The official 2025–26 rowing season may be over, but Gippsland Grammar’s elite rowers have continued to deliver strong performances on the national stage.
During the recent school holidays, Rowing Australia hosted its annual Pathways Regatta, a state-based coxless quads and eights competition designed to identify, develop and transition leading school rowers and coaches into national high-performance pathways.
This year, Gippsland Grammar had six representatives involved in the Victorian program, including year 11 students Eloise Tavasci and Mia Kantzides in the women’s coxless quad, and Obi Vardy and Coen Cook in the men’s coxless quad.
Assistant rowing coach Brendan Scott served as coach of the men’s quad, while Director of Rowing Nick Bartlett was part of the event’s selection panel.
Following seat trials at the Sydney International Regatta Centre on Easter Saturday, crews had just one week to prepare before racing on April 13–14.
During that time, the boys trained on the Thomson River in Sale, while the girls trained on Melbourne’s Yarra River, before both crews travelled to Sydney for the regatta.
Despite the limited preparation, both Victorian crews delivered strong performances, each claiming silver medals. The boys finished behind New South Wales, while the girls placed second behind Western Australia.
Bartlett said the Pathways Regatta provided valuable experience for emerging athletes competing at national level, continuing Gippsland Grammar’s strong tradition of producing state and representative rowers.
“As the first independently selected team that these rowers can make, this is effectively the first step on the pathway to representing Australia at a world or Olympic level. To see our students compete against competitors from the other states and come home with two silver medals is an excellent achievement,” Bartlett said.
The result continues a strong legacy of Gippsland Grammar rowers progressing through the state pathway system.
Current year 12 students Lily Canfield and Rio Smith have previously represented Victoria, alongside Old Scholars Scarlett Tavasci, Ella Gerrand, Lachy Rose, Billy Osborne and Lindsay Hamilton.
The four year 11 athletes are now enjoying a short break from training before returning to preparation for the upcoming school rowing season later this year.
