
35 Years of Rowing
Rowing at Fintona has gone from strength to strength, with a number of outstanding results, facilitated by growth in participation.

Fintona was one of the first girls’ schools to offer rowing, initially competing with a squad of just four rowers.
Throughout its 35-year history Rowing at Fintona has gone from strength to strength, with a number of outstanding results, facilitated by growth in participation.
‘None of us really knew what we were putting our names down for when we signed up to be the first rowing team for Fintona. We had no idea that it would be such a great adventure or that it would teach us so much about working together and trusting others to have your back. We weren’t really all that good, but we had a great time, and we did get fit!’ – Louisa Rose (’87) Fintona’s First Captain of Boats

Fintona’s first winning rowing crew who took out the Year 9 Championships at the Schoolgirls’ Head of the River Regatta in 1987.
Photo (L – R): Nardia Barnard (cox), Danielle Ashcroft, Anya Lloyd-Smith, Melanie Seale, Giselle Gray.
This past season, 40 students took part in the program. Such growth and improvement can certainly be attributed to the strong culture passed down from generation to generation. Our rowers work collaboratively and cohesively across all year levels to achieve common goals. They celebrate each other’s successes and support their peers through adversity.

Fintona’s 2021 Rowing Squad
Rowing requires a high level of commitment and dedication, including early morning training sessions on the Yarra River. Students have an opportunity to start coxing in Year 7 and can begin rowing in Year 8. By the time rowers compete in the inter and senior categories, they typically complete three to four water sessions as well as two to three cross-training sessions bringing their training to around11 hours a week. Students also compete in regattas most Saturdays in Term 1 and Term 4 along with a rowing camp in January.
‘Fintona rowing is a community, and it is my family. The friendships and camaraderie present within Fintona Rowing are a testament to the development of the Squad’s morale across many years. Rowing continues to be a sport that we all love, and it is deeply rooted within all our lives, both during our time at school and after.’ – Catherine Zheng, Captain of Boats 2020/21
The strength of our culture was certainly proven throughout the 2020/2021 season. Like most things, the Rowing Program was significantly impacted by COVID-19.
Despite the challenges that the Melbourne lockdown presented, our rowers proved their adaptability, embracing online opportunities to develop their fitness and build on their technique.
With thanks to our Captain of Boats and senior rowers, the team environment that rowing thrives upon was maintained, through a range of initiatives including a virtual marathon, a trivia night and old-fashioned letter writing between the members.
Once able to return to on water training and racing, our 2021 rowing squad maintained a resilient and team driven attitude. The Squad’s performance was outstanding across a number of regattas including the Head of School Girls, where Fintona won a Bronze Medal in the Year 10 double scull, along with many crews making semi or quarter finals.
All Fintona students are encouraged to to try rowing; a fantastic program which allows students to make lifelong friendships and develop a range of skills which can be carried throughout life.
Rowing at Fintona
Discover more about Fintona’s Rowing Program