Dec 30, 20214 min read

December 2021 Newsletter

Recap: Whanganui Mini Regatta 4 December

Your Club athletes had an informal regatta against our Whanganui Rowing Association Kindred Clubs earlier this month.

Life Member Gus Scott provided a well organised prognostic-based program over the 2000 Metre Aramoho Rowing Course and while not too much can be read into the results, the opportunity was taken to test our crews and coxswains against others.

In the absence of the cancelled Johns Trophy, Jury Cup and Karapiro Christmas Regattas over December, the time given by our mainly AWRC and Whanganui Collegiate Officials was greatly appreciated!

AWRC crews to impress were Awen Emmett and Reeve Watson who won the Girls Under 17 2X and then combined well with Messina Su’a, Georgina Ross and cox Lillie Taylor in winning the Girls Under 18 4X+. Awen completed a “great day at office” in also winning the Girls Under 17 1X.

Ally Bennett and Katie Bell crossed the line first in their Womens Senior 2X, while Zac Visser and Eli Kuehne were impressive in their respective single scull events.

Georgina and Messina are now in their 4th Season of rowing/sculling for WHS and AWRC.

Recap: Club Christmas Row

Three eights, plus Trevor and Brocky in their single sculls, enjoyed a pre -breakfast paddle on a very sedate river early on Christmas Eve.

The crews combined at the top of the course to form a large raft to drift down the river whilst imbibing on refreshments and with much bonhomie.

A sumptuous breakfast followed to ensure stomachs were well extended in preparation for the repast which no doubt followed the next day!

Thanks to Jacs for coordinating the on-water combinations as well to Rebecca Ivory and Lisa Murphy, plus their helpers, for organising the breakfast in our Lounge.

Coming up...

3 + 4 January - Hawkes Bay Regatta
10 December – Committee meeting
15 December (morning) – Club Training Day (Details to be advised to active members)
28 to 31 January – North Island Club Championships, Lake Karapiro (We have booked into the Mangatoatoa Marae at Kihikihi as from Thursday 27 January for 4 Nights, and will be seeking support to drive rental vans as well as organising meals etc)

Wanganui Toyota Continue Support to Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club

We are delighted to advise that Wanganui Toyota, which has gone through a change of ownership recently, have made the decision to continue with the provision of a towing vehicle for our away regattas this season.

Our Club is indebted to Wanganui Toyota for this ongoing support, particularly given the impact that the Covid pandemic has had on the motor industry.

We urge Club Members to support this business which has supported the rowing club for many years – Make sure you mention your affiliation to Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club when visiting Wanganui Toyota!

Booster Wine Sales

This fundraiser yielded a profit of $1410.00 from those who updated their wine cellars in time for Christmas!

Great effort again by Annie Pawson for organising – Thanks Annie!

Four Regions Grant

Thanks also to Annie and Barbara Hammond for their endeavours in submitting a compelling application which has resulted in the Club receiving a grant of $5000.00 to go toward safety equipment – the majority of this will be allocated towards upgrading the large roller door on our building.

Accolades

1. Congratulations to Messina Su’a on her appointment as Deputy Head Prefect at Whanganui High School for 2022 and also to Messina’s long time friend and sculling buddy Georgina Ross, on also becoming a Prefect for next Year. We are reliably informed that these two young ladies also performed with great credit academically in 2021, which highlights that being dedicated to rowing doesn’t detract from personal development!

2. Whanganui High School’s Eli Kuehne was the recipient of the Best Junior Rower and he was also a member of the School Boys Novice Four which won the Chris Harris Cup. Eli continues to train diligently and is looking forward to another successful season.

3. Samantha Rooke, one of our Year 9 Rangitikei College novice recruits, was given the overall Year 9/10 Sports Award for Junior Girls at the Rangitikei College end of Year Prizegiving. Sam is one of 5 youngsters from Rangitikei, who have started rowing this season and is delighting her rowing coaches with her desire to do well in a new sport for her and the College.

Sam (stroke) is pictured with sculling partner Robyn van Diijk , after taking to the water at the Whanganui Mini Regatta earlier this month.

Historic Item

Pictured is the Oxford University Eight which won the very first Oxford -Cambridge Boat Race in June 1829. The boat was a clinker, made of spruce and was almost 63 feet long and 2 feet wide.