THE ever-improving fortunes of the Central Tablelands Rowing Club have taken another turn for the better after a couple of impressive regatta results in the lead-up to this weekend’s NSW Championships.
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Aaron Simmons and Samantha Pett will both race at the titles on Sunday at the International Regatta Centre in Sydney, with Simmons contesting the boys under 17s single sculls, and Pett the girls under 16s singles.
Their respective preparations for the event could hardly have been better, beginning with Pett’s performance at a meet in Taree last month.
“Sam competed in the women’s D grade single sculls and won that, and then came out and won the under 16s version of the same event,” club coach Joe Martin said.
“Her and Aaron both went to a small boats regatta two weeks ago to follow that and both rowed quite well, but they came up against a lot of elite rowers preparing for the bigger championships.”
Last Sunday that pair, plus a handful of others, took part in the Balmain Regatta held at Sydney’s Iron Cove and virtually everyone who competed came away with at least a top three result.
Tom Hooper was having his race debut and acquitted himself outstandingly to finish second in the men’s novice single scull.
His effort was followed by a team consisting of Simmons, Morgan Brooking, and Ben and Nick Le Breton competing in the men’s quad scull, the first time the boys themselves or anyone at the club for that matter, had rowed a quad scull boat.
They managed to finish third.
Each of the quartet backed up to ace in the men’s D grade singles across a handful of divisions, with all four of them finishing top three in their respective races.
Pett and Ashleigh Brooking teamed up in the women’s D grade double scull and they finished at the front of the field in that race, with Pett then taking out her division in women’s D grade for the singles.
Brooking was second in her race.
“It was a pretty successful day in general, everyone had some good results and the margins were quite small when we were getting beaten, usually no more than two or three seconds,” Martin said.
“Sam and Aaron will be up against some pretty tough opposition at the state titles, there will be rowers coming from Queensland and Victoria for that as well.
“The following week there is a Leichhardt regatta which will see most of the kids back in action.”
