From Blue Lake to Lake Karapiro - medals sought at North Island Club Champs

Tauranga's Courtney Ryan competes in a heat of the the women's under 19 single scull during last weekend's Dewar Shield Blue Lake Regatta in Rotorua. Photo / Stephen Parker

Most mornings you'll find Courtney Ryan out on the water as early as 5am.

It's nothing out of the ordinary for the single scull rower and many of her Tauranga Rowing Club clumbmates, training 10-12 times a week, mornings and afternoons.

The hard work is paying off for the Tauranga Girls' College student, who moved from a double scull into a single scull this year after her losing her teammate after three years of rowing together.

Last weekend she competed in the Dewar Shield Blue Lake Regatta in Rotorua and placed first in both the Under 19 women's single scull and open women's single scull races.

It was a good boost ahead of her next challenge, competing at the 2020 North Island Club Championships at Lake Karapiro from tomorrow until Monday, hoping for the same success from the weekend before.

However, she knows she'll be faced with plenty of tough competition, expecting more rowers at the upcoming event, but knows consistent success across all regattas is vital for selection for the U19 Junior team.

"All our results go towards being selected for this," Ryan says.

After this weekend's competition, she'll compete at the North Island Secondary Schools event and the Aon Maadi Cup regatta, which is the national championships for school rowing in New Zealand. She says selection based on an athlete's results across the season allows people to go into nationals with more confidence.

"Selection just off nationals is quite tough and quite intimidating."

Ryan is one of 60 representing the Tauranga Rowing Club, and club captain Anthony Averill says after winning the Blue Lake Rowing Regatta for the third consecutive year last weekend, they are also aiming for a medal tally this weekend as well.

"Our rowers and coxers and fours have been working really hard," Averill says.

"We've got strong athletes from all schools. We're hoping we're going to do well in all age group levels."

Ryan started rowing as a 13-year-old in Year 9, an interest sparked by friends wanting to try it out. She jumped in a boat and loved it, especially the physical aspect of the sport.

"I like working hard for something."

While she started out as a pair, she enjoys being in a single scull just as much as being in the double, saying both are just as rewarding as the other but for different reasons.

"I was really lucky to have a partner from the start ... to get a strong partner to stick with throughout for three years.

"You rely on yourself," she says of being out on the water alone.

"I really enjoy it. I would love to stick it out."

And that means more 5-7.30am mornings on the water up to five times a week, and plenty of gym work outside of that.