PHOTOS; Thanks to ‘Papers Past’ website.

History Of Rowing In Rotorua…

Rowing had been elevated to an internationally competitive sport by 1896 when it was entered for the Athens Olympics. Unfortunately due to high winds rowing did not occur and the sport had to wait for the Paris Olympics in 1900 to compete.

Two and a half years later the Rotorua Carnival began on the 24^th February 1903 and was a great success for locals, local businesses, visitors and tourists combined.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 5898, 25 February 1903, Page 2

“Rotorua was en fete today for the commencement of the first annual carnival. There were 2000 visitors and the Carnival opened with a rowing regatta on the lake.”

There were tennis and bowling tournaments, swimming events, bands playing in the fairy-lamped Sanitorium Grounds and a Masked Ball. There was considerable interest in the Sailing, Gig (Lifeguard boats) racing and Maori War Canoe racing; Crews came from Waikato and surrounding districts. On Opening Day the first event was a canoe parade, in which the large canoes took part. A highlight being the canoe Moungakawa followed by Te Iroiro, the big canoe dug up after thirty years under Rotoiti, and the Waikato’s racing canoe Whawhakia. The Carnival concluded on March 3^rd with the final of the Gentlemen’s Doubles in the Tennis Tournament.

By 1904 Messrs John Dewar and Sons Limited, of Perth and London, (the Dewar’s Whisky Company) had gifted a splendid trophy called the “Dewar’s Shield’ to be awarded to the novice winners of the ‘Maiden Fours Oarsmen’ at the annual ‘Rotorua Carnival  Regatta’, nowadays awarded to the overall points winning club at the ‘Blue Lake Regatta’.

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 139, 9 December 1933, Page 24

“Rotorua Regatta: Auckland Rowing Association, together with the Rotorua Advancement Committee will hold a regatta on January 13, 1934 at Ohinemutu on Lake Rotorua. Donations totaled 150 pounds. Held under control of the Auckland Rowing Association. Special trains will run from Auckland, Wellington and Wanganui”.