As world championship oarsman Mark James surveyed the chaos outside Tauranga Rowing Club on Saturday, even he had to concede backers of a major watersports festival on The Strand might be on to something.
James, who stroked the New Zealand men's eight to world championship bronze on Lake Karapiro in 1978, supports shifting Tauranga's biggest rowing regatta northward along Tauranga harbour into the CBD.
Saturday's half-day 500m sprint regatta adjacent to the Rowing Club's Memorial Park base was overflowing with competitiors and spectators who had come from as far away as Christchurch for the early-season shakedown.
Six of New Zealand seven world champions _ men's pair George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle, women's pair Juliette Haigh and Nicky Coles and double sculling twins Caroline and Georgine Evers-Swindell _ raced as a mixed eight crew. Parking was at a premium _ made trickier by torrential rain _ as 250 mainly secondary school rowers manoeuvred in and out of the tide.
CoachForce development officer Mark Elphick said the time had come to expand the regatta to an all-day watersports festival on The Strand, encompassing other paddle sports such as waka ama and dragon boating.
"We're trying to work with the (Tauranga City) council along those lines _ a Christmas festival-type event in the middle of the city that's spectator friendly.
"It would have the potential to be a major highlight on the city's sporting calendar."
Rowers on Saturday were restricted to a 500m burst, starting adjacent to Grace Road and finishing by the Rowing Club. Moving to The Strand would give organisers 1000m to work with.
James, who shifted to Tauranga two years ago and is club captain of the Tauranga Rowing Club, said there were opposing views about lengthening the regatta.
"I'm supportive of (moving the regatta up the harbour to the CBD) in the respect that it will be better for the community and more of a spectacle.
"We're also restricted more and more here at our present site by the tide and sand being deposited close to the shore.
"From a purely club perspective though we'd probably rather see it where it is because it's good to see everyone at our club and using the facility."
Tauranga crews do the bulk of their racing on Lake Karapiro but both Elphick and James agreed it was time to piggyback on rowing's growing profile after four world titles in Japan.
Kelly Exelby
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