Australian rowing masters: North Esk strikes gold

After winning a phenomenal 22 races at the masters state championships, the club sent an eight-strong team to West Lakes and returned with every member winning at least one medal.

North Esk finished 18^th out of 68 clubs, and was narrowly pipped for best-performing Tasmanian club by Lindisfarne (15th).

Judy Fenner, who has chalked up more than 30 years of rowing since taking up the sport as a 28-year-old, returned from her 10^th nationals with multiple medals.

"That was the mission, to come home with something for our efforts," she said.

"We've got a couple of serious rowers that do very well - Pat Bird and Roberto Ojeda bumped our numbers this year because they were rowing well and we got some good numbers in the composite rowing."

The championships were not without moments of drama, as an algae build-up in Penrith forced the event to be moved to South Australia.

Then, just as the event was getting under way, Victoria announced a seven-day snap lockdown in response to a cluster of COVID cases.

"Considering we didn't think it was going to happen this year at all, that was a big bonus that we actually got there," Fenner said.

"A few of [the Victorian] crews didn't risk it or weren't allowed out ... but the competition was still very stiff - there were still a lot of Queenslanders and West Australians and New South Wales still came across."

MORE SPORT: Hawthorn bags another Tasmanian in mid-season draft

Tassie swimming veteran hits world top-10 lists

Tassie Devils coach poached by Gold Coast

North Esk secretary Georgina Dalgleish added: "We're just immensely proud of all of our rowers.

"Our masters rowers put in such an enormous effort to train and we're all like a family so it's a win for the whole club when people perform that well."

Fenner and Dalgleish both paid tribute to club coach Kerry Dawkins, 81.

"He does an incredible job," Dalgleish said.

"He goes to training with all of the rowers and really looks after the masters."

North Esk Rowing Club