Regatta season began emphatically for Wānaka Rowing Club’s junior squad at the Aoraki 1k event on Lake Ruataniwha last weekend. A strong contingent of 22 rowers competed in 29 races on Saturday in spectacular conditions. The Aoraki 1K regatta is specifically designed to introduce novice rowers to racing in a fun and inclusive environment and the clubs 14 novices and more experienced rowers made 9 A finals and 10 B finals.
Sunday finals day dawned calm and Wanaka crews performed well. Notable accomplishments were the intermediate rowers Travis Cooper and Jack Jones leading novice boys crews to great finishes in A and B finals. Also it is wonderful to have enough rowers to field boys and girls octi crews with the novice boys coming 5th in their A final and girls 5th in their B final.
The new girls quad of Casey Howard, Emma Throne, Olivia and Mackenzie Smith and cox Zoe Melville, who have been training hard throughout winter came 2nd in their A final. Finally, experienced intermediate boys quad (Jasper Lambert, Will Persson, Finley Hughes and Travis Cooper and double (Jasper Lambert and Will Persson) continued their successes of last season finishing 1st and 2nd in A finals respectively.
A fantastic start to the season and the team is looking forward to the Otago Championships in mid December.
Wanaka Rowing Club is currently fundraising and busy harvesting and processing beautiful local export grade Paeonies for sale. You’ll see them at markets, outside the Watersports Facility, orders taken on-line, visit www.wanakarowingclub.co.nz or order via wrcmarketing07@gmail.com (delivery or collection options).
Master Rower Sandra Binney at Cromwell Market selling Red Charm and Coral Sunset Paeonies, harvested and processed back at Mount Barker by Wanaka Rowers.
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