted by Endeavour was added to the NSW
list. In 2005, NUBC’s Pre-IV regatta was introduced to the NSWRA regatta card only to become a non-pointscore CDRA regatta in the following season. At the same time, Hunter’s NSWRA regatta was dropped
from the calendar due to lack of entries.
Since 2006, NSWRA regattas in the CDRA region have been Endeavour’s Henley-on-Hunter in September at
Berry Park and the twin Port Macquarie and Manning River regattas at Taree on the same weekend in
January. In 2010, these two regattas were combined into a single regatta with racing extended to Friday
afternoon as the jointly hosted ‘Taree Summer Regatta’.
RNSW Grades Adopted
In mid-2009 the NSW Rowing Association changed their title to ‘Rowing NSW’ in keeping with the name
change of the national body to ‘Rowing Australia’.
At the 2009 AGM, CDRA adopted the Rowing NSW grading system. The previous Open, Intermediate and
Novice grades were replaced by A, B, C and D grades determined by a grade score between 4.0 and zero,
with wins and losses adjusting the score down and up. NSWRA had introduced the system for the 2007/08
season and had refined the grade score formula over two years. From the 2009/10 season onward, CDRA
would run a combination of grade events and age events that were consistent with RNSW status rules.
Taree Summer Regatta – mixed eights racing for the big money
Developments in Regatta Management
A technological development for the 2009/10 season was the facility to upload draws and results directly to
the Rowing NSW website rather than via email.
In the next season, use of the regatta software expanded to provided computerised finals draws and the
immediate printout of race results.
In 2012, a timing facility was added to the system that enabled race times of all crews to be recorded
electronically and saved directly to the regatta file.
Change to the RNSW Fee Structure
The major item of discussion at the 2011 AGM was a change to the RNSW fee structure.
Since the association was established in 1981, member clubs had been affiliated with RNSW through CDRA
which paid a single affiliation fee to the state body. This fee had been $500 in 2010.RNSW sought to improve the perceived financial imbalance between regional clubs and the metropolitan
clubs who individually payed both affiliation fees and a significant monthly levy.
Discussions between the two associations resulted in a levy of $500 per club to be paid by CDRA,
which amounted to $5,000 for 2011.
CDRA also agreed to relinquish the rebate paid by RNSW from the individual state membership fees of the
region’s rowers which had been $2500 in 2010.
To finance the additional $7,000 required to meet this new commitment, CDRA entry fees were increased.
In November 2010, Ivan Adlam of Endeavour RC had been appointed as director of finance for Rowing NSW.
In August 2011, he was elected as president of RNSW, the first member of CDRA to hold the position. Ivan
retained the presidency for nearly 5 years until he stepped down in May 2016.
Newcastle Rowing Club boatshed – CDRA Sprint Championships (Picture Troy Adams)
Club Developments from 2011 to 2016
Prior to the start of the 2011/12 racing season, Hunter RC changed their name to Lake Macquarie Rowing
Club.
In October 2012 and January 2013, St Josephs Secondary College Port Macquarie and the Hastings Regional
Rowing Group were accepted as members of CDRA. The two clubs operated together from the Rocks Ferry
Reserve on the Hastings River at Wauchope.
After eleven years of inactivity, Armidale RC resumed paying affiliation fees to the association during the
2012/13 season. The club would not take part in any CDRA regattas until a sole single sculler attended two
regattas in 2019, however the club was to participate at the Taree Summer regatta from 2015 onward.
The 2014/15 season saw the re-emergence of Upper Hunter RC in 4 regattas after 8 years of non-
participation. Upper Hunter RC had operated under the umbrella of Scone Rugby Club until activity had
ceased in 2006. In 2012 the rugby club had passed the rowing club’s assets into the joint management of St
Joseph’s High School at Aberdeen and Scone Grammar School. After this brief revival, Upper Hunter’s entries
lapsed for another 2 years.2015/16 was the last season of participation for the group at Wauchope. After competing as St Josephs for
two years then primarily as Hastings Region in the following two years, there were no further entries from
either entity.
Changes in the CDRA Executive
At the end of the 2013/14 season, Brian Kelleher retired from
active participation in the conduct of the association due to ill
health. Brian had been vice-president for 10 years, had
operated the electronic regatta system, conducting draws and
publishing results for 14 years, and had been a regular BRO at
association regattas becoming the region’s first Rowing
Australia official.
In September 2015, Brian passed away after losing his battle
with cancer.
In October 2015, Graham Nix stepped down from the position
of president after suffering a stroke to be replaced by Peter
Bond. Graham had served the association continuously for 35
years since its inception in 1981, holding executive positions
as secretary/treasurer, vice-president and 20 years as
president. After retiring from teaching, Peter had transferred
from HVGS to Endeavour RC in 2012.
At the 2016 AGM, a special presentation was made to Graham
of a CDRA plaque with the inscription: “Presented to Graham
Nix President 1995 – 2015 In appreciation of his dedicated Brian Kelleher
service and outstanding contribution to the success of the Regatta Manager 2000-2014
Central Districts Rowing Association since its foundation in Vice President 2004-2014
1981”
Changes in Regatta Procedures
After conducting draws in-house since 1990, it was decided in
2014 that CDRA regatta draws would be carried out by the
Rowing NSW Regatta Secretary for a fee of $1430 in addition
to that season’s affiliation fee of $7,260.
Since the association had first conducted regatta draws,
entries for CDRA regattas had closed at 5.00 pm on the
Tuesday 11 days before the regatta weekend, consistent with
NSWRA procedure. In 2013, Rowing NSW had changed their
due date to the Monday 5 days before. After 4 years out-of-
synch, in 2017, the association resolved that the closing date
for CDRA regattas would again be consistent with RNSW; 5:00 Peter Bond
pm on the Monday preceding the regatta. Secretary/Treasurer 1991-2000
President 2015-2020+The 2017/18 season saw the re-re-emergence of Upper Hunter RC. Scone Grammar had taken on full
responsibility for the club after the original bequest of joint management had not been successful. Scone
Grammar students racing as Upper Hunter have been regular competitors since then.
Evolutions in Regatta Structure
In response to the growing number of races at the Sprint Championships (175 races in 2012), it was resolved
for the 2014 regatta to eliminate semifinals by limiting the number of entries in championship events to 9
with the number 1 crew from each club given preference.
In 2015, regatta events were separated into 2 formats, one for single regatta weekends and another for
double regatta weekends. The list of events for a single day included both age and grade events. Double
regattas had age events on one day and grade events on the other with seeded 1000m events added to both
programs.
In 2016, regatta programs were organised into 4 blocks enabling rowers to enter one race in each block and
it was resolved to included a 45 minute lunch break in all CDRA regattas.
In 2020, to reduce the length of regattas, some of which in recent years had run from 8.00am till after
5.00pm, it was resolved to shorten regatta programs from 4 blocks to 3 blocks.
At the same meeting, a motion was passed to reduce A and B grade races from 2000m to 1000m making all
grade events the same distance. 2000 metre races were retained in U17/U19/0 events.
Natural Phenomena
Being an outdoor sport, rowing is subject to the vagaries of the weather with the Hunter course on Lake
Macquarie being the most vulnerable. Of the 16 CDRA regattas scheduled on Hunter’s Teralba course
between seasons 10 and 25, 7 were completed (some on “perfect” water, some on “very rough chop”), 2
had the course reduced to 500m, 5 were cut short as conditions deteriorated, one was abandoned before a
race was run, and one was cancelled due to an unresolved clash with a sailing event. In the final 6 seasons
from 2008 to 2013, only one regatta was successfully completed. The Lake Macquarie regatta moved to
Berry Park in 2015 and has remained there since season 26.
Floods have also had an impact with the 2009 Port Macquarie regatta on the Wilson River and the 2013
CDRA Championships on the Manning River both cancelled due to flooding.
Manning River Rowing Club boatshed after the mini-cyclone
with broken Newcastle Grammar boats in the street aboveThe Brisbane Water regatta in February 2010 faced a different phenomenon with Australia’s east coast put
on tsunami alert from an earthquake in Chile although the regatta ran without incident.
In recent years, excessive heat has had a significant impact. In 2017, the Endeavour regatta was cancelled
when the temperature passed 38° and, one week later, heat wave conditions caused the cancellation of
many events at the NSW Championships although selection races did proceed in temperatures up to 44°.
The thermometer topped out at a record 47° in Penrith on the Saturday.
Although the 2017/18 program of regattas did not experience the extreme heat of the previous season, a
quirk of nature did leave its mark. A Super Blue Blood Moon in February created strong incoming tides that
resulted in a winning time of 9 mintes 46 seconds in one division of WD1x. (Super Moon: at its closest point
to the Earth the Moon looks larger than normal / Blue Moon: the second full moon in the same calendar
month / Blood Moon: in a total lunar eclipse, the Moon is bathed in red spectrum light refracted about the
Earth)
In March 2019, an intense storm devastated the CDRA Championships with a mini-cyclone tearing through
the boat park and ripping the roof off the Manning River clubhouse. All clubs suffered damage to their boats
with Newcastle Grammar the hardest hit, having to write-off more than half their fleet.
A Season Cut Short
The 2019/20 regatta season was devastated by 3 phenomena: weather, fire and disease.
Of the 10 regattas hosted by CDRA, 3 were cut short by the weather. The Newcastle Grammar regatta was
cancelled after only 8 races due to gale force wind. Predicted temperatures over 40° caused withdrawals
from the Lake Macquarie/Endeavour double regatta weekend resulting in redraws for both regattas that
reduced a total of 204 races to 70. However, both regattas were cancelled inside 2 hours when the
temperature passed 38°.
Extensive bushfires up and down the NSW coast prevented Port Macquarie and Manning River from
travelling to regattas in November and December.
In the week following the CDRA Championships, reaction to the world-wide corona virus hit all sporting
activities. In mid-March, Rowing Australia cancelled the Australian Championships and a week later cancelled
the Australian Masters regatta. At the same time, Rowing NSW cancelled the rest of the state’s regatta
season. All rowing clubs went into lock-down with no activity for two months. Although the CDRA pointscore
regattas had been completed, local rowers were deprived of the opportunity to compete in state and
national championship regattas at the end of the season.
Hunter Region Rowing Complex - Berry ParkPreparations for Season 31 - An Uncertain Future
The 2020 annual general meeting was conducted electronically via ‘Zoom’, due to corona virus restrictions.
Karuah Rowing and Aquatic Club based at the Karuah aboriginal mission was accepted as a member.
Due to the uncertainty of when full scale regatta activity could resume, it was left to the association
committee in consultation with the host club to decide prior to each regatta whether or not the regatta
should proceed.
In mid-May, the first steps were taken to reduce restrictions with limited use of single sculls permitted
although the future of the 2020/21 racing season remained in doubt.
Berry Park regatta – HVGS, Endeavour and NUBC boatsheds
Footnote: The 2020 CDRA annual general meeting set a regatta program that included 8 CDRA pointscore
regattas, 2 non-pointscore regattas, 1 marathon and 2 RNSW regattas. Of the 9 events scheduled before
Christmas, 5 were cancelled due to corona virus concerns, 2 were postponed and 2 were conducted with
reduced programs under corona virus restrictions. In December 2020, the Taree Summer Regatta of January
2021 is listed as “postponed”. The second half of the 2020/21 regatta season remains uncertain.MEMBER CLUBS
OF CDRA
Manning River Rowing Club - established 1957 – foundation member of CDRA.
The club rented a weatherboard shed built on piles over the river in the centre
of Taree for 8 years before having to move out. Boats were stored in a member’s
yard for 3 years while the club built their own brick clubhouse which was opened
in 1971. The club has a six lane 2000 metre course on the Manning River finishing
at the boatshed. Prior to the formation of the CDRA, Manning was an active
member of the NRRA and regularly travelled north for competition.
In early years, the club conducted two annual regattas; the Spring Regatta on
the October long weekend which became a NSWRA pointscore regatta in 1969
plus a limited program of races as part of the annual Taree Aquatic Festival in
mid-January that catered for power boats, sailing and rowing.
In 1992, after the Aquatic Festival moved to Easter, Manning’s NSWRA pointscore moved to January, eventually
becoming the Taree Summer Regatta. Manning River has conducted CDRA regattas since the first season
1989/90, hosting the CDRA championships and Schools regatta as a double regatta weekend since their
inceptions in 1993 and 1994 until the two were combined into a single 2 day regatta in 2003.
Newcastle University Boat Club (NUBC) - formed in 1961 through the sponsorship of Professor Godfrey
Tanner - foundation member of CDRA.
Until 2001, the boat club operated from a nineteenth century brick
warehouse on the Hunter River at Raymond Terrace which had been
purchased in 1962. In August 2001, NUBC relocated from their dilapidated
building in Raymond Terrace to boat space leased in the new Endeavour
shed at Berry Park. In 2003, Newcastle University negotiated with
Endeavour RC to establish a permanent presence on the site. Endeavour
bought additional land and built a boat shed as project manager for the
university. The NUBC boats were moved from the Endeavour shed into the
‘NUSport Pavillion’ on a 50 year
lease in April 2004. The boat club’s original rowing venue on the Hunter River was wide and
straight for 3 miles but sandbars limited the racing course to 1000 metres.
The students competed in the annual Inter-Varsity regattas and conducted
an annual inter-faculty regatta to which the Manning River club was also
invited. During the 1990s, NUBC conducted CDRA regattas on various
courses: Grahamstown Dam at Medowie, the Williams River at Raymond
Terrace and their home course on the Hunter River. After relocating from
Raymond Terrace in 2001, all NUBC regattas have been conducted at Berry
Park.Port Macquarie Rowing Club - formed as Hastings River Rowing Club in 1972 with the loan of a reg four from Manning River RC – foundation member of CDRA. The members built a shed on council land beside the Hastings River at Port Macquarie and conducted an annual regatta on the June long weekend. The Hastings course could accommodate 8 crews but a cable ferry upriver limited the course to 800 metres while the open river downstream was too busy for shared use of the waterway. In 1983, Hastings River RC changed their name to Port Macquarie RSL Club Rowing Club. The club went into recession soon after their 1984 regatta, the last to be conducted on the June long weekend. The shed keys were handed to the council who called a public meeting in August regarding the future use of the boatshed. The keys were passed to Jim Young and Paul McReynolds who reformed the club as Port Macquarie Rowing Club. Port Macquarie conducted NSWRA and CDRA regattas on their home course on the Hastings River until 1993, moving in 1994 to a 1500m course on the Wilson River at Telegraph Point. Since 1997, Port Macquaire’s NSWRA/RNSW regattas have been conducted at Taree in January, initially as a double regatta weekend with Manning River RC, then combing as the 3 day Taree Summer Regatta in 2010. CDRA regattas remained at Telegraph Point until an 800m course was established on the Hastings River at Wauchope in 2011. The club’s last CDRA regatta returned to Port Macquarie in 2018 with no regatta conducted in the 2019/20 season. Central Coast Youth Club Rowing Club - was in existence in Gosford from the late 1970s and was a foundation member of CDRA. Having no boatshed, the club operated from a boat trailer beside Brisbane Water at Gosford. Central Coast YCRC conducted an annual NSWRA pointscore regatta during the early 1980s. Although Central Coast had been a member of the association since its inception, the club did not compete in CDRA’s first regatta season and did not pay any membership fees after 1991. Hunter Valley Rowing Club - was formed in 1979 by Colin Randall among mining professionals in the Singleton area. Boats were stored in a milking bail at Singleton Heights and transported by trailer to Lake Liddell for training. As the lake was unsuitable for regattas, the Hunter Valley club had to travel to Taree and Port Macquarie for racing experience. Although HVRC was a founding member of CDRA, the club did not continue beyond 1982. Camden Haven Rowing Club – paid affiliation in 1984. Based in Kendall, the club did not participate in any regattas and did not renew their affiliation.
Lake Macquarie Rowing Club – affiliated 1987.
In 1980 Bob Williams, a life member of Manning River RC, moved to
Warners Bay on Lake Macquarie where he coached schoolboys in a reg four
on loan from Manning River. In 1987, boat storage was obtained in the
Speers Point Sailing Club shed and Hunter Rowing Club was formed. After
11 years paying rent for boat space in the sailing club shed, Hunter gained
access to public land at Booragul next to Teralba Sailing Club where they
built a boatshed of their own in 1998.
In 2011, Hunter RC changed their name to Lake Macquarie Rowing Club.
Hunter RC conducted regattas on the lake from 1987 which had NSWRA
pointscore status from time to time until the last NSW regatta in 2005. The
club has held an annual CDRA regatta since the 1990/91 season. All regattas
were conducted at Speers Point until 1999 when racing moved to a 1000m
course finishing at their new clubhouse in Cockle Bay. After a series of
regattas had been cancelled due to rough water, Lake Macquarie moved
their regatta to Berry Park in 2015.
Mater Dei College Wyong – paid affiliation in 1988 but did not participate in any CDRA activites.
Macleay RC Smithtown – indicated an intention to row in 1989 that did not eventuate.
Grahamstown Rowing and Aquatic Club – operated on Grahamstown Dam at Medowie in 1990.
After a single four raced at the last regatta of the 1989/90 season and made an entry but did not start in
December 1990, the club became inactive.
Upper Hunter Rowing Club – affiliated 1990.
Formed by Scott Barnett, a member of Scone Rugby Club who had
previously rowed with Shoalhaven RC. A single four raced at one regatta in
1990 when the club affiliated as Scone Rugby Club Rowing Club. The club
changed their name to Upper Hunter Rowing Club in 1993 and began 13
seasons of regular competition until activity ceased in 2006. In 2012, the
rugby club passed the rowing club’s assets into the joint management of
Scone Grammar School and St Joseph’s High School at Aberdeen. After 8
years of non-participation, Upper Hunter entered 4 regattas in the 2014/15
season. Scone Grammar had taken on full responsibility for the club after the original bequest of joint
management had not been successful. The club’s crews were students from Scone Grammar under the
guidance of teacher Chris Brennan, an active member of Lake Macquarie RC. After 2 more years of inactivity,
Upper Hunter resumed regular competition in the 2017/18 season.
Upper Hunter built a shed at Glenbawn Dam and hosted 11 CDRA regattas between 1993 and 2003 over a
1500m course beside the dam wall.Hunter Valley Grammar School (HVGS) – affiliated 1991.
At the beginning of 1991, Peter Bond was employed by the school as a
mathematics teacher with the additional responsibility of developing the
rowing program. Peter had rowed with Nepean RC, had been rowing master at
Nepean High School and had held the position of CHS convenor in the 1980s.
Initially, boats were stored in an empty boiler room attached to Walka Water
Works in Maitland. The school hosted 4 CDRA regattas on the 500m water
works dam from 1992 to 1994.
Activity at the site ceased in June 1995 due to blue-green algae
contamination and the 1995 regatta was conducted on Fennell Bay at
Blackalls Park. HVGS bought land at Berry Park and built a boatshed ready
for the 1996 regatta. The school’s 1750m course on the Hunter River at
Berry Park has become the most used course in the region.
Morpeth Rowing Club – operated for a year on Walka Water Works at Maitland using HVGS boats. Two
fours participated in 2 regattas during 1992 then disbanded.
Newcastle Rowing Club - affiliated 1992.
The club was founded by Jim Bardakos who had left Hunter RC after some
disagreements. The club operated from a boat trailer kept at Jim’s home until
the Honeysuckle Development Corporation made a shed available on the
southern side of Newcastle Harbour in mid-1993. The trailer and four boats
had been acquired from the inoperative Central Coast RC. The club moved
between four sheds on the southern side of the harbour provided by the
Honeysuckle Corporation until being obliged to vacate their last site due to
the discovery of asbestos in April 2007 and damage from the Pasha Bulker
storm in June. The boats were put into storage away from the water on the
old BHP site.
In February 2009, the club obtained development consent on government owned land beside Throsby Creek
and built a boatshed of their own.
The club has conducted an annual CDRA regatta since the 1993/94 season, once on the harbour at Stockton,
four times on the South Arm of the Hunter River beside the BHP and continuously from 1999 on a 3 lane 400m
course on Throsby Creek where Newcastle has hosted the CDRA Sprint Championships since 2002.Armidale Rowing Club – affiliated 1993.
Formed in 1988. A shed was built on Lake Malpas 30 kilometres north of
Armidale which was shared by the club, the Armidale School (TAS) and New
England Girls School (NEGS).
Armidale hosted regattas on Lake Malpas from 1992 to 1999 including the
CDRA/NRRA Challenge for 5 years from 1995. After a stand-alone regatta in
2001, rowing on the lake ceased due to blue-green algae contamination and
Armidale RC discontinued all CDRA activities.
The club reformed in 2012 and resumed paying affiliation to CDRA
although their only participation has been at the Taree Summer
Regatta from 2015 onwards.
Newcastle Grammar School – affiliated in 1993.
Originally run as school sport with Newcastle RC coaches in Newcastle boats,
the school entered composite crews with Newcastle in their early years. The
school moved to Speers Point in 1996 under the guidance of Peter Wiseman,
a coxn from Victoria, where they shared storage in the sailing club shed with
Hunter RC. The school relocated to Teralba with Hunter RC when the club
built their new boatshed.
Newcastle Grammar has conducted a CDRA regatta at Berry Park since 2013.
Irrawang High School - affiliated 1994.
Irrawang had participated intermittently from 1991 with the assistance of NUBC. The school moved with City
RC to Grahamtown Dam in about 1997 and ceased activity at the end of the 2000/01 season.
City Rowers Club – affiliated 1996.
Founded by Jim Bardakos who had left Newcastle RC after some disagreements with the club. Initially, City
operated from a boat trailer stored at Jim’s home but eventually they gained access to storage space in the
Grahamstown Dam Aquatic Centre at Medowie with Irrawang HS joining them. City’s last participation was
in the 2000/01 season.Endeavour Rowing Club – affiliated 1998. The club was formed by parents of HVGS students and operated for 3 years out of the HVGS shed using HVGS boats. In January 2001, additional land was purchased at Berry Park that enabled Endeavour RC to build a shed of their own, with the club’s boats transferred from the HVGS shed in July of that year. Endeavour has conducted an annual CDRA regatta since 2000 and the NSW pointscore Henley-on-Hunter regatta since 2002, both on the Berry Park course. Brisbane Water Rowing Club – affiliated 2003. Founded by Dave Cullen, who had previously rowed with Nepean RC in the 1980s. The club has no facilities and operates from boat racks beside the water against the rear wall of Gosford Swimming Pool. The club hosted a single CDRA regatta on Brisbane Water in 2010. Wallis Lakes Rowing Club – paid affiliation in 2006. The club’s attempts to obtain a site in Foster were not successful and the club did not continue. Central Coast Rowing Club – affiliated in 2008. Founded by ex-members of Brisbane Water RC and operates on Kincumber Broadwater from a boat trailer located beside Davistown RSL Club. St Josephs Secondary College Port Macquarie – affiliated in 2012. Hastings Regional Rowing Group – affiliated in 2013. These two clubs operated together from the Rocks Ferry Reserve on the Hastings River at Wauchope, the site chosen by Port Macquarie as a regatta course in 2011. After competing as St Josephs for two years then primarily as Hastings Region in the following two years, there were no further entries from either entity following the 2015/16 season. Karuah Rowing and Aquatic Club – affiliated 2020. Established by John Baskett, formerly of Nepean RC, in conjunction with the aboriginal mission at Karuah. During 2019, the club made some tentative steps with training days at Berry Park and obtained boats by donation from regional clubs.
REGATTA RULES A Standing Resolution of CDRA states: Regattas shall be conducted under the Laws of Boat Racing as applied by RNSW. In any matter covered by both CDRA rules and RNSW rules, the CDRA resolution shall apply. At a meeting between the CDRA committee and the NSWRA board in January 2000, it was stated that “NSWRA empowers CDRA to promote and control the sport in its region on behalf of NSWRA”. The board agreed that CDRA had the authority to set its own regatta program, to approve its own rowing courses and to make resolutions that take precedence over NSWRA Laws of Boat Racing for CDRA regattas. CDRA Rules that Differ from RNSW Laws of Boat Racing Composite Crews In season 4, it was resolved that composite entries be accepted in all events and that points be awarded proportionally. This became a defining characteristic of CDRA that enabled small clubs to participate in many events locally that NSWRA rules prevented them from entering in Sydney regattas. Combined Category Races When the junior category was introduced in season 3 all junior age groups raced together. In season 5, lightweight entries were invited in championship single and four events to be split into separate divisions if 3 or more entries were received. In season 6, a protocol was established for races in which several age or weight categories competed in the same race together: “If one group includes three or more competitors then such competitors shall be deemed to form a duly constituted event and a trophy and points for first, second and third shall be awarded for the positions in which they finish within their group. If such a duly constituted event competes in a combined race then a trophy and points will be awarded appropriately to any other competitors crossing the line in any of the first three positions regardless of the status or age of the finishers.” Thus if the finish order in an U17/19/O event was O, U17, U19, U17, O, U17. The first open crew would receive a trophy and 4 points for 1st place. The U19 would get 1 point for 3rd place. The first U17 would receive a trophy and 4 points for 1st place in a duly constituted event of U17s. The second and third U17s would get 2 points and 1 point for their position within that duly constituted event. The second open crew would get nothing for 5th place. Combined Sex Races From season 7 to season 13, mens and womens masters events were timetabled into a single timeslot, similarly senior men and women were timetabled together between seasons 10 and 13. If sufficient entries were received, separate mens and womens divisions were run, otherwise both sexes raced together with a handicap for the men. This handicap was 30 seconds until season 9 and 40 seconds from season 10. Substitutes For the first 8 seasons, CDRA followed the NSWRA rule for substitutions. In season 9, CDRA resolved to accept substitutions from any CDRA club in crew events and to accept substitutes in single sculls from the same club. After 11 years, both substitute rules were rescinded with the appropriate NSWRA rules to apply in season 20. One year later, the previous motion was rescinded and the current rule was adopted: For all events other than single scull events, substitutes shall be accepted from any CDRA club.
Lane Numbers For season 6, crew numbers worn on the back of the bow rower were replaced by lane numbers to be carried on the bow of the boat. NSWRA did not implement this change until 3 years later. Non-CDRA Crews For races in which non CDRA crews take placings, points shall be awarded to the first 3 CDRA crews in each race. After 4 championship events at the 2005 CDRA championships had been won by non-CDRA crews, it was resolved that although non-CDRA crews could win medals, only CDRA crews could be presented with perpetual trophies and be recognized as CDRA champions. Entry Limits In response to the growing number of races at the Sprint Championships (175 races in 2012), it was resolved in season 26 to eliminate semifinals by limiting the number of entries in championship events at the Sprint regatta to 9 with the number 1 crew from each club given preference. Mixed Crews Until 2017, CDRA accepted the RNSW definition of a mixed crew however, for season 29, the CDRA definition of mixed crews was resolved to be 50% women and 50% men with the provision to replace one man with a woman in quads, fours and eights. Coxns in Quads When quad sculls began to appear in season 5 it was resolved that junior quads be coxed and in all other quads the carrying of a coxn be optional. In season 10, coxns became optional in all quads In season 29, it was resolved that quads in U15, U16 and U17 events be coxed as per RNSW rules, however, in combined races (U17/U19/0), U17 quad crews could race in coxed boats with a handicap applied or in coxless boats without a handicap. In all other quad events, the carrying of a coxn remained optional. A set of handicaps was approved to enable coxed crews to compete against coxless crews in four or quad events: 1000 metres - men 9 seconds, women 11 seconds; 1750 metres - men 15 seconds, women 17 seconds; 2000 metres - men 17 seconds, women 20 seconds. Primary School Competitors In response to the difficulties experienced by BROs in handling inexperienced sub-junior school crews it was resolved in 2019 that primary school competitors not be permitted to enter CDRA regattas. Distance of Grade Events At the 2020 AGM, a motion was passed to reduce A and B grade races from 2000m to 1000m making all grade events the same distance.
Distances Over the years, the maximum standard distance of CDRA regattas has increased from 1000 metres to 1500 metres and finally to 2000 metres. Within that time, many shorter courses have been used. ● For the first two regatta seasons, the standard distance for all CDRA events was 1000 metres although sprint regattas were also conducted at Port Macquarie over 500m. ● For the last regatta of season 3, C1 (Open) events at Taree were conducted over 1500m, the first CDRA pontscore events at that distance. ● When the CDRA Championship regatta on the Manning course was introduced in season 4, the open championship distance was set at 1500m with age championships, novice and intermediate races remaining at 1000m. The lead-up regatta to the championships, also at Taree, had 1500m races for open events. The only regatta in season 5 with 1500m races was the Championship regatta. ● For season 6 the maximum distance for open and intermediate events was extended to 1500m for all regattas with novice and age events staying at 1000m. ● In season 8, senior and under 18 events were extended to 1500m. ● In season 9, events over 1500m were extended to 2000 metres. ● In season 19, U17 events were extended to 2000m. ● With the adoption of the RNSW A/B/C/D grading system in season 21, event distances became - 2000m: A grade, B grade, U17, U19 and Open. 1000m: C grade, D grade, U15, U16, masters, seeded 1000m and mixed. ● At the 2020 AGM, distances for A and B grade were reduced to 1000m. Race Fees Season 1: $2 per seat. Season 2 – Season 4: $3 (increased to fund prizemoney for the season’s pointscore). Season 5 – Season 7: $2.50 (reduced when prizemoney was discontinued). Season 8 – Season 14: $3 Season 15 – Season 22: $4 (a break-even increase to match general rising costs) Season 23 – Season 26: $5 (increased to finance the new format of RNSW fees) From Season 27 onward: $6 (to match the growth of RNSW affiliation) Pointscore Prizes ● Although a trophy was spoken of for the winner of the pointscore in season 1, no presentation was made. ● Money prizes were awarded for the next 3 seasons being for 1st, 2nd and 3rd: Season 2 - $500, $300, $100 plus $100 for a school pointscore. Season 3 - $500, $300, $200. Season 4 - $1000, $600, $400. ● From season 5 to season 15 CDRA banners were awarded to the ‘Premiership Winners’ plus second and third in the pointscore as well as to first in each of the categories; single sculls, multiple sculls and sweep oar. ● In season 16, banners were replaced by CDRA plaques which have continued to the present as association trophies.
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