Manning River regatta – 27 & 28th November 2021

​After 6 cancellations, the regular regatta season finally got underway, 2 months later than scheduled, with the Manning River regatta at Taree. It had been raining state-wide for over a week and the Hunter River was rising rapidly. There was speculation that the Manning River would also be overfull, but we were guaranteed that the run in the river was no more than an outgoing high tide at Berry Park. The river proved to be well behaved with the water contained within the regular limits, unlike the Hunter which rose to just short of topping the levee bank while we were away for the weekend.

Saturday’s regatta had a reduced program to ensure completion before the speedboat races scheduled to begin at mid-day. The car park was fenced off and full of boats on trailers that offended the ear when their motors were warmed up prior to the last rowing race. The raucous staccato of straight-through exhausts have boosted their self-esteem but did little to impress anyone else.

The regatta was conducted on a 1000 metre course starting at the bridge, running in the opposite direction to standard Manning regattas. Rather than the usual tent on the river side, the BROs occupied a new location in a room on the first floor of the club’s fancy new premises that gave a weatherproof elevated view of the finish line. The regatta gave the hosts the opportunity to trial regatta procedures in the new facility before the Taree Summer Regatta in January.

Twelve Endeavour crews started for 2 wins, a second and 2 thirds. Lindy Nisbett and Chris Brennan were double winners with Rosie Furness and Di McShane also being successful.


Winning crews
Womens Masters Double Sculls: Lindy Nisbett, Chris Brennan.
Womens Masters Quad Sculls: Lindy Nisbett, Chris Brennan, Rosie Furness, Di McShane.




Head of the Manning – 28th November 2021

After the 25 kilometres of the 3 Rivers Marathon, the 16 kilometres around Dumaresq Island was a stroll in the park. Three Endeavour crews started and all 3 finished in style, 2 with medals.

The Womens Masters Quad Scull of Teressa Chadwick, Kim Stedman, Rosie Furness and Di McShane were the first crew to start and the first crew home, opening up their 30 second starting margin to 11 minutes at the finish, completing the course in 1 hour 22 minutes 53 seconds. Although the masters handicap factor reduced their margin, the crew were still 7 minutes ahead of their nearest rival. 

Lindy Nisbett battled against 7 other competitors in the Masters Womens Single Sculls to finish in a time of 1 hour 36 minutes 54 seconds. After the handicap factors were applied, Lindy won by 33 seconds.

Tony Chadwick was one of 12 Masters Mens Single Sculls, finishing the course in 1 hour, 39 minutes 30 seconds, although he was unplaced. After a government-enforced extended off-season in which no rowing was possible, Tony has done well to complete 2 marathons as his first 2 races in a single scull with such little time in the boat.