Nod to history as crew gears up for regatta race

IT’S about 80kg heavier than they’re used to but Hutchins’ open eight rowers are confident a 44-year-old wooden boat can lead them to back-toback glory in today’s Royal Hobart Regatta.

“We’ve had to do a bit of work to make sure it floats,” Hutchins coach Tom Allwright said.

At top speed, the wooden boat is as fast as any on the water but it takes longer to get there. It’ll be a tough task for the 16-to-18-year-old Hutch- ins crew members.

“We’ll be practising in it on the way to the start line,” Allwright said.

Hutchins’ boat is one of four wooden vessels that will take on eight modern rivals for today’s main prize, the Denis Mounie Trophy, with $1000 on offer for both the fastest wooden boat and the overall winner.

Julian Joscelyne, rowing convener for the Royal Hobart Regatta, didn’t rule out a clean sweep.

“There is a handicap (for the wooden boats) so there’s a potential to do that,” he said.

Mr Joscelyne said there were only eight known wooden row boats in Tasmania, with a Huon boat the only one in the South that won’t compete today.

“We have a strong view of what the regatta is and it’s quite traditional but also keeping up with the times of what people’s expectation is,” president Geoff Lucas said.

This year’s regatta marks 100 years since an Australian military crew, boasting two Tasmanians, won the 1919 Kings Cup at the Royal Hen- ley. The golden cup has been on display in Hobart this week and event organisers appreciate the nod to the sport’s rich history.

But it’s not all about rowing, with the weekend program including a morning swim across the Derwent tomorrow, followed by a powerboat show, a keelboat race, and a display of historic Derwent class yachts and 18ft skiffs on the water.

Organisers have again made tomorrow a family day with evening fireworks, which attracted a record crowd last year.