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Wellington Rowing Club Newsletter July 2020  |
Upcoming dates:
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A few words from the President It is with sadness that the Board recently received Sam Seath's resignation from her role as President. We would like to thank Sam for her tremendous service to the Club over many years and more recently, as President and in a number of Board and Committee roles. I'm sure you'll all join us in wishing her well.
Huw Mitchell - President |
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Club Captain's report While there has been a lot of uncertainty recently, it's promising to see that the club has maintained high spirits and people have been continuing to train and go on camps (despite there being no racing). Recently our master's rowers got together with other crews for a small regional regatta, and our club and school crews have been busy with day trips to the Ruamahunga River and Learn to Row. We would like to welcome back our school rowers, as well as their parents and coaches. One notable event coming up is the Wellington/Whanganui Interprovincial regatta, which, due to the uncertainty and feasibility of the mainland interprovincials regatta became the most viable for Wellington athletes. The regatta will be held in Whananui with doubles/pairs, quads/fours and eights being raced. Day two will consist of athletes participating in the Tonk's small boat regatta. We have a number of athletes from Wellington Rowing Club taking part in this so we look forward to seeing their results. We would like to welcome two new coaches to the Wellington Rowing Club team: Kim O'Neill and Cara McAree have stepped up to assist in the St Mary’s program. Both women and men club squads are continuing strong with a good retention of numbers as the season began. We are also still advertising for a coach on the New Zealand Rowing website, so if anyone knows of any experienced rowers or coaches, please ask them to contact me. Liam McArthur - Club Captain |
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Masters at their recent regional regatta |
You might have noticed that we have a new website. Because we're trying to bring our database up to date, we need all of you to register (including coxswains and coaches). This covers us for H&S but also means you will continue to get our new newsletter. |
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Senior men and women (top) training on the Ruamahunga river |
Spotlight on: Liam McArthur How did you first get into rowing and what made it the sport for you? In my family it isn’t really a choice. I’m a third-generation rower with my Grandfather being one of the founding members of the Dunstan Arm Rowing Club. From there the rowing blood line moved to Avon Rowing Club with my old man and I came into the picture at St Bede’s College. I always did a lot of sports growing up as per most kiwi kids, but rowing became my sport as soon as I started. I believe it is one of the rare sports that genuinely rewards hard work ethic. You only get what you put in and that’s what I love. Once I worked that out that’s when it clicked. It has helped me build a strong character, integrity and work ethic I apply to everything I do. Most outsiders believe you have something wrong up top choosing to row in a skin tight row suit in the middle of winter whilst its raining on the Wellington harbour but that is why I love it. Where is your favourite place to train? I’ve trained at a fair few place’s over the last decade both domestically and internationally. One of the best would have to be Lake Dunstan. The countless hours and km’s spent pacing in pairs up and down the 20km stretch from Dunstan Arm Rowing Club to Cromwell has been some of the best rowing I’ve done. What do you enjoy most about being part of Wellington Rowing Club? Culture. Wellington Rowing Club has by far had the best culture both on and off the water. On the water (erg’s) the competition and drive to be push yourself is hard to match. I have encountered a consistently high work ethic at the club among most crews, club and school, which is just great to see! Off the water the social, family like culture just wants you to come back for me. The short time I’ve been with the club has felt like forever, making lifelong mates and competitors. How did you keep fit/motivated during lockdown? I have two younger brothers. One of which is a few inches taller and a few kilos heavier, and the youngest is always up for a fight so staying fit to compete against meant I didn’t look far for motivation. What's your most memorable rowing moment? Maadi Cup 2014. In 2014 my crew came 2nd in the u18 8+ Maadi Cup race. To come second was a significant achievement for the school with being one of the few crews to medal ever. I was a lightweight weighing around 68kg and pulling a 6:40 erg. The coach had slotted me into 7 seat which I had to seat race for 5 times that season. It was a year of extra trainings, extra time on the ergs and fierce competition on the water. Although we didn’t win the months of gruelling training led to a spectacular race where we gave it everything, redlining with 1800m to go. Ham Boys were definitive winners on the day, and they had a good reason to. They won for one of their Maadi winner predecessors, Andrew Healey, who had passed away on the first day of heats. That the sort of stuff that makes you win, not doing it for yourself but doing it for your each other. The other 8 in the boat and the ones that did it before. What are your goals for the club as captain? Ultimately, I’m hoping to show that as athletes we can also govern the sport and club whilst continuing to perform to the best of our abilities. We give so much time, energy and effort to this great sport and having some degree of control over Which athlete do you most admire? I’d be lying if I said Will Satch or some other rowing great. They’re all, obliviously, inspirational athletes but I would say the one I admire the most is the person that goes for one more. The person that has that extra second on the erg after a 60 minutes steady state session or does that little bit of extra tapping at the finish at the end of training. The one that gives his slides a clean before putting the boat away so he can row that little bit smoother at training in the morning. They don’t have to have won anything or even rowed but it’s the one that has put in the work that I admire. |
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Liam McArthur (middle) |
Wellington Scholarship Fund Wellington Rowing Club has set up a specific scholarship fund. This fund is able to be applied to by rowers who may be struggling financially to cover their season costs, thereby impacting their ability to achieve their rowing aspirations. School and Club rowers are eligible to apply to the fund. Applications close 11th October. |
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Fundraising Fund raising for a coxless quad is being kicked off with the sale of food (cookie Time cookies, OSM muesli bars, Whittackers chocolate, roti and butter chicken sauce). The committee will be sending out forms for people to fill out with all the goodies you can order, pay into the club account and collect from the club. Stay tuned for the food bonanza. We are also going to start a raffle /advertise the chance to buy a seat (get your name beside it) on the new coxless four. If it is something on your bucket list to have a seat with your name on it, this is your chance!! Coaches Safety Boat courses are required for any new coaches -please contact Mitch for the next available course. Please ensure you that your police check is up to date (school coaches and helpers please check with your sports coordinator). The WRC secretary will be sending out a reminder to the sports coordinators of who we have on file for your squad so that we keep current with the changing personnel in the shed. Please ensure all new and intending coaches have an opportunity to go through the safety drill with Alan Mills. Allan is available (preferably Wednesday afternoons) to go through safety on the water and in the shed. |
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Will Satch training with the senior and club men's crews |
Sad it's come to an end?Still wanting to find out more about the Wellington Rowing Club? Visit our website or our Facebook Page. |
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