2023 CDRA CHAMPIONSHIPS

CDRA Championships – 29 & 30th April 2023

The CDRA Championship regatta at Taree included the highest Endeavour participation of the season, with entries submitted for 26 members including 5 new rowers having their first ever race.

Although rain had been predicted the weather was fine, even if the tide was running at a million miles an hour.

​We were anticipating early success with our Womens Masters F Quad due to start in the fourth race. Having won at every regatta they have started in this season, their chances were good.  But it was not to be. The crew had gone out early for a warm-up and was returning towards the marshalling area when a crew doing a practice start in the wrong direction hit them at full speed.   Lindy and Chris in the bow took the full brunt of the impact. A rigger and 2 blades of the Manning boat broke on impact and our boat was rolled over depositing the Endeavour girls in the water. With no official boats in the vicinity, the girls were in the cold water for a lengthy time. When help eventually arrived, Chris was in shock and shivering convulsively with no-one sure of her injuries. She was strapped to a spinal board and taken by ambulance to hospital where she recovered with no significant damage done. Lindy and Chris came out of the incident with cuts, abrasions and some bad bruising but thankfully both will live to race another day.   

​After the collision, the rest of the regatta was an anti-climax. Endeavour had 44 starts over the two days for 2 wins, 12 seconds and 14 thirds. Medals were scarce with Di McShane being our only winner, recording 2 firsts in Womens Masters Sculls and as a member of a Womens Masters Eight.

Di also participated in the most exciting race of the regatta, although it was for second place. The mixed quad of Rosie, Di, Chris and Prentice had a ding-dong battle against a composite NUBC/Endeavour crew with Tony Chadwick in the bow. Neither crew would give in and the tempo grew as the line got closer. In an out-and-out sprint, Endeavour got the upper hand by just 0.3 second. Prentice had to be carried from the boat.


Winning crews:
Womens Masters F Single Scull: Di McShane.
Womens Masters Eight: Di McShane + composite.