Rowing: Family to make regatta history

BUSY TRIO: Jessica Norris, left, Morgan Davies and Stephen Van der Peet will be among the Hawke's Bay Rowing Club's busiest competitors next week. PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN

STRUGGLING to conceal one's excitement is never easy ... just ask Hawke's Bay rower Stephen Van der Peet.

He had every right to be buzzing as he completed his training for the Hawke's Bay Rowing Club's annual New Year's Regatta which will be staged on the Clive River on Monday and Tuesday. When Van der Peet, 20, joins older brother Michael, 22, father Greg and younger brother Adam, 16, in a four coxed by his 19-year-old sister Kirsten it will be the first time in the history of the regatta a crew of four or more rowers will be made up of members of one family.

"It will be the first time we've all competed in the same boat together but we will still be aiming for a podium finish," Van der Peet said.

In the open and club eight events and open and club double events, which Van der Peet will tackle with Adam, victories are the goal. A sixth-year rower, Van der Peet, will join Jessica Norris and Morgan Davies as the host club's busiest starters next week.

Van der Peet is home from Otago Polytechnic where he is completing applied sciences and physical health and wellbeing courses. He is making the most of the opportunity to train with Bay crews in the countdown to the January 28-30 North Island championships at Lake Karapiro and the February 14-18 nationals in Twizel.

Like Van der Peet, who will row in Dunedin when he returns to the South Island, fourth-year rower Davies, 17, is coached by New Year's honour recipient Doc McDonald and former New Zealand representative Jock Mackintosh. Davies will compete in open and club eight events as well as the open pair event with James Brott next week.

Davies and Brott won the men's club coxless pair A final at the December 17 and 18 Lake Karapiro-hosted Christmas Regatta and they are hoping to qualify for the Lightweight Premier Pair event at nationals.

"Hopefully we can win all three events and help Hawke's Bay retain the trophy for the top club. It's been a long time since Hawke's Bay hasn't won that trophy," Davies said.

A Napier Boys' High School product, Davies, will head to Auckland University in February to begin engineering studies. He will continue to row while based in the City of Sails.

Woodford House product and fourth season rower Norris, 18, also had a memorable Christmas Regatta campaign. She won the women's senior double scull A final with Kate Laracy and finished second in the women's senior single scull A final.

In addition to these two events Norris will also race in a quad crew next week.
"It's a smaller regatta compared with previous years so we will be looking to win all events," the Michael Harrison-coached Norris said.

"I was happy with the Christmas Regatta and I will be aiming for a medal in the single at nationals. Kate and I will also be eyeing a medal in the double on Lake Ruataniwha," she added.

A national champion with the Bay club's women's club coxless quad last February, Norris will start industrial relations and human resource management courses at Waikato University in February. She will continue to row while in Hamilton.

Seven clubs from throughout the North Island will be represented at the regatta. Racing begins at 11am on Monday and 8am on Tuesday.

While this regatta is traditionally seen as a key rehearsal event for the North Island and national championships, several Hawke's Bay rowers - including Mackintosh, Greg and Belinda Van der Peet - will be eager to record quality times as they prepare for the Lake Karapiro-hosted world masters championships in April.