Rowing: Tide turns for long-established club

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Mahe Drysdale is being hailed as the new Rob Waddell. He is also the face of a resurgent West End Rowing Club.

After years in the backwaters, the 119-year-old club is back.

West End surprised many at this year's national championships by winning the Centennial Oar, as overall points winners in all rowing/sculling events, and sharing the Centennial Oar, for points in sculling races, with Union (Christchurch).

West End last won the Oar in 1979 (they won both that year) and the Scull in 1981.

The 100-member club is blossoming at its new base at Saunders Reserve, off Rosebank Rd, four years after having to moving from Westhaven when the police and others took over its site as their America's Cup headquarters.

"There is a new-found enthusiasm," club captain Lloyd Banton said. "It took years to get the necessary approval to build where we are. We had a couple of years sharing upper harbour facilities with the Te Atatu club.

"Now we have the best water in Auckland. We have an established 1500m course which can be extended to 2000m depending on the tide.

"The Whau River allows us to go up to 5km either way, which takes us right up to Ken Maunder Park if we need to."

Moving to the new facility has led to an increase in membership.

"For the first time I can remember, we had junior men's and women's eights at the nationals," Banton said.

Although a joint arrangement with Avondale College foundered, the club retains links with Baradene College. Other youngsters compete as club members.

Drysdale's win in the champion (premier) single sculls was the first for the club since John White's success in 1979.

Before that Murray Watkinson won a record nine times from 1964-74. Don Rowlands gave the club their first success in the glamour event in 1953 when he won his first of five successive titles.

The strapping Drysdale won by two lengths in only his second season in sculling.

He was also a member of the bronze medal-winning premier coxless four and premier eight.

In the club grade - below premier and senior - West End won the men's and women's eights.

The trek to the national championships in the South Island is a time-consuming and costly venture.

"It took me 24 1/2 hours over two days to get home," said Banton. "We took three eights, seven fours, four pairs/doubles and five singles to Lake Ruataniwha. The ferry crossing alone cost $1700."

Winning the Centennial Oar gave the club real hope that it had broken the domination enjoyed in recent years by Waikato and Canterbury clubs.

"We had an inkling we might be in with a chance when we won the equivalent trophy at the North Island championships three weeks earlier."