How Covid19 Impacted the 2020-21 Racing Season

Corona Virus Restrictions


In the week following the CDRA Championships in March 2020, reaction to the world-wide corona virus hit all sporting activities. In mid-March, Rowing Australia cancelled the Australian Championships and a week later cancelled the Australian Masters regatta. At the same time, Rowing NSW cancelled the rest of the state’s regatta season. All rowing clubs went into lock-down with no activity for two months. 

On 21st March the Endeavour boatshed was closed.  All squad rowing, general rowing and Learn-to-Row was cancelled although club members with a key were allowed access to the shed to row or use rowing machines.

On 24th March, following “strong advice” from Rowing Australia, the Endeavour boatshed was closed for all rowing activities including the use of ergometers. Members wishing to continue rowing in their own boat were advised to remove it from the shed and operate from home.

In response to the easing of covid restrictions by the NSW Government which took effect on 15th May, Rowing NSW put forward recommendations that were adopted by Endeavour Rowing Club.

On 20th May, rowing re-commenced out of the Endeavour boatshed using club boats restricted to single sculls or doubles sculls for members of the same household. A maximum limit of 10 people was set with no access to upstairs, showers or changerooms.  Rowing machines remained out of use.
Coaching for the racing squad recommenced on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

Full rowing commenced from the Endeavour boatshed on 15th July using club boats in line with Rowing NSW’s Stage 3 guidelines. The use of all classes of boat was authorised along with rowing machines. The maximum limit was increased to 20 people although restrictions on access to upstairs and changerooms remained.  Club rowing recommenced on Sundays from 19th July although Learn-to-Row was not available for another month .


2020/21 Regatta Season


The 2020 CDRA annual general meeting in May set a regatta program that included 8 CDRA pointscore regattas, 2 non-pointscore regattas, 1 marathon and 2 RNSW regattas. Of the 9 events scheduled before Christmas, 5 were cancelled due to corona virus concerns, 2 were postponed and 2 were conducted with reduced programs under corona virus restrictions. In December 2020, the Taree Summer Regatta of January 2021 is listed as “postponed”. The second half of the 2020/21 regatta season remains uncertain.

The regatta season was to open with the double regatta weekend: Endeavour’s Henley-on-Hunter and NUBC’s Pre-IV regatta scheduled for 26th and 27th September.  As these regattas fell within a period of restricted competition in which the mixing of participants from different regions was banned, Endeavour and NUBC cancelled the events.

This ban was lifted at the end of September before the next scheduled regatta, the Lake Macquarie Derby on 11th October. Lake Macquarie decided to cancel. Similarly, HVGS and NUBC decided not to host their regattas on 24th and 25th October. 

CDRA Spring Regatta 7th  November - After Newcastle Grammar School declined to host or compete, the CDRA committee took on the running of the regatta with a reduced program of events. 17 Endeavour crews started for 3 firsts, 3 seconds and 6 thirds.

CDRA Sprint Championship 22nd November – to comply with limitations set by NSW Health, Newcastle Rowing Club removed all non-championship events to reduce the number of entries. Endeavour had 22 starts for 6 wins, 8 seconds and 6 thirds.