Paul Radich and Tiana Epati from Izard Weston Lawyers represented the joint clubs’ submission. We put up a total of 14 witnesses and our part of the hearing took almost a day and a half.

The hearing was adjourned on 7th September, at the end of the fourth day, for about a month. This adjournment is to allow the two main submitters, the applicants and the combined rowing clubs as objectors, to clarify their differences in relation to conditions and conduct some practical tests to prove or disprove the practicality of the proposed design as regards boat loading space and truck/boat trailer movement.

Since then the applicants have provided us with a list of conditions they would like to be included as part of the granting of the resource consent. These include very limited parking and very restricted access fro drop-off and pick-up of rowers. We will be responding to these through our legal counsel.

Some progress has been made on agreeing a proposed truck/boat trailer access route and a practical test is planned for the weekend of 17/18 September.

Two of the Commissioners, along with representatives of Wellington Waterfront Ltd and Wellington City Council also observed the boat loading for the Porirua Goodwill regatta.

Following any agreements that may be reached, the Commissioners will deliberate and make a decision on whether to grant the application or not, and what, if any, conditions that they may attach to that grant. At the latest we should hear the result about the end of October.

Funding to Pay the Bill
Initially we expected the cost of this submission and hearing to be about $20.000. The estimate is now nearer $30,000, mainly due to the longer hearing.

The committees of both clubs are looking at ways of economising to ensure these bills are paid. Also a “fighting fund committee” made up of a small group of members from both clubs is actively seeking funding. This committee has written to Wellington and Star club members, past and present, requesting donations and to date 37 people have responded with about $4,400 received. Thank you to all donors.

Quiz Evening
The fighting fund committee is also organising a quiz evening as a fundraiser. This will be held on Friday 21 October at the Star Boating Club. This will be fun night with lots of easy questions, prizes and a monster auction at the end. So get your team together now and come along and support this fundraising effort. Tickets cost $20 each and will include a complementary drink.

How Can You Help?

• Firstly if you haven’t responded to the request for a donation, please do so. Send your cheque made out to “Star-Wellington Submission Account” to Wellington Rowing Club, PO Box 3273, Wellington.
• Secondly you can buy a ticket to the quiz evening – watch the notice boards for details.
• Thirdly you could make a donation of a prize for the quiz evening.

Another way you could help is to help minimise the club’s expenses. The easiest ones are:

• Don’t enter too many races at regattas. The club pays entry fees for races you enter, not those that you race. If you scratch from a race we still pay the entry fees. The entry fees at Wanganui and Karapiro are exorbitantly high and both venues also charge a penalty for late scratchings (including being late for the start). All these costs build up.
• Look after the plant - carelessness costs money. Last year we spent about $6,000 on boat repairs (excluding refurbishments). Just last Sunday a hole was put in the Karaka by people moving the boat on the rack above it. Even checking that all the rigger nuts before you row will help save money – we buy about 200 nuts and 500 washers every year!

Regatta Results
Two regattas have been held so far this season. Star and Petone shared the Redding Shield, with Wellington a close third. Star won the Porirua Goodwill, Petone a close second and again Wellington a close third. It is good for Wellington rowing in general to see close results, but it would be nice to have Wellington Rowing Club on top!

The 5th annual corporate regatta was again a very successful event. Eight crews competed over 1000m along Oriental Bay in sunny calm conditions. Interspersed between the corporate races were schools’ doubles and singles races.

Results:

• Men’s Trophy – Truebridge Callendar Beach
• Women’s Trophy – Bell Gully
• Mixed Trophy – Telecom
• Spicers Shield for overall corporate champions – Bell Gully

Congratulations to all who took part. Many thanks to Laws Lawson for organising this regatta, and to all who helped coach and manage crews – Mike Tait, Bill Grace, Ross Baker, Terry McCarthy, Deidre Burke, Ashley Cornor, John Smedley, Lucy Baker, Laurie Counsell, and Laws Lawson. Thanks also to the Wellington Rowing Association for hosting the regatta and providing the officials.

Wellington Rowing Club Committee for 2005/06
Patron - Kerry Prendergast (Mayor of Wellington)
President - Dick Joyce
Club Captain - Brent Ashley
Secretary - Kerry Matthews
Treasurer - Ross Baker
Vice Presidents - Bill Grace, Laurie Counsell
Safety Officer - Mike Tait
Committee - Laws Lawson, Katrina Lawrence, Lucy Baker

Brent Ashley is the club’s representative on the Wellington Rowing Association Board.

New Plant
Last February the New Zealand Community Trust made a grant to the Wellington Rowing Club for the purchase of new oars, a new eight and a new coxed four. These have all been delivered, with the new eight and four (both manufactured by Elders Boat Builders in Christchurch) arriving just last week. They will be named Aotea and Owhiro respectively.

The Wellington Rowing Club is extremely grateful to the NZ Community Trust for its financial assistance in making the purchase of this plant possible.

Regatta Programme
In the last issue of Perfect Balance the Wellington Championships date was incorrect – the correct date for this regatta is 28 January 2006. The regatta programme Wellington regattas for the rest of 2005 is as follows:

• 24 September: Queens Cup
• 15 October: Norton Cup
• 19 November: Mothes Shield (to be confirmed – non-school rowers to avoid clashes with school exams)
• 26 November: Jury Cup
• 10 December: McLachlan Shield (schools)
• 28 January 2006: Wellington Championships

Keep those dates free – the club will be entering all these regattas.

Next Issue
If you have anything you want to include in Perfect Balance send an email to perfectbalance@wellingtonrowing.org.nz. Contributions are most welcome – including photos. The aim is to produce a newsletter about the middle of each month.

Meanwhile enjoy your rowing, and train well.