Rowing: Novice crew lift workrate

The Hawke's Bay Rowing Club's novice girls quad crew, Francesca Arlidge (left), Grace May, Erin Henare-Murton, Brooke Davies and cox Miriam Stone, during training yesterday. Photo / Duncan Brown

Girls seize chance to shine on Clive River

The blisters and shreds of sticking plaster tell the story ...

Hawke's Bay Rowing Club's novice girls quad crew of Brooke Davies, Erin Henare-Murton, Grace May, Francesca Arlidge and cox Miriam Stone are clocking up the hours in the build-up to the club's annual New Year's Regatta which will be staged on the Clive River on Friday and Saturday.

"We've almost finished the second day of a three-day training camp. We put in three hours a day on the water," Davies explained before the crew's twilight training session yesterday.

Among their dry-land activities are Boot Camp and Crossfit-type drills, regular runs and numerous stints on the erg rowing machine. After finishing second in their B final at their first outing, the Lake Karapiro-hosted Christmas Regatta earlier this month, the girls are eyeing wins this week and coach Cedric Bayly is confident.

"They've got great potential. They're nice and fit and we're expecting them to do well not only at this regatta but at the February nationals in Twizel and a month later at the Maadi Cup regatta in Karapiro when they will represent their schools," he said.

Few would question Bayly's confidence in the crew, who have been together for three months. In more than 25 years of coaching at the club, Bayly has had numerous success stories, with multiple world champion Emma Twigg among the most notable.

He pointed out the fact four of the five crew attend the same school, Woodford House, is a plus as there is already plenty of familiarity in the camp.

Arlidge and Hastings Girls' High School's Henare-Murton opted for rowing after hearing about the sport at school assemblies.

Arlidge's father John has a background in surf boat rowing on the surf lifesaving scene. Davies has a brother Morgan who rows and May's sister Abby is also handy with the oars.

Bayly will coach the crew for a year and then club captain Ross Webb will take over. Davies said the crew was relishing Bayly's advice and vast experience.

"He tells us pain is gain and when he yells at us we know that's good."

May and Arlidge will compete as a double this week and the four will also form half of a novice eight.

"Our main goal is to beat our club's intermediate eight crew. But at the same time we know visiting clubs will have some strong crews too," Davies said.

May said Twigg is a big inspiration and she is looking forward to meeting the Olympian at the event.

Bayly's crew will be among 90 rowers from the host club in action at the regatta. Visitors from Australia, Invercargill, Gisborne, Rotorua, Horowhenua, Porirua, Whakatane, Taupo, Auckland and Wanganui will swell the number of competitors to more than 220.

With so many rowers it will be a surprise if the host club doesn't retain the Hawke's Bay Cup for the most points. Last year Hawke's Bay finished 41 points ahead of second placegetters Aramoho of Wanganui.

Porirua will arrive with 35 rowers and Aramoho with 30. The various shootouts, including the women's single which Hawke's Bay's Ashlea Quirk won last year, and mixed double scull which Hawke's Bay's Hannah Bailey and William Sabiston won last year, are expected to be thrilling contests.