JANUARY 2018 NEWS Above – Mercs at camp in 1906 – don’t think much rowing was done!

News covered below:

• Rowers in the Australian Honours list

• Barwon entries

• Mercantile shines at Ballarat

• Ballarat Entries

• Masters women win at Rutherglen

• More grief in the boatshed area

• Mercs in US Rowing Magazine

• Swan Street Bridge madness

• Site investigations Metro Tunnel

• Images from Mercantile Camp

• Head Coach Sought

• Mercantile Camp Commences

• Swan Street Bridge – The Rowers Curse

• Member Profiles

• Thursday night is masters big boat night

Rowers in the Australian Honours list

Published 28th January 2018

Three Victorian rowers featured in the honours list on Australia Day:

• Andrew Michelmore AO - For distinguished service to the mining industry through leadership roles

in establishing trade and investment links, and in resource sector standards of practice on

environmental and safety issues. For Andrew’s rowing background see: http://www.rowinghistory-

aus.info/rowing-associations/victoria/appendix9-14.php#Mitchelmore.

• Chester Keon Cohen AM – For significant service to the law, and to the judiciary, in Victoria, and

as a supporter of a range of health and community organisations.

• David Ochert OAM - For services to rowing. For details on David’s contribution to rowing, please

see https://rowinghistory.worldsecuresystems.com/rower-profiles/ochert-david. The award to

David is particularly pleasing as it recognises a volunteer coach who has devoted so much of his life

in helping young people achieve their dreams. Well done David.

Above: David with his 1997 World Champion lightweight pair.

Barwon entries

Published 24th January 2018

After a great regatta at Ballarat, Mercantile will allow others to participate. However, what has been

entered will do well.

Our Treasurer is running the regatta as President of the Jury which has enabled Mercs to again show

leadership at the regatta.

Our entries are as follows:

Event Crew Athletes

FB1X Mercantile Olivia Sibillin

MB1X Mercantile William Legge

MB1X Mercantile Carl Tomczak

FA1X Mercantile Meghan Hester

FA1X Mercantile Olivia Sibillin

MA1X Mercantile Carl Tomczak

MA1X Mercantile William Legge

PoJ Mercantile Duncan MacKinnon

Mercantile shines at Ballarat

Published 21st January 2018

Mercantile dined out well on wins at Ballarat yesterday in excellent conditions for racing with a

moderate cross breeze. The reeds have been cut down from 1000m mark so providing fair racing other

than for the second 500m which is still reed protected. The racing was well controlled under the

stewardship of your correspondent and ably assisted by our Treasurer Duncan Mackinnon and Captain

Bill Webster.

Above: Duncan as chief judge in the afternoon session

Winners on the day includes:

Olivia Sibillin – open scull

Meghan Hester – lightweight single scull

Sky Froebel – under 21 single scull

Alex Clarke and Ben Canham – open pair

Georgie Gleeson and Sophie Balson – under 21 pair

Alex Kinsella and James Hoban – open double scull

Georgia Stewart and Olivia Sibillin – open double scull

Jack Wheeler (Banks), Ben Canham, Alex Clarke, Angus Moloney – open four

India Mattocks, Michaella Ballas, Mimi Tuddenham, Ellie Tomanovits, Kirstie Green, Sky Froebel,

Phoebe Wolf, Georgie Gleeson, Cox: Adelaide Cester – under 21 eight

William Legge, James Hoban, Alexander Kinsella, Jack Wheeler [Banks], Benjamin Canham,

Alexander Clarke, Angus Maloney, Carl Tomczak, Cox: James Rook – open eight

Some images of the day follow.

Above: our men’s open eight powering to victory in the Sean Colgan – women’s under 21 eight

watching on in the background in the Dr Bibi Colgan

Above: Women’s under 21 eight having a good race with St Catherine’s first crew

Above: Men’s open four cross the line comfortably

Above: Open women’s double comfortably racing to a win

Above: … and playing to the camera

Above: men’s open double of James and Alex finish strongly

Above: same again but earlier in the race in full flight

Above: Carl and Patrick

Above: Georgie Gleeson and Sophie Balson

Above: Kirstie Green and Michaella Ballas

Above: Ellie Tomanovits and India Mattocks

Above: Meghan Hester

Above: more presentations – Georgie and Sophie

Above: More presentations

Ben and Alex receive their pair medals

Ballarat Entries

Published 17th January 2018

The Mercs entries for this regatta are good and will do well.

Event Crew Athletes

MO1X Mercantile Patrick Boomer

MO1X Mercantile Alexander

Kinsella

MO1X Mercantile James Hoban

MO1X Mercantile Carl Tomczak

MLW1X Mercantile William Legge

FO1X Mercantile Olivia Sibillin

FO1X Mercantile Gemma Sibillin

FO1X Mercantile Georgia Stewart

FO1X Mercantile Kate Duggan

FLW1X Mercantile Meghan Hester

MU211X Mercantile Joel Cain

FU211X Mercantile Skyla Froebel

FU211X Mercantile Phoebe Wolf

FU211X Mercantile Mimi Tuddenham

MO2- Mercantile Alexander Clarke,

Benjamin Canham

MO2- Banks/Mercantile Jack Wheeler,

Angus Maloney

FU212- Mercantile Michaella Ballas,

Kirsten Green

FU212- Mercantile Georgie Gleeson,

Sophie Balson

FU212- Mercantile India Mattocks,

Ellie Tomanovits

MO2X Mercantile Patrick Boomer,

Carl Tomczak

MO2X Mercantile

Alexander

Kinsella, James

Hoban

FO2X Mercantile/Corio

Bay

Meghan Hester,

Teneille Linehan

FO2X Mercantile Georgia Stewart,

Olivia Sibillin

MO4- Mercantile

Composite

Jack Wheeler,

Benjamin

Canham,

Alexander Clarke,

Angus Maloney

FU218+ Mercantile

India Mattocks,

Michaella Ballas,

Sophie Balson,

Ellie Tomanovits,

Kirsten Green,

Skyla Froebel,

Phoebe Wolf,

Georgie Gleeson,

Adelaide Cester(c)

MO8+ Mercantile

Composite

William Legge,

James Hoban,

Alexander

Kinsella, Jack

Wheeler,

Benjamin

Canham,

Alexander Clarke,

Angus Maloney,

Carl Tomczak,

James Rook(c)

Masters women win at Rutherglen

Published 15th January 2018

The quintessential bush regatta of the year is undoubtedly Rutherglen. It is run on Lake Moodemere,

originally a billabong of the Murray River in a true bush setting with limited permanent facilities. A

perfect camping except for the resident black snakes and falling branches of the river red gums!

The traditional Paul and Ann-Marie Somerville hosted Saturday night dinner solved nearly all of the

rowing problems in the world over fine food and wine. Participants this year were Paul and Ann-Marie

Somerville, your Captain Bill Webster, your Rowing Victorian President (and Club Member) Joe Joyce,

Roger Wilson and your correspondent.

The failure to take minutes of the decisions reached has again led to the need to do it all again next year.

Above: Murray Rowing Association President, Rutherglen Lake Rowing Club President and Mercs

member Paul Somerville enjoying a race

The Mercs based women’s eight won on both days and defeated their arch rival Powerhouse for the

first time.

Above: The women playing to the camera

Above: The brains behind the outfit, cox and coach Meghan Hester

Above: One of the other Mercs crews competing Hugh McVicker and Greg Hansen

More grief in the boatshed area

Published 15th January 2018

Please find a link below regarding a works notification regarding upcoming works for the Metro Tunnel

Project outside the boatsheds.

Metro rail notification – Copy of (DOC-18-20187) — MM NOTIFICATION 20180112 CYP Site

Investigations Boathouse Drive – FINAL

Mercs in US Rowing Magazine

Published 15th January 2018

The following report on page 26 of the US Rowing magazine this month. Thank you Duncan Mackinnon

for the lead.

Above: the article in question

Swan Street Bridge Madness

Updated 15th January 2018

Rowing Victoria reports as follows:

From Parks Vic:

“As per the notice, further works will be undertaken this week and there will be 24 hour closures

occurring from 0700 Wednesday 10th January 2018 through to 0700 Sunday 14th January 2018. Spans

1, 3, 4 and 5 will be closed for the entire duration of the closures and span 2 will remain open for river

traffic. Parks Victoria vessels will be on site managing the closure and all river traffic.”

Your correspondent is of the view that this continues the tradition of Swan Street Bridge incompetence.

No wonder there is little advertising of the contractors and client on this job. It is an embarrassment.

It appears that Club Member Pat McNamara was instrumental in limiting the extent of the closure times.

Well done Pat.

Site investigations Metro tunnel

Published 7th January 2018

Site Investigation Works on the Metro Tunnel commence tomorrow.

When?

• 7am – 6pm, Monday 8 January to Saturday 27 January 2018

• 7am – 1pm, Saturdays, if required.

The area effected is between Princes Bridge and almost as far as the Eastern end of Richmond RC. This

should not directly impact us.

However, Swan Street Bridge closure increases later this week -see below.

Images from the Mercantile Camp

Published 6th January 2018

Your Captain, Bill Webster, sends greetings and also images from camp.

Men’s Youth Eight

Women’s Youth girls setting off for a pairs matrix

Chipper gets ready for coaching

Mick McNamara showing his style in the single

Will Legge make the change to sculling

Mercs members showing a good sense of humour on camp a century or more ago – note the Mercs RC

sign on the bridge post

Club Head Coach Sought

Published 5th January 2018

Mercantile Rowing Club – one of the pre-eminent rowing clubs in Australia seeks a new Head Coach.

Our values are Excellence, Respect, Friendship and Health.

Mercantile is a Rowing Australia funded Pathway Club and the Head Coach will have a key role in the

development of Mercantile Pathway Athletes. We are seeking someone with demonstrated success

developing high performance athletes and an understanding of the demands of the Club environment.

The Head Coach will lead and manage the coaching team and coordinate the Club’s athletic activities.

This is a full time position based in Melbourne with an attractive and appropriate remuneration package.

Applications must consider the position description. Position descriptions can be obtained from the

contact details below.

Applications will only be accepted from those with the right to reside and work in Australia.

It is intended that interviews will take place in the week beginning Monday 19 February 2018.

Applications close Wednesday 31st January 2018 at 5pm AEST.

Initial inquiries can be addressed to Bill Webster +61 418 390 283.

Applications must be sent to: captain@mercantile.org.au

Mercantile Camp Commences

Published 5th July 2018

The younger athletes of the Club are all at camp at Johnsonville in Gippsland.

Initial reports indicate a good body of work has already been completed. Further, John Leeming reports

that both the quality of our athletes and of the training, is high. Further reports to follow.

Swan Street Bridge – The Rowers Curse

Published 5th January 2018

The following message has been posted on the Rowing Victoria website:

VicRoads recently requested that Swan St Bridge be closed to all waterway access from the 10 January

2018 to the end of March 2018.

Rowing Victoria felt that this was completely unacceptable for the rowing community and have

negotiated the best possible solution we can get for rowing.

This will no longer be occurring for the above proposed dates although it may occur for a period of

time in February so stay tuned.

The area under the bridge will be down to one arch from the 10th to the 13th of January. Parks Vic will

be monitoring the site at this time and trafficking all boats.

Although any closure is not ideal, we have avoided a major disaster, please contact Rowing Victoria if

you have any question.

The Bridge has been a nightmare for rowing throughout its life. Its construction went on for far too long

and was accused by many people of causing the demise of the great Henley on Yarra regatta. This is

reminiscent of the problems we face today.

Above: The bridge during early construction with a Mercantile Masters crew heading upstream sharing

a single lane with downstream crews

The bridge was designed and was proposed to be built in the 1930s, hence the Art Deco appearance.

The Depression prevented construction from occurring.

Then the intervention of WWII caused further delays.

Post war, further delays arose from manpower and material shortages. The bridge finally was finished

in 1952. You will find the newspaper clipping from 1950 expressing disbelief in the time taken to

construct.

Above: 1950 Newspaper article expressing frustration with delays a further two would pass before

completion.

Above: Nearing completion in 1952

Member Profiles

Published 5th January 2018

We wish to record profiles of all current and past members so please submit others to

info@mercantile.org.au. Subject to editorial review, they will be published with the author’s name and

date.

Tuesday night masters ergo night

Republished 5th January 2018

With the masters now doing ergos on Tuesday nights, the gym is getting crowded after 6pm. Every ergo

was used on 1st August and there was not even a need for an ambulance.

Tuesday night is ergo night

Thursday Masters Nights

Republished 5th January 2018

Reminder that all masters rowers are welcome for a row on Thursday nights followed by a sausage

sizzle and refreshments. Row at 6pm and sausage sizzle at 7.30pm. All welcome. Please call Andrew

Guerin on 0417 554799 to get put on the weekly email.

Thursday nights after the row