Edward Trickett Grade Championships – 13 &14 April 2019

Peter Bond

Endeavour had four entries in the NSW Grade Championships and came away with 2 medals – a worthwhile result!

On Saturday, the four of Robert Weatherall, Sean Donza, Dave Percival, Prentice Bond and coxn Conrad Bond raced in MD4+ and MC4+. Conrad had transferred from NUBC the week before to be able to cox the crew. In their first race of the day, the crew earned progression to the final of the D4+ with a fourth place in their heat. Next up, the C4+ was a straight final, and the crew (and coach) were not expecting a result in the higher grade - this was to be a warm up for the D4+ final. Nepean shot away at the start and were never headed but Endeavour found themselves in a four way battle for the minor medals. Rather than save something for D grade, they fought out the finish of C grade, pulling away from two of their closest contenders to finish in third place for the bronze medal. They didn’t have enough left for the D grade final and finished out of the places. 

Immediately after the D grade final, Sean Donza went out again with the NSW representative masters quad. As a composite of different clubs, the state crew’s entry could not be accepted in the grade events, so a special race was put on for them against 3 Pathways Womens Eights which started 10 seconds ahead of the quad. Being a masters crew, the quad was only expected to race the first 1000 metres but they kept going for the full 2000 metres overtaking one eight, reducing one eight’s lead to 2.3 seconds and covering the 2K in a time only 1.5 seconds slower than the fastest eight. Not bad for an exhausted crew of old blokes.

On Sunday, Sean Donza rowed with Rhett Pattison of Manning River in the colours of the Central Ditricts Rowing Association. The CDRA crew won their heat of MC2x then came second in the final for a silver medal. Endeavour’ fourth crew was the WDQx of Katrina Reynolds, Maddie Smith, Sarah Reynolds and Diana Trescott. This was the first race ever for Maddie and Sarah. The crew rowed well although they missed the final.