Rowing: World champs bid rescued by anonymous donors

Rowing New Zealand's (RNZ) bid to stage the 2010 world championships at Lake Karapiro has been rescued by anonymous donors.

A Cambridge farming couple have provided the $150,000 deposit to enable RNZ to proceed with the purchase of a specialist weed-harvesting machine pivotal to the bid.

The course needs to be weed free when a delegation from the international rowing federation, Fisa, visits in either February or March to inspect facilities.

RNZ chief executive Craig Ross confirmed he had gone ahead and placed an order yesterday for the $320,000 specialist rowing course aquatic weed harvesting machine.

And a group of 15 Lake Karapiro residents, who are also seeking anonymity, have also pledged another $150,000 towards the bid, in the form of a debenture.

"(The loan) gives us a bit of time to work with the gaming trusts we've applied to for grants," Ross said.

Karapiro Rowing Incorporated, which runs regattas at Karapiro, has applied for $80,000 in grants from four different gaming trusts to cover the cost of the weed harvesting machine.

The machine was needed to combat a worsening weed problem on the 2000-metre rowing course on the lake.

It will take 10 weeks to build and will be available to use from the first week of January.

Ross said it would take about a month to clear existing weed from the course, in time for major summer regattas on the lake including the March national championships.

In the meantime power generator and RNZ sponsor Mighty River Power has agreed to provide the use of its Lake Whakamaru weed harvester to Karapiro to clear weed from the start and finish areas of the rowing course to enable club regattas to proceed from the start of the season next month.

- nzpa