On Sunday December 8, Lower Clarence Rowers took to the Clarence for Grafton Rowing Club’s annual regatta. With the Head of the Clarence held on the Saturday, the double header drew competitors from both Brisbane and Sydney, with several elite rowers including current Junior Australian team members.

With the school aged competitors backing up from Saturday’s racing, both the LCRC junior’s and masters performed extremely well.

Lachlan Maxwell continued his winning streak, taking out the men’s under 17 single scull in a competitive field. Zayne Fischer had an outstanding meet, winning the men’s novice single scull and teaming up with Royce McIntyre to take out the men’s under 16 double scull.

The LCRC girls showed their strength, with Ruby Chamberlain & Niamh Hopkins placing first in the women’s under 16 double scull, followed closely by the crew of April Shannon & Molly Dobbin in second place. Grace Johnson combined with Chamberlain, Hopkins & Dobbin to win the women’s under 15/16 quad, while Dobbin placed a respectable second in the women’s under 16 single scull. Kylie Duff took out first place in the women’s open single scull.

The LCRC/Grafton composite crew of Kylie Shannon, Ethan Davis, Jessica Dawes & Kylie Duff placed first in the mixed four, with coxswain April Shannon doing an outstanding job on a difficult course. Local rower Clara Samms teamed up with former LCRC rower Stephanie Hutton to take second place in the women’s handicap double scull.

Our masters also had some outstanding results. Despite significant injury, Amanda Steele showed great determination to win the women’s masters handicap single scull. In the women’s masters four, the crew of Jessica Dawes, Kylie Shannon, Lisa Plummer and Kylie Duff made up an eight second handicap to take first place. In the women’s masters handicap double scull, Dawes and Duff didn’t let a 28s handicap stop them, rowing through the field of seven crews to take out the event.

With the NRRA rowing season well under way now, our junior’s will continue their training over the summer holidays in preparation for major regattas starting in Feb 2020. Thanks again to our major sponsors; Mareeba Aged Care & Maclean Services Club and a big thankyou to all our volunteers who enable our local regattas to run.

Kylie Duff