Hi, my name is Hallum Went and I compete in Surf Boat Rowing. This sport is a branch of Surf Lifesaving and has a huge presence throughout Australia.
Boat crews consist of four rowers and one 'sweep' who controls the boats balance and direction. The sweep is usually also the coach for the rowers. A race is approximately 700 to 900 metres, starting the race from the beach and turning back around a buoy to finish the race back to shore. Racing is held in almost all conditions, all the way from 12ft waves to flat water. There is certainly an element of danger in Surf Boat Rowing.
I have been competing in the sport for the last two years. As a crew we have been competitive over that time with multiple national performances, the best result being 4th at the Australian Surf Rowers League (ASRL) national competition in Sydney last year. We have also been very successful in all state races the past two seasons, being one of the top two crews in Queensland locked in extremely competitive racing. As a crew our goals are to win the Australian Titles within the next 2 years and continue to fight for the top spot in Queensland. We also are hoping to attend the World Titles competition in Italy later this year based on our national performance.
The HPSA program will be a great support system to keep study and sport easy to manage. I have just started my Bachelor of Accounting (Commerce), and the knowledge that if a competition comes up during class or exam times HPSA will provide the resources and the opportunity in order for me to catch up on studies, work out different assignment submission times, and reschedule exams to fit around my racing. The facilities provided are also a huge bonus, with amazing training, recovery, and sporting services. Not to mention the added bonus of free parking!
My training schedule consists of 10-12 sessions per week, including in-boat sessions, gym sessions and ergo training (rowing machines). We train at a high level with consistency and well thought out training methods, whilst managing nutrition and recovery. Solely preparing for a competition can depend on conditions, for example if we might see relatively calmer conditions we would focus more on conditioning and muscular endurance, and if we are preparing for a weekend of huge surf, we would train more strength and get in some wave practice in the ocean. With our coach we are continuously developing new methods of training that will enhance our performance and get us closer to our goal of Aussie gold.
– Hallum Went
