Last weekend the Melbourne Argonauts once again rowed in the Head of the Yarra, an 8.6km race from Princes Bridge to Hawthorn.  This race is one of the largest single rowing races in the world, this year with around 180 crews of eights.

In the lead-up to the Head of the Yarra, Argonauts teams raced  the 4.5km Melbourne Head, starting the city side of Big Bend and finishing opposite Richmond Rowing Club.  Melbourne Argonauts entered two men’s 8's, and the ‘Whoarsome’ girls in the Quad. The girls, Julia Butler, Sue Coleman, Andrea Winkelmann, Aude Conscience and coxswain Mark Burgess took first prize in the Female D Coxed Quad category, making it the first Melbourne Head win for the club.#

The Argonauts had three crews racing in the Head of the Yarra this year (two men’s and one women’s). The first men’s 8 consisted of Graeme Lewsey, Peter Sagar, David Wain, Colin James, Adam West, Tim Clayton, Matt Ford and Cory Connell – beautifully coxed by Liz Cole. The second 8 consisted of Tim Hewitson, Peter Pianta, Brad Warburton, John Mason, Dene Cicci, Brett O'Connor and Stuart Jenkins with Chris Thomas sitting on the throne (aka bow seat).  

With so many boats, the race is against the clock, with crews setting of at 10-second intervals with a few minutes between divisions.  Part of the race includes the notorious Big Bend where the potential for a nasty crash can occur. Huge effort from the Argonaus cox’s who made sure that our crews took a beautiful line around the bend and stayed damage free (last year one crew was in danger of turning into a submarine).

In the end, the girls came second in their division, and the boys, with three novices who took up rowing with the Argonauts only a few months ago, coming in sixth and ninth in their division.

It was a great exhibition of queer rowing as part of competitive rowing in Victoria.

The Argonauts were recently awarded the Amateurs Achievement Award at the 11th annual Victorian Government Sport and Recreation Awards presented by the Minister for Sport and Recreation, James Merlino.

by STEWART NEIMANN