Queensland Indoor Rowing Championships 2024 The Queensland Indoor Rowing Championships (QIRC) concluded with a flourish of excitement and outstanding performances. Held at the O2 Performance Gym in Bokarina, Sunshine Coast, on June 9, 2024, the event showcased the resilience, determination, and skill of indoor rowers from across Queensland. Key Highlights:
New Records Set:
Adaptive Rowing: There was so much action amongst the adaptive rowers, no wonder so many records were broken.
PR3ID 17-19yo Joseph Bopf broke the Australian records in the 2000m, 500m and 1 minute row. He missed out on the world record in the 1-minute row by 5 metres. He broke the world record in the 100m event.
PR3PD 13-14yo William Sheehan has gone from strength to strength in the past 12 months. He broke world records in the 100m, 1000m, 500m and 2000m events.
PR3PD 30-39yo Newcomer Daniel Baker smashed Australian records in the 1 minute, 2000m and 500m events
Rarified air – age groups 95+ and 90-95. China Johnson, a seasoned campaigner in the 95+ age group, set new world records in the 1 minute, 500m, 1000m, and 100m events. Tibby Kemp laid inspiration for all of us in the 90–95-year age group, with a world record in the 1 minute event.
Astounding performances in both light and heavyweight divisions – Peter Sheean (80-84 2000m), Gary O'Callaghan (80-84 1min), Louis Staines (19-29 1min) and Harrison Thomas (15-16 100m) all broke an Australian record.
Other awards went to:
Best Junior Female Georgia Cassar-Smythe Good Samaritan College, Bli Bli
Best Junior Males Joseph Bopf, Kawana Waters State College and William Sheehan, Brisbane
Best Senior Female Tibby Kemp, Sunshine Coast
Best Senior Male China Johnson, Sunshine Coast.
The Champion School was Kawana Waters State College. This was the fifth time that the College has been Champion School. The runner up was Bounty Boulevard State School in North Lakes. This is the first time that a primary school has placed at the QLD Indoor Rowing Championships. The standard was very high with some outstanding students from Brisbane Grammar, Terrace, KWSC, PLC and Genesis College. There were also three school competitors from NSW. Also unique to the championships in 2024 were two sets of triplets, the Hills in the under 10s, and the Russells, in the 30–39-year age division. That made for an amazing spectacle. Spectators filled the venue, creating an electric atmosphere. Families, friends, and rowing enthusiasts cheered relentlessly. Ashley Robinson, Chairman of The Sports Hub, in his opening remarks, summed up the spirit of the event by reminding attendees that the venue was built to develop community in sport through events such as the Sunshine Coast Indoor Rowing Championships. Wendy Coghill, president of the Sunshine Coast Indoor Rowing Club, and convenor of the Championships would also like to thank all the local business and support received from the Sunshine Coast Council, especially Division 3 Councilor Tim Burns, and Jarrod Bleijie, the State Member for Kawana for an event that promotes accessible health and fitness to all ages and abilities.
Australian and World Records
The following members of the club have Australian and World Records: Tyler Pearce | 13 - 14 Joe Bopf | 15 - 16 Jackie Rees | 30 - 39 Jamie Hammond | 50 - 54 Lesley Duffy | 50 - 59 Paul Edwards | 50 - 59 Peta Robinson | 60 - 64 Lindsay Hay | 65 - 69 Kelvin Bazley | 70 - 74 Roberta Gordon | 70 - 74 David Berry | 70 - 74 Anne Cresswell | 80 - 84 Tibby Kemp | 85 - 89 Beryl Home | 85 - 89 China Johnson | 90 - 94 Vince Home | 95 - 99
