Jubilee crews relive their glory days

A Masters regatta at Lake Ngaroto brought back fond memories for participants and spectators at the Te Awamutu Rowing Club's 50th celebrations over the weekend.

Crews from as far as Waitara, Wanganui, North Shore, Mercer, Rotorua and Whakatane gathered to create a festive atmosphere and recount former regattas.

The Masters event is now the only one still staged at Lake Ngaroto, with the remainder now held at Lake Karapiro.

A highlight of the regatta was the jubilee event held during the lunch break.

What was initially billed as a 'fun row' quickly turned into a jubilee 'race', mostly due to the number of competitive former and current rowers involved (see crews listed below).

Included were several national representatives, many from Te Awamutu Rowing Club's golden era when it won the Centennial Oar (top NZ club) in 1981.

The Jubilee four (listed below) was the men's lightweight coxless four which won the national title at Lake Karapiro that year.

The Jubilee eight was coxed by former rower, Mick Henderson, who was in the crew (with Clive Steenson, Kevin Westgate and Steve Wilson) that won Te Awamutu's first provincial title (at the Waikato-BOP Champs) as a fledgling club.

Such was the enjoyment of the race that several of the rowers decided to put together a 'makeshift' mixed eight to compete in the last event on the Masters' programme, the open eight.

The crew (listed below) included former rep rowers, several who won national titles and went on to row for New Zealand.

Showing they clearly still had plenty of the skill (but perhaps not the fitness!) the crew finished fourth.

Te Awamutu Rowing Club was delighted to have their longserving starter, Eric Pitcon, on the line at Lake Ngaroto.

Mr Pitcon has been starter at almost every Te Awamutu Club regatta since 1966, both at Ngaroto and Karapiro.

Te Awamutu Rowing Club Jubilee Committee member Wendy Reynolds was pleased to receive positive feedback from visiting clubs and guests.

This message from Rob Prebble (Club Captain, Rotorua Rowing Club) was typical of those received after the event.

"Thanks for an awesome day, everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and we absolutely love the laid back approach you have to these regattas.

"Congratulations too on the 50th Jubilee, I'm sure the celebrations will have gone on long into the night."

JUBILEE CREWS

Jubilee eight: Steve Wilson, Owen Johnson, Mark Edwards, Neil Goodrick, Eddie Krielen, Gary Murtagh, John Edwards, David Potts, cox Mark Norris.

Jubilee coxless four: Michael Martin, Richard Glenn, Dean Hollobon, John Smyth.

Jubilee coxed four: Warren Ashdown, Julie (nee Ashdown) Maddox, Maree (Edwards) Sanson, Shirley (Ryan) Jenkins, cox Lochlan Mason.

Jubilee quad: Gill (Foster) Verburg, Raewyn (Lofthouse) Hunn, Alison (Flett) Crooks, Ruth (Van der Veen) Tuiraviravi, cox Cameron Reynolds.

Open eight: Michael Martin, Richard Glenn, Raewyn Hunn, Gill Verburg, Mark Dowty, David Potts, Ruth Tuiraviravi, Shirley Jenkins, cox Mick Henderson.