Head of the River 2026

Blue skies, flat water, and race-day intensity. Saturday 14 March set the scene for an unforgettable 104th South Australian Schools Head of the River Regatta. Co-hosted by Norwood International Rowing Club and sponsored by Adelaide University, the event saw nearly 1,100 rowers take to the course.

Norwood arrived with 12 crews, and left with multiple podium finishes, standout performances, and plenty to be proud of.

The racing kicked off over 1000m, and Norwood’s youngest athletes wasted no time making an impact. The Schoolboy Year 8 A crew of Daniel N, Maximo W, Josh A, and Slater H, coxed by Jacob L (coached by Alex Aleshin), fought hard in a competitive race to finish 4th in 4:07.01. The Schoolboy Year 8 B crew of Neo D, Johannes B, Krishav M, and Jordan Z, coxed by Hugo H (coached by Digby Sweeney), came 4th place in 4:29.80. The Schoolboy Year 8 C crew of Jayneel P, Ethan M, Otto K, Hugo B coxed by Haider L (coached by Liam Howard) came 5th place.

On the girls’ side, the Schoolgirl Year 8 A crew of Anna A, Avigayil J, Isabella L, and Sofia F, coxed by Katy K (coached by Sophia Adler), delivered a composed race to secure 3rd place in 5:16.67. Not to be outdone, the Schoolgirl Year 8 B crew, Lina M, Heidi G, Andrea P, and Gemma K, coxed by Eliza L (coached by Sofia Aleshina), put together a superb row to take 1st place in 4:53.92.

Before the racing moved on, the spotlight shifted to the next generation. The Norwood Drum Corps, led by Yohan Lee, brought energy and atmosphere to the Year 7 Hat Ceremony.

New Year 7 rowers were officially welcomed into the program, receiving their caps from Captains Rohan V and Scarlett P, alongside Vice Captains Ethan P and Julissa A, a reminder that the strength of the program lies in what’s still to come.

Norwood’s Year 9s stepped up and delivered. The Schoolboy Year 9 B crew of Hugo H, Jack R, Austin B, and Ruben J, coxed by Ethan M (coached by Nick Haloulos), surged to 1st place in 4:30.08, continuing the winning momentum. The Schoolboy Year 9 A crew, Noah B, Chase H, Thomas J, and Jacob L, coxed by Andrea P (coached by Liam Howard), pushed hard in a tight race to secure 2nd place in 4:11.56.

In the girls’ race, the Schoolgirl Year 9 A crew of Lucia R, Lucy M, Audrey S, and Lucy P, coxed by Sophia Y (coached by Tamara Jones), showed grit and cohesion to take 3rd place in 4:30.47.

With the distance extending to 1500m, the intensity lifted. The Schoolboy Year 10 A crew of Diesel H, Filip F, Ethan P, and Leandro S, coxed by Lucy P (coached by Matt Walker), battled through a close race to post 5:38.88, holding their own in a competitive field. The Schoolgirl Year 10 A crew, Angie H, Jenny T, Lylah B, and Annabelle N, coxed by Lucia R, fought strongly through their B Final to claim 2nd place, showing determination across the longer course.

The final races of the day brought the ultimate challenge, 2000m of endurance, precision, and mental toughness.

The Schoolgirl 1st IV crew, Julissa A, Grace K (sub Serena A), Grace S, and Scarlett P, coxed by Andrea P (coached by Sophia Adler), finished 6th, taking on some of the strongest competition in the state.

The Schoolboy 1st IV crew of Felix Be, Pax M, Luca P, and Rohan V, coxed by Daniel N (coached by Matt Walker), delivered a powerful performance to secure 4th place.

Against challenging competition, Norwood’s crews delivered a commendable performance. I congratulate all students on their hard work, determination, resilience and perseverance over the last 7 months and in each race. The teamwork, commitment and sportsmanship demonstrated by Norwood’s rowing club is a representation of our school values and the student’s character.

My thanks to the coaches’ efforts, energy, patience and passion in developing our students into young rowers and brilliant people. To Ben O’Connell and Nick Hyland for supporting the students in class and contributions to the Rowing Club. To Roy Page, Yohan Lee and Miah Nalpantidis for supporting on the day of Head of the River and thanks to the school’s support of the rowing program through the Executive, the Governing Council, and all the support staff allows the program to continue to grow, develop and achieve.

As the 2025/2026 season comes to a close, the rowing community came together on Saturday 21 March for the End of Season Presentations and Dinner, a chance to celebrate achievements and recognise the effort behind them.

From 23-29 March, Rohan Vandenberg will represent Norwood at the Australian Rowing Championships at Lake Barrington, Tasmania He will be competing in the Schoolboy Single Scull, U19 Men’s Pair, and U19 Men’s Four with Adelaide High School. Good luck and row well!

As one season wraps up, the next begins. The focus now shifts to building for the 2026/2027 season, with a goal of bringing in the biggest group of new rowers yet. We invite students from Years 7 to 11 to take part and give rowing a try. Whether you are new to the sport or returning, this is your opportunity to rise to the challenge, develop new skills, meet new people and be part of an exciting and dynamic community. Join us in Term 3, and be part of the next wave.

Photos Captured by Victoria Yurkova.

Talitha Benson
Rowing Manager