Reporting Back: The Yarra and fundraising for WAGEC

05/12/2019

The mighty Harpoons of Leichhardt Rowing Club completed the 8km Head of the Yarra regatta race – and without any medical assistance.

A total of 261 crews participated in the regatta comprising high school and university students and masters rowers of various ages (most in their 20s but incredibly some in their 80s and one in his 90s) and 2 para-crews. The event is a time-trial. Crews start 10 seconds apart so it is not unusual to overtake and to be overtaken in turn.

We were the 136th crew to start the time trial. Atypically, Melbourne provided near perfect conditions for the regatta, enabling us to see a particularly powerful – and younger – crew from the University of Queensland bearing down upon us for most of the 8km race. Fortunately, we managed to pull away with the help of our cox (a former UK barrister) navigating a near-perfect course. That course as recorded by my GPS is available here.

We had a near collision with a determined crew not wishing to yield despite our having commenced overtaking. They eventually gave way when two of our stroke side oars clashed with two of their bow side oars within about 20 metres of a narrow arch under one of the 11 bridges.

The Harpoons finished the race in a time of 32 minutes and 53 seconds. This time put us 4th in our division (Masters A to C division).

The race was exceptionally hard but its difficulty was matched by the row home after several hours of “festivities” on the banks at Hawthorn Rowing Club.

Funds raised for the Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre: $23,590.61

We may not have been the fastest crew at the Yarra but some of us used the occasion to raise funds for the Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC), a non-government, not-for-profit organisation which provides accommodation and support to women and children experiencing homelessness and family violence.

I am pleased to report the following:

1. Those who donated to WAGEC via my Every Day Hero page raised a total of $5,338.57 (https://give.everydayhero.com/au/rowing-against-domestic-violence). The majority of that is from or associated with the Sydney bar. It is great to see so many of the bar putting their oars in the water to help victims of domestic violence.

2. Three other members of my crew joined in the fundraising effort for WAGEC. Together we collected $16,512.61 (https://give.everydayhero.com/au/harpoons).

3. The employer of one of my crew members is matching certain donations resulting in direct donations of $7,078.

4. Accordingly, we have collectively raised at least $23,590.61 for WAGEC. (I say at least because I am aware that some donated directly to WAGEC by its “Give now” page.).

As funds started to roll in, we received this very uplifting feedback from the CEO of WAGEC, Helen Silvia: https://youtu.be/FhCSCezOnOo

After the race, WAGEC sent the attached note of thanks for me to pass on to all those who donated.

Thanks so much for your generosity and for reading about WAGEC. More detail on WAGEC can be found here: https://www.wagec.org.au/

With best wishes for the holidays and the new year David Rayment

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