Livia Rosaia is the current Bendigo Rowing Club Champion, but due timing conflicts, she has never rowed in the club's annual regatta.
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All that will change this Saturday when the 17-year-old leads the field at the 2019 Bendigo Sprint Rowing Regatta.
"This is going to be a very special regatta for me. In previous years I've either been injured or away on school camps," Rosaia said.
"So this is a very significant race for me as the club champion to finally be able to row in the Bendigo regatta."
Another significant element to the event will be Rosaia competing with her younger sister Julia in a quad scull alongside Mikhayla and Eliza Oxley.
The regatta marks one of the first for the season and gives rowers a glimpse of what they will be up against in the coming months.
Bendigo Rowing Club athletes will be competing in all race categories including single sculls, double sculls, quads and eights
BRC crews have been preparing by competing in regattas on the Maribyrnong and Barwon Rivers, and completing a marathon 75km row from Mildura to Wentworth to help raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Rowing Clubs that will be participating include Geelong, Hamilton, Dimboola, Wentworth, Mildura, Rutherglen, Corowa, Nagambie, Shepparton, Richmond, Essendon and Footscray RC's.
Races will be conducted at 4 minute intervals over 7 hours, commencing at 8am sharp.
"It's great to get out there for the first regatta of the season to see where I am at and how much harder I need to work," Rosaia said.
"But also to see where everyone else is at."
Rosaia is currently on a quest to compete at the 2020 Sydney International Rowing Regatta.
"I started training for Sydney approximately 14 weeks ago," she said.
"At the moment my training includes a lot of long distance running and rowing with plenty of ergonomic tests."
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