Blue Baths fundraiser a roaring success

SENT TO THE DAILY POST 29.6.10

The fundraiser- ‘High Tea & Bubbly & Concert & Fun Auction’ at the Blue Baths was a roaring success. Master of Ceremonies for the afternoon; Mr Steve Pinder, Regional Manager of Westpac  welcomed  the Chairman of NZ Rowing; Bill Falconer and his wife Olive, former mayor of Rotorua; Grahame Hall and his wife Sandy,  RBHS principal Chris Grinter and his wife Tuey, RGHS Principal Annette Joyce, former Mayoress of Rotorua; June Woolliams, Chief Executive; Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust ;Stuart Burns and his wife Andrea, Captain of the Rotorua Rowing Club; Kevin Cooney and his wife Marilyn  and a full room of discerning Rotorua patrons.

260 people attended the Blue Baths spectacular to help raise funds for the 3 Rotorua rowers; Julia Edward (NZ U23 Women’s Lightweight 2X crew) Laura Fischer (NZ U23 Women’s 4X crew) and Nigel Van Den Akker (NZ Junior Men’s 4+ crew)  going to the U23 and the Junior World Championships in Belarus and Czech Republic.

The rowers were introduced, by Steve Pinder, to a novel ‘question and answer’ section of the proceedings and the MC had the audience in fits of laughter from the beginning.

 “So you’re a lightweight” Pinder asked Julia Edward ;the U23 Women’s Lightweight Double Sculler.

“What does that mean?” Julia replied “All the lightweight women have a weight restriction of  57 kilo ”.

“Each limb” pondered Steve ” or is that 2 limbs?”

After a detailed and almost expert investigation of the workings of the Women’s quad sculls, Steve asked Laura Fisher... “ So how do you steer it?” Laura replied “ there is a pedal under the ‘stroke’s’ foot.” “Are you the ‘stroke’?”asked Steve. Laura’s replied ”No- I used to be stroke but not at the moment” . Steve inquired “Any aspirations to steer?”. In response to the laughter in the audience Steve explained “ I don’t know a lot about rowing. I ’m not a rower…“ pausing, he added “…I’m an athlete”

Turning his attention to Nigel Van Den Akker; the Junior Men’s Coxed Four rower, Steve asked. “Nigel – Are you single?” “Yes” replied Nigel smiling . “ Good-you’re Lot 12 then”

The concert, guest starred Tim Beveridge. Tim was born in Rotorua and has performed in numerous musicals including ‘Chess’ with the NZ Tour Company ;Stetson Productions,  ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ as Peter - the Principal Role for the Harry M Miller Production , ’The Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Sunset Boulevard’ , and also is an accomplished performer for TV; ’ Xena Warrior Princess’, ‘Orange Roughies’ and ‘Shortland Street’. Tim’s breathtaking vocal range was very evident in his performance of the  Charles Aznavour song ‘She’ (most recently  in the movie ‘Notting Hill’) for all the ladies in the audience with backing from ‘Dr Barry Smith Band’; Bill Anderson on drums, Neil Blackmore on bass and Barry on guitar, and the NZ Symphony Orchestra .  Beveridge’s  passionate performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's ‘Music of the night ‘from ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ was the powerful highlight of the afternoon.

Julia Edward had asked Tim , prior to the function, if he might also ‘seduce’ her Mum in public and Tim took Mum; Sue Edward, for a dramatic twirl on the dance floor as he serenaded her . With the phenomenal backing of the talented ‘Dr Barry Smith Band’ , Tim joined with ‘The Edward Brothers’; Harry, Dave, Ian and Stewart for a beautiful and emotional rendition of the Louis Armstrong song ‘ What a wonderful world’.

The Edward Brothers vocal prowess, set the scene for a  relaxed afternoon from a bygone era. With their soulful ‘ Besame Mucho’ , ’ Lucky ol’ sun’ and a poignantly beautiful ‘ Forever Young ‘ for the 2 ‘older’ ladies in the audience; Julia’s Edwards grandmother ;Isla Edward, 94  and Marj Peters 96 ;great grandmother to rowers; Harry and Luke Simperingham and Laura James and grandmother to  Masters rower; Christine Hobbs. The Edward Brothers dedicated, to all the parents in the audience; an harmonious  ‘Teach your Children’- the Crosby Stills and Nash and Young song.

 To the delight of all attending, Declan Cudd, a student at John Paul College; accompanied on keyboard by his teacher,Claire Mason; added class beyond his years, with his ethereal performance.

The tickets and the fun auction raised considerable funds for the three rowers and Laura, Julia and Nigel say a big “Thank You” to all the Rotorua Businesses and the Daily Post and the Weekender for their generosity. The U23 and Junior World Championships races will be televised and details will be confirmed shortly to the Daily Post.

Rob Waddell helps the fundraiser…

I travelled to , on behalf of Laura, Julia and Nigel, to have Rob Waddell sign the oars which will be auctioned at the High Tea &Bubbly and Concert Sunday 27^th June. We chatted about rowing (he talked about rowing -I thought it better to listen as I decided my meager knowledge would be discovered rather quickly, under the circumstances). I  mentioned Harry was finding the technical style of Yale a little different from New Zealand, especially ‘the finish’. Rob said he had noticed Canada had had a very dramatic’ finish’  “but it wins races.” He added “America has the times too”.

He humourously related how when he was to be coached by Dick Tonks (Head Coach of the Rowing NZ High Performance Team) he said to himself; “ I’ll give him a year. If he says ‘Jump!’ I’ll say ‘How high’.”

 

Hi all.

 Finally made it to the seventh week. I've just been enjoying the weekend off catching up with friends, family and lost sleep. This has been the one and only weekend off to give Steve and Michelle a well earned break from us.

 Well this week has been the hardest so far, with full on trainings all the way up to Friday. We have been pacing Laura Fischers U23 quad which has really helped push ourselves to perform and we have really benefited from this. I even overheard our coach Bruce telling another coach that we have had an outstanding week which is always a good boost.

 We have had a nutritionist and psychologist come talk to us which left us with a few good pointers. We have been told that it is best to have some sort of lollies after afternoon rows, which helps cuts muscles recovery time by around a third, from 72 hours to 24 hours, which is a huge amount. Boys have to have either 6 jetplanes, snakes or 30 jelly beans while girls only half of this. They have to be taken within 5 minuites after training, so Michelle has begun bagging jetplanes which our coxswain gives to us on the pontoon straight after training.

 The Psychologist was also quite intersting but just emphasised that at the top levels of sport, natural talent is just not enough and that races are won using the top two inches. This is absolutly right and so we should go into every training with 100% and even make goals for every training, such as improving a part of your technique like keeping your arms straight( aye Rob! Robs been telling me this for years ), so even if the row isn't the best you can say, well I completed my goal and so I have achieved something.

 We have now finished at St Peters as the school is now on holiday so we will be continuing with our schooling at the high performance centre over the next three weeks.

 I may have caught up with some of you at the fundraiser at the Blue Baths. Thanks everyone for your continuing support.

 Cheers Nigel

Julia promotes the Blue Baths fundraiser on GEYSER TV…

Fantastic to have Naomi ring from GEYSER TV. She found the blog and wondered if we might talk to someone about the award for ROWING CLUB OF THE YEAR. Glen Reichardt took up the reins and taped a piece on the 15^th June. GEYSER TV gave Julia Edward and Laura Fischer; going to the ‘U23s’ and Nigel Van Den Akker ;going to the ‘Junior World Champs’ some time too. Thanks GEYSER TV! We really appreciate it!

OUR COVER GIRL

The Rowing NZ ‘OARSPORT’ Magazine looks especially good this quarter with Claudia Hyde winning the U17 Single scull. Photo by Rob Bristowe

 

For our Novvies….
The Eight
Bow to stern ,the rowers are numbered;1-seat, 2- seat, 3-seat, 4-seat, 5-seat,6-seat , 7-seat, 8-seat
COX…… A cox (like Joel Murdoch) needs to be light and loud
STROKE …Good technique, good rhythm, fit and can push him or herself.
7 SEAT… is usually another very good technical rower who can lock onto whatever rhythm stroke seat is setting. 7 and 8  or 3 and 4 working together set the whole boat up.
6, 5,4,3 SEATS…usually tallest and strongest "put the muscle in the middle" . Someone tall like Jeff Francis (6’5 ½”), Harry Simperingham( 6’ 6 ¾”) or Nigel Van Den Akker (6’6“ )is called the ‘grunt’ or ‘muscle’(the biggest rowers)-therefore they are often put in the mid boat positions -3-seat was common,4-seat  or 5-seat
2 SEAT and 1 SEAT BOWMAN OR WOMAN..Usually smaller, but athletic and good technique as, especially in a fast eight, everything seems to be happening faster up at the front.
BOWSIDE - right hand side looking forward (starboard)
STROKESIDE - left hand side looking forward (port) Rowers with one oar row bowside or strokeside, although you should practice in both sides. Harry Simperingham rows ‘bowside’ and ‘strokeside’.
BOATS                                      
COXED EIGHT OAR : 8+ ( 8 rowers, 8 oars, cox )
COXED QUADRUPLE SCULL : 4x+ ( 4 scullers, 8 oars, cox )
COXLESS QUAD SCULLS: 4x-( 4 scullers, 8 oars, no cox )
COXED FOUR OAR :  4+ ( 4 rowers, 4 oars, cox )
COXLESS FOUR OAR  :  4- ( 4 rowers, 4 oars, no cox )
PAIR  :  2- ( 2 rowers, 2 oars, no cox )
DOUBLE SCULLS :   2x  ( 2 scullers, 4 oars, no cox )
SINGLE SCULL : 1X ( 1 sculler, 2 oars, no cox )
GLOSSARY
ROWER or SWEEP OARSMAN: ‘rowing ‘is when each man has one oar. In NZ we call all oarsmen ‘rowers’ nowadays.
SCULLER :Sculling is when each man has 2 oars.
STROKE : stroke side rower at the rear of the boat- all other rowers follow the stroke rate set by this person, therefore the name. Also the name for the start-finish of the use of the oar –a stroke. ‘Stroke ‘ is technically the best rower.
BOWSMAN : The first person over the finish line . Usually the smallest or shortest rower in the boat
BLADE: The ‘spoon’ or ‘blade’ is at the end of the oar shaft.
Puddle:…swirling shape in the water after the oar is taken out - the more power put into the water the bigger the puddle - tells the coach a lot.
COX :Cox or coxswain …often shortened to ‘coxn’ (pronounced ‘coxin’). The cox sits facing crew and course ahead and steers, coaches, motivates and follows training and racing plans set by the coach.
BOW  :The bow is the part of the boat to cross the finish line first.
STERN:  back of the boat
BOWSIDE:  :   bow side (oar on right side facing forward) - also starboard side for sailers
STROKESIDE: stroke side (left side oar facing forward)- also Port side.
RIGGERS: The aluminium outrigger or wing which holds the oars
DERIG: Usually a slang term for taking riggers off the boats and stacking on trailers ready for transport to and from regattas.
RIG: Add the riggers… ready to row
SKIFF :  The technical term for a rowing boat . We tend to use ‘boat’
BOAT NUMBER: The number attached to the front of the boat is the LANE number

PREMIER Class - all rowers can row in Prem class. After two years without qualifying as defined above, can step back to Senior class.

SENIOR Class - A rower who has not won a premier class race in the previous season, who has not competed at a FISA open or U23 championship or Olympic games,  a rower who cannot row in club class. After two years without placings in senior or prem events or representing NZ can regrade to Club class

MASTER a rower over the age of 27 who is not a senior or premier rower.
CLUB class -a rower who has not won an U21, senior, premier, national champs race in the previous season, or who was not Senior or Premier class in the previous season, or a rower who has not represented NZ in the previous season

NOVICE a rower who has not rowed in a previous season at any Provincial champs, Karapiro 1 or 2, Jury Cup, Head of the Harbour, NI, SI or National champs or NI, SI or National secondary schools champs or has not raced in two or more minor regattas.

Age Classification - a rower may row in an age limited event if they are under the specified age limit on the 1st of January in the year of the regatta. ie if 14 on the second of january can compete in U15 events during january to March.
LIGHTWEIGHT events for rowers under the following weights - males 72.5kg, females 59kg. Secondary schools events may be different.
OPEN for a small regatta - combined senior and premier as there would not be enough entries or enough time to run them separately

REDCOAT Heavyweight winner of a National Event

GOLDCOAT Lightweight winner of a National event

GREENCOAT Coach Winner of a National Event

ABBREVIATIONS

1X,2X,4X: Single, Double Sculls, Quad Sculls

2X+,4X+, 8X+: coxed double Sculls, coxed quad Sculls, coxed octagonal Sculls

2,4: pair, four oars

2+,4+, 8+: coxed pair, coxed four oars, coxed eight oars

2-,4-: coxless pair, coxless four oars

WU21 4X+: Womens Under 21 age group Coxed Quad Sculls

GU17 1X: Girls Under 17 age group Single Sculls

BU15 2X: Boys Under 15 age group Double Sculls

MU19 4X: Mens Under 19 Age group Coxed Quad Sculls

MP1X: Mens Premier Single Sculls

WS2X: Womens Senior Double Sculls

MO 4-: Mens Open coxless four oars

NM 4X+: Novice Masters Coxed Quad Sculls

BNU15 8+: Boys Novice Under 15 Age Group coxed eight oars

WPLTWT 1X: Womens Premier Lightweight Single Sculls

NISSC North Island Secondary School Champs

NZSSC New Zealand Secondary School Champs (MAADI)

 

Nice to see Mum and Dad

SENT TO The daily post 20.6.10

John Paul College student and Rotorua  rower, Nigel Van Den Akker was happy to see his parents at the 3^rd Winter Rowing Series at Lake Karapiro. He is living at the High Performance Rowing NZ Training Centre at Karapiro and doesn’t  see Mum and Dad very often.

Nigel had two  2km races on the Friday which “went alright - but  we have done better “ he said “. We got the 3rd best junior prognostic but we  hoped for better. Today's racing went way better at we did a way better time 6.32 so tomorrow we are wanting to get into the 6.20s”

Now wearing the 2010 NZ Junior Team uniform, Van Den Akker has lost a little over 2kg but gained a lot of muscle composition says Bruce Holden , Rowing NZ Coach of the Junior Mens Coxed Four . Holden and the four will be leaving for the 2010 Junior World Rowing Championships in  Racice, Czech Republic on the 21^st July.

The athletes nutrition and weight is monitored very carefully. “ The crew is being weighed every week . It is important they do not lose weight or get sick at this stage” Coach Holden said.  “There are technical points to fine tune which will improve the crew,” Bruce Holden added “but I’m happy - they are working towards 6:26 minutes (for a 2000m timed training)at the moment and I’ll be looking for 6:20 once they are overseas”. Once in Europe things change-the weather is warmer and the water conditions are hopefully better. The adrenalin of the international  event cannot be simulated and also adds speed to the boat  .

 

NZ rowing legends advise our Rotorua rowers

SENT TO The daily post 15.6.10

 

Rotorua has never had a rower selected to row for New Zealand, at  an Under 23 World Championship and this year we have two. Laura Fischer and Julia Edward will compete in Breast, Belarus (22- 25 July 2010).And 2010 is a special year for Rotorua Rowing as the club also has  rower Nigel Van Den Akker representing New Zealand at the 2010 Junior World Rowing Championships in  Racice, Czech Republic (4-8 August 2010).  When asked ‘What would be the Number one tip you would give a rower going to an international event?’ Mahé Drysdale, four-time World Champion Single Sculls, had these personal words for our Rotorua rowing stars…

“Number one tip would be enjoy yourself and the experience. Treat it like a local regatta at home so you don’t get over-awed by the regatta- and race your heart out. If you give it 100%, no matter the result , you have to be satisfied.”

Drysdale who  has won 4 consecutive World Rowing Championship Gold Medals from 2006 , is off to the Worlds, june 7th.Drysdale began rowing at university at the age of 18. He gave up rowing to concentrate on his studies, but began rowing again after watching fellow New Zealander Rob Waddell win gold at the 2000 Olympic Games. Although sick on the day of the final, Mahe still managed, in a courageous effort, to win the Bronze medal for the Single Scull at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

“My best effort at a World Rowing Championships was third”

 Olympian rower Eric Verdonk says modestly. Now 51, Eric won 7 New Zealand rowing championship titles in a row and a bronze medal  for the single scull at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Verdonk didn’t start rowing in a single- he did 5 years in ‘eights’ and ‘fours’. At the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, he won bronze in a race won by rowing legend Stephen Redgrave. Verdonk is a very  strategic rower.

“Don’t use all your energy in the first race or there will be nothing left for the last race and you get ‘the money’ in the last race” he says.“If you’re not in the final you can’t win.”

 

“Competing on the international arena is exciting and challenging”

 says Olympic Gold Medal winning rower Rob Waddell

“ You will learn a lot about yourself and find ways to improve in your sport.”

Waddell,35, holds the fastest 2000 meter indoor rowing machine time in the world, clocking a time of 5 mins 36.6secs (5:36.6). He also holds the record for 5000m on the rowing machine with a time of 14:58. This made him the first person to go sub 15min for this distance. But Kiwis are more familiar with Waddell’s rowing expertise on the water. He won 2 World Championship Gold medals for the Single Sculls - in 1998 and 1999 and the Gold for the Single Sculls at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.Waddell wished Van Den Akker , Edward and Fischer luck and had this advice for them ;

·         “Practice excellence daily- we are what we do repeatedly.   

·         It’s not meant to be easy, training will be grueling, just get used to it

·         Your races will be won or lost by the quality of your preparation beforehand.

·         Don’t go in hoping to do well, go in knowing you are going to.

·         Forget about the outcome and focus on the only thing that matters – making a boat go fast.

·         Lastly, a quote from Sir Ed, ‘It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves” . ”

 

Our 3 rowers pay their own way until they graduate from the Under 23 team and make the ‘big time’; like Mahe Drysdale and  past legendary rowers  Eric Verdonk and Rob Waddell, and join the Rowing New Zealand Elite Squad. Each rower will have to pay $7,500.00, to go to their respective World Champs. This is made particularly difficult by the short 10 week time frame they have, to raise the total amount. The stress of this looms over these young people while they are training 3 times a day. They are already situated at Rowing New Zealand’s training Centre at Lake Karapiro and are unable to fundraise for their trip.

 

Hi all

So now we are coming to the end of the 5th week and the 2nd to last  winter series. We had two 2km races on Friday which went alright but  we have done better. We got the 3rd best junior prognostic but we  hoped for better. Today's racing went way better at we did a way better time 6.32 so tomorrow we are wanting to get into the 6.20s.For all those who got the wrong idea about lactate testing ( Martin )  I’ll explain. You row on an erg at certain pace for 6min and then you have a minute off and then they take blood from your ear and test how much lactate  is in your blood. You then do another 6min at a faster pace and then they take another sample. You keep doing this until you get certain  level and then you stop. I had to stop after doing 7 lots of 6min. It  was around the average time for guys. So I hope that clears things up.

Last week we had a few niggles with crew injuries but I think they are  finally sorted out which will be good seeing as next we stepping up the trainings. Well that's all for now so you will just have to wait until next week.

Cheers Nigel

AMP $10,000 scholarships

Hi All-AMP are offering $10,000 scholarships to people of NZ – Helping Kiwis do great things. www.doyourthing.co.nz .The applicants all have to put in submissions about themselves and their goals, now the next step is to get people voting for them and the people’s choice wins.  There are a number of great rowers on there and I hope you all get voting for them. Thanks again,

Andrea J Harper,Manager: Waikato High Performance Rowing Center 

www.wrpc.co.nz   andreaharper@rowingnz.com

ph + 64 7 823 4587,  mob + 64 21 801 860,   fax + 64 7 823 4589

 

NEWSFLASH SPARC High Performance Announcement

 

As you may be aware, this morning at the Millennium Institute in Auckland the Prime Minister announced a massive funding injection into high performance sport and a fundamental shift in the way high performance sport is delivered in this country.

Over the next three years the Government, through SPARC, will inject an extra $45 million into high performance sport, with an extra $20 million annually after that.   By 2013, funding for high performance sport will be more than $60 million a year. 

This is an incredibly exciting time for high performance in this country and the start of a great journey for us as we look not only to 2012, but to 2016 and beyond.

This funding will advance both infrastructure development and the system of support for our top athletes.  This means a major expansion at the Millennium Institute, with facilities also to be developed at QEII in Christchurch, rowing and canoe racing high performance centres at Lake Karapiro; a centre for sailing, triathlon, and ocean kayaking at Takapuna; a new high performance bike centre; and regional Academy feeders in Wellington and Dunedin.

For athletes, the funding will help us create a hothouse environment, where we will boost our world class talent pool in coaching, sports science and medicine, and technology and innovation. This is also about ensuring streamlined financial support for our athletes with a focus on the right programme, at the right time, in the right place for them.

A new High Performance Board has been established within SPARC charged with overseeing this new direction.  This Board is made up of SPARC Board members: Paul Collins (Chair of SPARC Board and Chair of HP Board); Bill Birnie (Deputy Chair SPARC Board); Katie Sadleir; and Don Mackinnon. The HP Board also has two external directors, NZX Chief Executive and former Olympic Swimmer, Mark Weldon, and Olympic Triathlon Gold medallist, Hamish Carter.

 

For more information please go to http://www.sparc.org.nz/en-nz/About-SPARC/Media/ 

 

Kind regards

Peter Miskimmin, Chief Executive,SPARC

Paula Ryan, PA to Chief Executive, SPARC,Tel: 04 472 8058 x 3966, 021 871 117

 

Hi all- nearly at the end of the 4th week. Training are getting way 

more intense now, this week we have already had 13 trainings so I am 

pretty shattered. I might have shin splints aswell from the all the 

running that we have been doing lately which sucks as that will mean 

more ergs. I am seeing a physio on Monday which will hopfully get that 

sorted out. Paintball tomorrow, so hopefully it's not raining 

otherwise it will be called off AGAIN. We all had strength testing 

last week on the dyno's which went really well and very intersting at 

the same time to see where you were at compared to everyone else. We 

have also had skin fold tests and have lactate testing on Tuesday 

which sounds pretty interesting. Well that's all for now

Nigel

Sent from my iP

PANADOL ADVERT                                                                                                                                                                                 Ads@6 - TV One, 10 October 2009  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXyJNOeLC4U&feature=related                                                                                                                                       A bit of trivia. Most of you will have seen the TV advertisement with the rower whose back pain is cured by taking Panadol. The scene on the erg was shot in our clubs main shed and the ‘on the water’ shot was filmed on Lake Tarawera.                                                                           Chris Pearson    

 

PHOTO : Thank you again to Boris Suvak

2010 Intercollegiate Rowing Association( IRA) National Championships(USA)

Harry Simperingham’s Men's Open Four- B Final raced today.

Place                                     Time     

1              Harvard                   06:33.031

2              Princeton                 06:35.623

3              BU                           06:37.027

4              Navy                        06:39.384

5              Yale                         06:40.834

 

Men's Varsity Lightweight Eight IRA National Championship 2010

A FINAL YALE 4th TIME 05:39.256

LIGHTWEIGHT  Men's Varsity Four   IRA National Championship 2010 Official

B FINAL  YALE 1st  TIME  06:24.573

Men's Second Varsity Eight IRA National Championship 2010 Official

 B FINAL YALE 4th TIME 05:47.934

Men's Varsity Eight IRA National Championship 2010 Official

B FINAL YALE 5th TIME 05:36.935

Men's Freshman Eight IRA National Championship 2010 Official

C FINAL YALE 4th  TIME 06:02.202                 

 

Photo HARRY SIMPERINGHAM TRAINING AT GALE FERRY…WHERE THE YALE HARVARD REGATTA IS RACED

 5^th June 2010 IRA National Championship Results 2010 USA

Harry Simperingham rowing in Men's Open Four at the National Championships today came 5^th TIME 06:36.511 and goes to the B FINAL

[9:54:33 AM] ann: how are the other Yale crews doing?

[9:55:12 AM] Harry Simperingham: same.

[9:55:19 AM] Harry Simperingham: exactly the same,

[9:55:40 AM] ann: all in b finals?

[9:55:50 AM] Harry Simperingham: they all got fifth in the semis

[9:56:46 AM] Harry Simperingham: except the freshman eight.

[9:57:17 AM] Harry Simperingham: they got fifth in the repechage.. so they're in the c final.

 

LIGHTWEIGHT  Men's Varsity Four  Results > IRA National Championship 2010 Official SEMI FINAL YALE 5th  TIME 06:36.511 à B FINAL Men's Freshman Eight Results > IRA National Championship 2010 Official REPECHAGE YALE 4th  TIME 05:48.764à C FINAL Men's Second Varsity Eight Results > IRA National Championship 2010 Official SEMI FINAL YALE 4th TIME 06:05.649à B FINAL Men's Varsity Eight Results > IRA National Championship 2010 Official SEMI FINAL YALE 5th TIME 05:43.081à B FINAL

 

 

PHOTOS; TOP TO BOTTOM; ALASTAIR RIDDLE, GLEN REICHARDT, CHRIS PEARSON, ROB FRANCIS, EJ REICHARDT,LUKE SIMPERINGHAM

Rotorua Rowing Club’s Coaching Team - a winning combination.

Rowing NZ’s ‘Club of the Year’ for 2010-2011. RRC awarded ECNZ Trophy.

RRC is a small rowing club which supports a Masters team of 16, and 54 school rowers from 6 Rotorua District school squads: - Rotorua Girls High School (RGHS), John Paul College(JPC), Rotorua Boys High School (RBHS), Rotorua Lakes High School (RLHS), Western Heights High School (WHHS) and 5 rowers now at University.RRC has a dedicated team of 7.

Last year the Coaching Team took a turn away from an individual school training program and trialed a club squad training program. This has proved to be a successful solution to a potential problem. Some schools were short of rowers and novices and some were short of coaches. RRC decided to team up and train together as a squad. At the more novice and junior levels; School rowers separate into ‘School crews’ for School regattas and looser combinations of ‘Mixed School crews’ for other regattas. The senior rowers row for their school or club or as composite crews for the Bay of Plenty ; Bay Coast, Tauranga and Whakatane crews, which extends them to their potential.

Head of Coaching at RRC; Alastair Riddle coached Julia Edward while she rowed for Rotorua Girls High School. Julia is a member of the Under 23 Lightweight Double crew going to Belarus this 2010 World Championship season. This year Alastair guided Riordan Morrell (WHHS ), to a win in the BU18 coxed Quad at the

‘North Island v South Island Regatta’. Alastair Riddle has coached at RRC, for 12 years.

“Seeing Athletes develop is my reward

for the time put in.”

Alastair, himself, rowed at High School in Christchurch. Alastair’s best tip for rowing:

“Imitate a squat jump –

everyone can do that without thinking”

Liz Harte’s reward this year has been seeing Laura Fischer (ex-Rotorua Lakes High School) gain a place in the Women’s U23 Quad going to the 2010 U23 World

Rowing Champs in Belarus.

Coach Rob Francis‘s affiliation to John Paul College’s senior rowers has resulted in success this year for JPC student; Nigel Van Den Akker. Nigel is a member of the 2010 JUNIOR coxed four to go to Racice, Czech Republic this July. Rob coached another senior JPC student; Claudia Hyde won the U17 Single at the NZ Secondary School Championships and went on to win the Girls U18 single and be part of the winning Girls U18 coxed Quad at the ‘North Island v South Island’ Regatta. Last season Rob Francis had 2 rowers selected to trial for the 2009 Junior Team; Jeff Francis and Nigel Van Den Akker.

Coach Chris Pearson rowed for Sacred Heart College in Auckland, in 1972 and 73 and was coached by Br Terrance Costello.

“I got into coaching after my 13 year old daughter

started rowing and they did not have a coach.”

Chris has coached at RRC for 12 years and the BOP Interprovincial Teams in 2008 and 2009.

“It is great being involved with youth

who are prepared to work hard to achieve

their goals in a good healthy environment.

It is great to help them achieve their dreams and

to see them develop and leave as young adults.”

Chris inspired his girls JPC seniors to Silver in the U19 Double sculls at the 2009 North Island Rowing Champs and a Silver for the U18 Double Sculls at the 2009 North Island Secondary School Champs. In 2008 Anna Colby represented New Zealand at the U21 Youth Cup and won Silver at the NI Rowing Champs in the lightweight Women’s Double Sculls and a Bronze at the NZ Rowing Champs in the double. Chris Pearson coached the Girls Quad win their 2008 Interprovincial event and coached his JPC Novice boys to wins in 2006 for the U17 Novice Quad and the 2006 North Island Club Novice Double Sculls. Chris’s best tip?

“While on the water don’t just drift along

for the sake of spending time on the water.

Make every stroke count.”

Coach Glen Reichardt has coached JPC and club for 6 years . Prior to coaching Glen had never rowed or coxed. The highlights of his season were a Gold at 2009 MAADI for U16 2X and all the JPC rowers this year either in an ‘A’ or ‘B’ final at MAADI. His tip?

“Fast hands and in time catches”

Glen’s daughter EJ Reichardt rowed for JPC and now coaches with her Dad.

“I began coaching in 2007 after a wrist injury

during my final school season and could no longer row comfortably,

 but I still wished to be involved in the sport.

So I would go out in the boat with Dad on the weekends”.

She had 3 seasons coxing and 3 seasons rowing and is a valued young coach. This will be her 4th season coaching.

“ I love seeing the students doing a sport

that they really love and I also enjoy seeing

them grow up, from Novice to Senior years.”

EJ ‘s highlights of her 2009-10 season were…the Gold for the U16 JPC Quad at 2010 North Islands and the Bronze at the 2010 Maadi Bronze. EJ’s advice for her rowers is…

“ Make sure the rowers are always enjoying what they do.

Enjoyment will mean that they want to put more effort in.”

Harry Ashby coached JPC boys last year and this year is coaching intermediate Club Boys. Harry started rowing at school and started coaching when his daughter took up the sport.

“It seemed like a good idea to help out where I could.

It is also the ultimate team sport and is such a positive environment

that is simply fun to be involved with.”

We have 3 new coaches joining the team this season, bringing the total to 10. Emma Cooper will be coaching Rotorua Lakes High School. She used to row for Rotorua Girls High School about 12 years ago. Anna Richardson; an ex-rower , is teaching at RGHS and will be training this year and Luke Simperingham ; a 17 yr old student has 3 yrs rowing with Rotorua Boys High School, behind him. Luke is a trainee coach at RRC until his hopeful entry into the NZ Air Force mid 2011. Luke’s advice;

“Train to race and race to train. If you lose a race,

you should see it as good training and while you’re training,

you should always push your hardest”

The results have been very pleasing this season’s end for Rotorua. RRC were 9th in the Centennial Oar and 7th in the Centennial Sculls.

New Zealand Representatives NZU23 Team ; Julia Edward,Laura Fischer ,NZ Juniors ;Nigel van den Akker

New Zealand High Performance Representatives North Island U18 ;Claudia Hyde,Riorden Morrell BOP Inter-provincial team; 13 rowers.

New Zealand Rowing Championships Rotorua rowers were part of teams that achieved 14 medals; 4 Gold, 6 Silver, 4 Bronze from 16 events entered. Julia Edward was awarded a Yellow Coat for her win in the Lightweight doubles.

North Island Secondary schools 31 events and made 11 ‘A’ finals ;4 Gold medals, 2 Silver medals,1 Bronze

New Zealand Secondary School Championships Entered in 19 events and made 7 ‘A’ finals ;1Gold medal, 3 Bronze medals In past years we have a number of rowers who have trialed for the U23s, Juniors, NZ University, U18s, Youth Olympics and Youth Cup teams. Laura Fischer and Harry Simperingham attaining Junior honours, Elisabeth Travis NZ University honours and Julia Edward and Anna Colby Youth teams. Harry has also gone on to attain a rowing scholarship to Yale University.