Toowong Rowing Club has an active membership of around 300, including juniors, high performance, veterans, recreational rowers and social members. We have excellent club facilities and equipment, including a fully equipped gymnasium.
Elite Rowing
The ultimate goal of the elite squads is Australian selection and representation, although personal goals may differ. It takes only one look at the honor board to see Toowong Rowing Club has a strong history of sucessfully meeting these goals.
The Club currently has a very well established squad of lightweight men; fielding the stongest single club eights. These squads train up to 12 times a week and enjoy intense and high quality coaching. Toowong has a strong focus on developing and nurturing young athletes and has a strong and positive culture.
After a period of low activity, there is currently a drive to restablish TRC's strong junior squads. Contact Jack at jackprice@toowongrowing.com for more information.
Corporate Rowing
Every year, for a period of 6 weeks, corporate rowing descends on the Toowong Rowing shed. It is an intensive crash course in learning to row, racing, teamwork, and culminates in a festive regatta. The program involves over 300 rowers, a flotilla of boats, dozens of coaches and an enviable array of breakfasts.
Overall there are many categories in which crews can be entered; eights, fours, quads, men’s, women’s and mixed.
The program begins with a boot camp and crash course in boats, rowing and the shed. Teams then move onto a training schedule of two mornings a week - on the river in the early morning light. For every crew one session is during the week and the other on either Saturday or Sunday morning followed by a delicious buffet breakfast on the balcony of our function room. The Regatta at the conclusion of the program is a 500m sprint regatta; with heats and finals and medals and trophies to be won. Which crew will 'Rule the River?'
Veteran and Masters Rowing
Toowong boasts one of the strongest Veteran contingents in the country. there are very few clubs that can boat a competitive full womens eight (ie all Toowong no composite) in C,D.E and F categories and boast a clean sweep of gold in in the mens B pair, four and eight at the 2007 National Championships.
At 5am every morning a flotilla of crew boats and sculls set out, for some a casual and for others a more competitive training paddle. It is a regular occurrence to see multiple Toowong Eights racing down the river in the eary morning.
Veteran rowing is not quantified by age, but by a healthy state of mind. It is about being awake and active at the best time of the day. It is about bonding with friends. It is about starting the day with a sense of achievement.
Veteran rowing at Toowong is an encompassing concept. Our ages range from 27 to 80. We row in all boats in all weather, all year round. There is a coach on the water several days each week. We have an excellent fleet of boats. Old rowers from way back are welcomed back into the fold. Kerry O'Rourke's men's scratch eights go out three times a week. Most days it is two eights - the 'Bluies' and the 'Goldies'. If you don't turn up by 4.45am there is a strong possibility you will 'miss the boat'! Others are in singles, pairs, doubles, fours and quads. For the women, smaller boats predominate, particularly for the recreational rowers. Leading up to a regatta training eights for women are on the water at least 3 times a week.
We are constantly looking for 'fresh blood' in our competitive squads. Those who have rowed before and are looking for a challenge may like to 'check us out!' For those who were sports people in their younger years and have had to 'retire' due to age or sport related injury, rowing offers a way to be athletic without the physical impact and joint compression that exercise like running imposes on old joints. for the 'oldies' and the 'not so old' rowing builds muscle, helps with balance, staves off osteoporosis, depression, dementia, weight gain and improves cardio.
If you would like further information about our Veterans program, please contact :-
Carol Watters on 0418741676 or email toowongrowingclub@gmail.com
Learn to Row Program
The Club holds regular Learn to Row sessions, utilising eights and fours, usually on a Saturday morning from 8.00am - 10am. These sessions are provided by experienced Club rowers/coaches and cover the basics of rowing technique and rowing safety.
All Learn to Rower participants are required to complete the Rowing Queensland Inc Registration and Insurance Form, before rowing can commence. The temporary membership/insurance levy is included in the cost of the Learn to Row Program which is $160.
The series of six Learn to Row sessions cover the following:
• An introduction to the shed
• An introduction to safety rules and the rules of the river and reading the tide
• A review of the basic parts of the boat: sweep and sculls
• Putting the boat in the water and getting in and out of the boat
• An outline of basic rowing technique using the ergo
• Transferring basic rowing technique on to the water: arms only; body rock; half slide, full slide; square blade rowing; feathering
• Coxing: responsibilities and technique
What then? By the end of the 6 weeks, participants will have a fair idea whether rowing might be the sport for them and that joining Toowong Rowing Club or another rowing club is an option.
However at this stage only a basic level of rowing has been reached and further coaching and rowing practice is required to ensure the novice rower is able to row out and get themselves and the boat up and down the river and safely back into the shed.
Transition Rowing
Toowong Rowing Club accepts new members through an application procedure to the committee. Although annual fees are a lot cheaper than most gym memberships, we at Toowong do not believe in accepting membership dues from a new rowers who then find they have no one to row with or no suitable boat to row in!
The Transition Rowing Program runs on Saturday mornings from 7.30am - 9.30am. This program welcomes those who have completed a Learn to Row Program or a Corporate Program and have mastered the basic rowing technique in either sweep oar or sculling. Coaching continues for participants in smaller boats to enable the novice rower to:-
. meet and row with others of similar rowing ability.
. become competent and independent with both sweep oar and sculling.
. become competent and independent with boat handling, management, river rules and safety.
' become aware of the rules and expectations of members of Toowong Rowing Club.
Attendance at these sessions is optional. There is a $10 temporary membership with Rowing Qld which includes insurance cover for 3 month that is required to be paid on the first day and then the cost of each session is $15 payable to the organiser before going on the water.
Once the coach has deemed rowers to be safe and competent, they are invited to apply for membership.
Again if you would like further information, please contact:-
Carol Watters on 0418 741 676 or email toowongrowingclub@gmail.com