Radford College sports wrap

Radford rowers shine at Nationals

By Ms Megan Fritsch, Director of Sport

After five gruelling days on the water, the rowers have reached the finals of the Australian National Rowing Championships. The conditions at the scenic Lake Barrington in Tasmania haven't always been easy, with the rowers battling strong winds on Monday and Wednesday. However, they finished each day strong and Head of Rowing, Mr Gordon Marcks, was thoroughly impressed with the grit and determination shown by all Radford competitors as they attacked their races with confidence. Radford was mentioned frequently in the regatta commentary, praised for their strong technical foundations and teamwork.

Second gold medal for Radford

Radford’s Isobel Egan will be bringing home two gold medals from the Championships – in the PR3 (para rowing) Women’s Single Scull and R3 Mixed Doubles with Sam Stunell from Adelaide Rowing Club. It was a masterclass in finals rowing and Radford could not be prouder.

With two days to go, Radford College is placed 25th out of 47 clubs and schools competing at the National Rowing Championships and the third top school, behind Kinross Wolaroi and Sydney Grammar.

This year’s nationals are particularly special for Radford coach Angus Walker (Class of 2021). As a former rower, Angus was a key member of Radford’s 2021 Australian National Gold Medal Schoolboys Coxed Quad. Now returning in a coaching capacity, he described the experience as “simply amazing” but admitted he wished his 2021 teammates could be there alongside him to share such a wonderful week.

The road to the nationals

The Radford team flew from Canberra to Launceston via Melbourne on Saturday, before making their way to Devonport and finally arriving at the breathtaking venue. However, their boats and Head of Rowing, Mr Gordon Marcks, took the scenic route.

Transporting rowing boats across the country is no small task, and no one knows this better than Mr Marcks. In 2023, he tackled the immense drive to Perth, ensuring our boats made it safely across the Nullarbor. With this year's championships held in Tasmania, it meant another epic trip, complete with a crossing on the Spirit of Tasmania.

Mr Marcks takes it all in his stride, despite the trip not being without its challenges. His ability to execute a perfect five-point turn with a trailer in tow is unmatched—an essential skill when navigating tight spaces and appeasing traffic officers concerned about a little overhang from the Radford boats! With patience and precision, he made the necessary adjustments solely to secure the all-clear and continue the journey south.

If you would like to watch our Radford crews compete this weekend, the live streaming link can be found here.

Grand final wins

A total of 13 Radford basketball teams competed in the grand finals at Belconnen Stadium this past weekend and finished strong with a record seven wins and six losses.

Congratulations to the following winning teams:

• U14 Girls Division 3 Eagles (21-17)
• U14 Boys Division 3 Eagles (36-24)
• U16 Girls Division 1 Hawks (42-23)
• U16 Girls Division 3 Eagles (22-14)
• U19 Girls Division 4 Harriers (22-14)
• U19 Boys Division 3 Eagles (33-28)

Well done to all the players, coaches and managers involved and thank you to the parents and friends who cheered them on from the sidelines.