Plenty to keep rowing fans happy
Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club prizegiving recipients included (from back left) Jonty Thompson, James Sandston, Luke Watts, Guy Thompson and Nathan Luff; (middle) Hugh Pawson, Ally Bennett and Rylee Dudley; (front) Levi Carroll and Niamh Mullany on Jacob Groves' knee. All of which are past/present WHS students bar one.
Photo / Supplied.
Although the middle of winter, there is plenty of action on our river, throughout New Zealand and in world rowing in July to keep die-hard fans tuned in.
First up, the July winter series race was raced in good conditions and although numbers down a bit due to school holidays, our top kayakers away and Niamh Monk, Blake Hogan and Jack Pringle away at the second Central Regional Performance Camp in Blenheim, the pace was on.
Pacesetters Richard Brock and Trevor Rush had to settle for 7th place in their quad scull with crew mates Garth Hammond and Bruce Osborne.
As already reported a strong composite waka ama mixed crew won with a 88.69 per cent prognostic in 33 minutes and 8 seconds. Aramoho's New Zealand Under 21 representative Nathan Luff, just back from the first round of the Trans-Tasman series with Australia, was second in his single with 88.29 per cent and tough Horowhenua master, Bruce Tate a close 3rd in 88.23 per cent, with fastest time gong to the 10th placed Star Boat Club combination of Connor Burns and Paul Moreno in 27 minutes and 6 seconds.
The next Blinkhorne and Carroll Winter Series race over 8km is on Sunday, August 12 at 9.30am starting at the Railway Bridge 2km finish and racing upstream past the 2km start line, then turning and finishing at the National Library Building close to Union Boat Club.
Entries are due to cyclekiwi@gmail.com by noon on Saturday, August 11 and just $2 a seat entry with all rowers, kayakers and waka ama entries welcome.
Aramoho had a delayed 2018 prizegiving in July as it had to await some great renovations to its clubrooms, and now has a lovely lounge available for rental with a permanent on-site caterer. Contact Bruce Osborne, Club President on 021 936060 for enquiries.
I can't cover them all but some of the notable prize winners included the Whanganui High School Supporters Cup to Niamh Monk, the Kerri Gowler Higher Honour Cup to Kathryn Fleming, the Jack Brock Memorial Cup to Levi Carroll, the Spriggens Cup to Niamh Mullany, the Rush Family Trophy to WHS Girls Under 17 Quadruple Scull (4th Maadi), the Display Associates Cup to WHS Girls under 16 Quad and Boys under 18 Double (6th Maadi), the Wright Family Cup to Jaime Bridger, the Rob Mallash Trophy to Trevor Rush, the Jones Family Trophy to Luke Watts, the Gilchard Family Trophy to Nathan Luff, the Amalgamation Trophy for Outstanding Contribution to the club's outstanding president, Bruce Osborne and the Presidents Trophy for Overall Club Spirit to former international, Des Lock.
There's plenty happening on the international rowing scene with our Elite Rowers back training on Lake Karapiro following racing at two World Cup regattas in Europe recently and preparing for the 2018 World Champs in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on September 9-16.
Many top performing crews like our Women's Pair and Eight with Aramoho's Kerri and Jackie Gowler in will just continue training but final trials are shortly being held to try and strengthen up some boats like the Men's Quad and Eight. It's a smart move for Henley winner and double Olympic Gold Medallist Mahe Drysdale to trial for the Men's Quad, as he would surely be adding some strength and experience and if Mahe is serious as he appears about gaining back his Single scull spot from Robbie Manson, then continued training and racing will only increase his development.
There is plenty else happening with Nathan Luff preparing for the second leg of the Under 21 Trans Tasman battle on Lake Karapiro on August 23-25, our Under 23 just finishing their World Champs in Poznan, Poland with gold in Womens Single (Sam Voss), silver in Men's Coxless Four and Bronze in Men's Coxed Four.
Our Junior World Champ team has just departed for the Junior World Champs, August 8-12 in Racice, Czech Republic with Collegiate's Jamie Harris our representative in the Women's Quad Scull.
By Philippa Baker-Hogan
Wanganui Chronicle 1/8/18
