MERCANTILE ROWING CLUB 133rd ANNUAL REPORT (2012 – 2013) Mercantile Rowing Club – 133rd Annual Report WITH THANKS Mercantile Rowing Club would like to take this opportunity to thank all our generous supporters and donors. Without their assistance, our club would not flourish. Arthur Adams Arthur Atkins Mal Batten Philippe Batters David Boykett Andrew Cannon Sean Colgan Estate of the Late Tony Cordell Cecelia Donald Andrew Guerin John Harry Warwick Hutchins Gary Johnson Murray Kellam Jeff Lawrence Graeme McCall Victor Mulder Ron Richardson Peter Selby Smith Bill Webster E.C.White Trust John Williams David Yunghanns ‘Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.’ – Theodore Roosevelt 2 Mercantile Rowing Club – 133rd Annual Report 2012 - 13 OFFICE BEARERS President Honorary Treasurer Mr. M. Batten OAM Mr. D. MacKinnon Vice Presidents Assistant Honorary Treasurer Mr. J. J. Lawrence Mr. A. Phillips Mr. D. E. G. Colvin Mr. D. J. Yunghanns Safety Officer Mr. D. A. Pincus Mr. M. French Mr. R. B. Wilson Mr. W. B. Hutchins Functions Manager Mr. D. H. Boykett Mrs. S. Phillips Mr. A. M. Evans Mr. P. H. C. Edgar Head Coach and Chairman Of Mr. J. Tomkins OAM Selectors Mr. N. P. R. Batters Mr. M. Fangen-Hall Mr. W. H. Webster Committee Captain Mrs. J. Fraumano Mr N. Baker (till April 2013) Mr. M. Groves Ms. R. Selby Smith Mr. A. Sinclair Ms. H. Lewis Vice Captain Mr. J. Wilson Honorary Solicitor Mr. J. Quill Honorary Secretary Mr C. O’Neill (till June 2013) Board Members Ms. D. Bosler Rowing Victoria Mr. A. N. Guerin Mr. D. A Pincus 3 Mercantile Rowing Club – 133rd Annual Report PRESIDENT’S REPORT Mercantilians, I am pleased to provide finding a way through the thick head my first President’s message for this, and deep soul to find a sharp catch, flat our 133rd Annual Report. drive, smooth finish and steady roll forward, long may it continue. National team success Clubhouse renovations complete Our competition team have been tremendously successful, with a total of In addition to our rowing success, the 22 athletes gaining national team year has been a pivotal one with the representation across the categories. successful completion of our We have seen another gold medal clubhouse’s renovation. return to the club, with Sophie Sutherland’s win in the W4- at the From the initial idea a few years ago to Under 23 World Championships. completion, it has been done the Congratulations to all of our medallists. Mercantile way: first, identify that lofty goal - dare to succeed when others say Importantly, we have a long list of you cannot. Then, find the best in the members in the feeding teams, all team you have and finally, focus on the aiming for future Senior A team and task at hand and the results will follow. Olympic selections. Congratulations to the medal winners. We now have a fully modern clubhouse with facilities the envy of others. We We have completed a very successful have a financial model under the club to domestic season with an impressive ensure our viability for at least the campaign to the Australian Rowing coming 20 years. We have renewed Nationals held in Sydney. and added to our subtenant partners – and we warmly welcome Brighton Well done also to our master’s team Grammar School and St Catherine’s who competed enthusiastically School to our new clubhouse. throughout the season - it is great to have their presence and experience at We could not have completed this the club. renovation without the support of the building fund and its trustees, set up Thanks to our coaches with vision by our much-loved late president, Jimmy Sprigg. We thank our head coach, Mark for his leadership and success. Thanks also to We would not have commenced the Sandy, Chipper and Dave McGrath for renovation without the vision of our ever filling the gaps when coaches were present and admired past presidents away on representative duty. It is the Andy Guerin and Phil Batters. Thanks to burden of our success! Andy for providing the spark of the idea and to Phil for pulling out the bung, Without our coaches we would be a either succeed or sink, great motivation. rabble coming down the course, out the back door early and way too much neck We thank St Catherine’s School for their tension, looking over one’s support and commitment to “join the shoulder…so thank you to all our club”. We are very pleased to have coaches. They are always on the bank Brighton Grammar continue their story 4 Mercantile Rowing Club – 133rd Annual Report with Mercantile with an increased presence. Without our sub tenants we Breakfast and newsletters continue would not have had a renovation. We with success look forward to our partnership in the coming 20 years and beyond. We have The Saturday morning breakfast club the beginning for the next successful continued even within the ‘unique chapter in our remarkable history. arrangements’ of demolition and construction. Thank you to Jenny Thank you to the exec committee Fraumano and her dedicated team of members over the duration, Phil helpers - I am sure if given a vote on Batters, Jenny Fraumano, Dee Bosler, value-add by the athletes, the breakfast Robyn Selby Smith, Nick Baker, team would win. As is wisely said, the Cameron O’Neil for having faith and way to the heart is via the stomach. confidence in the project. Our newsletter has continued to be Particular thanks to our dedicated delivered to a very high standard. As I Treasurer, Duncan MacKinnon, for his have commented, the newsletter is the dedication and support. My thanks also window inside our club and it has the to Committee member, Mark Groves, ability to form our culture and engage for his efforts during the demobilisation with our broader membership. Thanks phase. to Susie and Andy Phillips for the dedicated and cheerful work here. Thanks also to the entire team of members who helped remove and With thanks to our trustees and return the memorabilia, assisted with generous supporters demolition, trained patiently throughout the renovation works and for taking Mercantile is founded on the shoulders possession of the South West Corner of our past leaders, we recognise and with such vigour. The Mercantile spirit thank the trustees for their support and has been refreshed throughout the governance: David Colvin, David renovation. Boykett, Jeff Lawrence, Andrew Guerin, Steve Gillan, Henry Edgar, Warwick It has been my pleasure to be part of Hutchins and Timothy Frederico. the team. Well done to all. We note in particular thanks to late Fundraising efforts members John Burford and his family for the generous donation of a new We have again added to the numbers of racing eight. Thanks also to those volunteers helping deliver the benefactors who have included Mercantile dream. Particular thanks to Mercantile in their will. all involved in the fundraising efforts to assist non-Rowing Australia funded We honour the thoughtful and generous athletes in the national team. support from the above and other donors throughout the year. In short order, $21,000 was raised to provide badly needed support to each of We thank our boat race officials, who our representative team members. We have once more umpired and officiated plan to future enhance our efforts in the at the regattas. Thanks also to all the coming year with our fundraising efforts. team including Billy Webster and Thanks to Susie Philips and Julie Orr for Richard Wraith for the excellent the leadership with fundraising. 5 Mercantile Rowing Club – 133rd Annual Report organisation of the Scotch-Mercs Thank you again to all the generous Regatta. contributions provide by our members and coaches. We have completed a pivotal year with much success. Mal Batten OAM President 6 Mercantile Rowing Club – 133rd Annual Report CAPTAIN’S REPORT ‘Captain, my Captain’ women’s change room that’s a whole lot bigger! With better facilities for schools I officially became Captain of Mercantile we are also better placed to have a on 6 April 2013. I was promised that I reliable rental income stream. would be referred to as ‘Captain, my Captain’ by all – but unfortunately it has Mark Fangen-Hall and our coaching not turned out that way. Despite that program immediate disappointment, it’s been an exciting time to join the management This season has also seen Mark settle team at Mercantile. into Melbourne and Mercantile - and start building a bigger and more It feels to me like I have come into the successful elite program at the club. Mercantile spring. In a club with such a The results of our athletes speak for long and impressive history, it is easy to themselves. Mark has also taken on assume that things just roll on the roles coaching national crews and same, year in, year out, decade after leading the Melbourne Grammar School decade, Olympic champion after program. Both these roles assist Mark’s Olympic champion. But, as I know now professional development and improve from being involved with Mercantile, this Mercantile’s links with school athletes is not a constant. Different parts of the (which are not limited to Melbourne club are in different cycles of growth, Grammar) and Rowing Australia. blossom and regrowth at any one time and right now feels like the beginning of All our coaches have supported Mark a significant growth phase. and have added their own impressive contributions to the club.