SEPTEMBER 2020 NEWS Provided by your faithful correspondent Trident. Past News can be found via the links on the right of this page Above: Empty boathouses - the result of COVID-19 News covered this month: • Annual General Meeting Saturday 17th October at noon • Latest advice from RV on access to the river • Round 6 of the Rocket Challenge kicks off • Status of nominations for Committee • How to win an Olymic gold medal • Vale John "Jimpy" Shears • Committe Nominations • Drink wine to help the Club, now that is an idea • Sydney Olympics 2000 - was it 20 years ago? • Happy Birthday Mercs - 140 years old today • Latest advice from Rowing Victoria • Mercantile wins the Rowing Victoria active minutes challenge • More disruption from Peppercorn lawn • Mercantile and the Tour de France • From the archives - Phil Batters 1995 • Congratulations to our NTC invitees • Mercs dominates Rowing Victoria active minutes challenge • 2020-21 dates • COVID 19 impacts • From the vaults - 1990 World Championships • Member profile – Ian Jickell, new RV CEO Annual General Meeting Saturday 17th October at noon Published 13th September 2020 The Club will break new ground in October with it's first digital annual general meeting in its 140 year history. Notices of the meeting will go out this week with the details. Further there will only be an announcement of trophy and award winners as it will not be in person. This will be a very interesting experience for us all. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Latest advice from RV on access to the river Published 29th September 2020 Our HP squad can now return to the water with the biggest restriction being the 5km. Our coaches have set up some boats at St Kevins at the Princes Bridge. We look forward to the third step when we can get everyone back on the water. Round 6 of the Rocket Challenge kicks off Published 27th September 2020 Red Matthews has done an outstanding job with his invention, the Rocket Challenge. Round 6 kicks off on 27th September. The competition has evolved with each round and has been a great part of keeping the competition group fit and interested. With lock down becoming increasingly tiresome for our ambitious rowers, we hope that restrictions will be lifted soon the Rocket Challenge evolving to the water. Status of nominations for Committee Published 26th September 2020 The current nominees for Committee can be found in the member only documents section of the Documents tab of this website. Nominations close noon on 10th October 2020. The next update will be issued on Saturday 3rd October 2020. Nominations for Committee can be sent to the Hon. Secretary at [email protected] noting the nominator and seconder as well as the approval of the person nominated. How to win an Olympic gold medal Published 25th September 2020 Club member Noel Donaldson and Paul Thompson attempt to answer this question on Sunday 3pm. Log onto the video chat at https://m.facebook.com/tvhostbenibrahim/ to listen. Great news from Rowing Victoria Published 22nd September 2020 The following was issued tonight from Rowing Victoria. The return of crew boats for all ages Rowing Victoria is incredibly pleased to announce that after much discussion with Sports and Recreation Victoria and VicSport, the Guidance list of community sport prepared by Sport and Recreation Victoria has classified rowing as a non-contact sport. As such from the ‘Third Step’ of Victorian COVID-19 restrictions we are approved to return to training in crew boats for all ages. Therefore, effective immediately rowers in Regional Victoria may return to crew rowing and Metropolitan Melbourne will be expected to join them on October the 26th. Adults will however still be limited to a maximum of 10 participants per club at one time, indoor training facilities will need to remain closed and equipment must be appropriately washed after use. Full Guidelines can be found HERE This great win will see rowing clubs across Victoria returning to a degree of normality earlier than anticipated! For more details and to follow the latest Rowing Victoria updates including the Return to Rowing Roadmap please CLICK HERE. Great work by RV President and Mercs member Joseph Joyce. Many thanks from Mercs. Vale John "Jimpy" Shears Published 22nd Septenber 2020 The following information was received today from family members Amanda Thompson, Jo Thompson and Peter Harvey. It is with a sad heart that we have to inform you that Jimpy passed away peacefully last night aged 94. He went quickly. He was well cared for at his new home Japara by lovely staff to whom he had given amusing nicknames. Not always politically correct ! He kept the photo of the the John Shears boat bedside his bed. He was very proud of this recognition. He loved the phone and email updates Jim and was very pleased to catch up with Phil. Jimpy and the "John Shears" in recent times He had been is reasonable health until recent times, always enjoying seeing his beloved Geelong football play and weekly outings to the local cafe and surf club - until COVID restrictions came in. It was distressing for all not to be allowed into the home to visit him. Amanda was diligent with her daily calls to Jimpy trying to keep his spirits up and feeling connected to the outside world. Unfortunately due to Covid restrictions we are not able to plan a funeral service as we wish. We are thinking of small family service for now and a celebration of his wonderful life when allowable. He had such great memories of his rowing days and in particular his friendships at the club. Jimpy stroking a winning lightweight maiden eight with brother Bill in the seven seat in 1946 Jimpy was one of four brothers who were all loyal and enthusiastic Mercantile members, Herbie, Ted, Bill and of course Jimpy. Jimpy first came to prominence as a coxswain in 1940 when he steered brothers Herb and Ted to a victory in the Champion Lightweight Eight. He raced successfully after WWII and was a personality at the club thereafter. He was perhaps best known for his jovial nature and wicked sense of humour. His company was always sought out. Jimpy as we knew him best Jimpy will be sadly missed and our thoughts are with his family who looked after so well, Amanda Thompson, Jo Thompson and Peter Harvey. Thank you. We also sadly farewell the end of the Shears era at the Club. Andrew Guerin Hon Secretary 22nd September 2020 Committee Nominations Published 22nd September 2020 As mentioned in the notice of meeting, now is the time to nominate for the Committee. The details are in the notice of meeting and we will publish the nominations every Saturday night until the meeting. Keep safe and go Mercs. Drink wine to help the Club, now that is an idea Published 20th September 2020 Wild Fire Wines is a premium wine producer located near Warburton in the Upper Yarra Valley. One of the owners, and the chief winemaker, is John Harry, a club member. John competed at senior level in the 60s and 70s and was Captain of the Club; he is also a major supporter and Trustee of the Mercs Foundation. Wild Fire has agreed to provide the Club with a substantial donation for each case of wine purchased by members and their friends and family. Bill Webster and Julie Orr are co- ordinating the recruitment of Mercs athletes to help publicise the sales effort. The Committee believes this program has great potential to assist our fundraising efforts and is keen for all Mercantilians to get behind it. The Committee has sampled John’s offerings and is confident that members will find the wines of excellent quality, and good value. Wild Fire won two medals at the 2019 Victorian Wine Show (Riesling and Cabernet) on its first try so its future looks promising. So, how can you help the Club? Grab some wine at www.wildfirewines.com.au and enter the code "MERCANTILE" at checkout. This ensures any sales will be attributed to the Club. Sellers Competition The Club is also holding an internal competition to incentivise sales. The athlete who sells the most wine in the next 2.5 months to the end of November will win a car pass to the restricted parking at the rear of the boathouse. If you'd like to enter, please email [email protected] to obtain your unique code that your friends and family can enter at checkout. Happy selling, and remember, each sale benefits the Club. This is an efficient and practical way for members to help the Club - we look forward to the development of the Wild Fire relationship as a solid source of funding for us for many years to come. Sydney 2000 Olympic - was it 20 years ago? Published 20th September 2020 Well it does not seem 20 years ago but it is. The heady days of the home Olympics. Some off the record photos follow that were not from the official photographers. Member Ben Dodwell returns to the boatshed after taking bronze Members James Tomkins, Noel Donaldson and Matt Long acknowledge then camera upon their return to the staging Just a fun shot of Kate Slatter and Rachael Taylor The helplessness of a coach farewelling his crew - Tim McLaren and his four who took bronze Mike McKay taking in the loss of a gold and the gaining of a silver Future President of FISA Jean-Christophe Rolland in the stroke seat forgets the golden rule of pair rowing, hold onto your oar.