Emma Pritchard
Local rowers made a splash on the Clarence River last week when the Grafton Rowing Club hosted the 2022 Combined High Schools (CHS) Rowing Championships.
Blessed with a mixture of sunshine and light showers during the two-day event, 162 athletes took to the waters of the Clarence River, participating across a 16-race program, as spectators watched and cheered from Memorial Park.
The Clarence Valley was strongly represented with rowers from Grafton High School, South Grafton High School and Maclean High School competing in the event.
It was a local trifecta in the Women’s Under 17 Single Skull with McKenna Wearing and Sophie Hinterholzl from Grafton High School finishing first and second ahead of Lillie Tasker from South Grafton High School in third.
Zoe Rayward from South Grafton High School proved too strong in the Women’s Under 15 Single Skull, while crews from Grafton High and South Grafton High finished first and third respectively in the Women’s Under 17 Double Skull.
With only two entrants in the field, Grafton High School led home the quinella in the Championship Woman’s Coxed Four before winning the Women’s Under 17 Coxed Quad Skull ahead of Maclean High School.
Max Rayward from South Grafton High School prevailed in a tight finish to win the Men’s Under 17 Single Skull.
John Higham from the Grafton Rowing Club said it was fortunate the event was held early in the week on February 21 and 22, before the wet weather set in and the river level rose.
“We had two good days on the river,” he said.
“Conditions on the water were quite good, just a little bit of a breeze and a little bit of choppiness which appeared later, but everything went well.
“The visiting schools all enjoyed themselves and we were proud to host the event.”
The Grafton Rowing Club will host the NSW Masters Championships on April 30 and May 1, and Treasurer Don Noble revealed there is already plenty of interest from competitors.
“It will be good for the local economy as it’s event-based tourism,” he said.
“Competitors will be staying overnight for the weekend event, and that’ll be really good for Grafton.
“We’re all looking forward to it.”