Rotorua rower Keith Fraser, 93, competes in Dewar Shield Blue Lake Regatta

Keith Fraser was in his 70s when he decided to challenge himself with a new hobby.

Now, the Rotorua 93-year-old is on the water as a competitive rower any chance he can get.

“Rowing has kept me on my feet for quite a while,” said the Rotorua Rowing Club member.

The nonagenarian was one of many competitors taking part in the 2024 Dewar Shield Blue Lake Regatta at the weekend.

Fraser said he had lost count of how many races and regattas he had taken part in since returning to rowing, which he first experienced in dinghies as a boy.

“[I] initially started rowing row boats when I was about 10. That was many years ago.”

Fraser’s family once had a bach at the Manukau Harbour, which came with a “20ft [boat we] used to launch”.

“[That was] the first time I got into a row boat.”

He went on to play a range of sports and forge a career in the Army.

A friend inspired Fraser to get back to rowing one day in his 70s,

“He was talking about going out in his rowboat here [Rotorua]. I said, ‘oh I rode once years ago’.

“He said ‘well, come down … we’ll get you in the double’.

“He took me out in a double scull. That was about 22 years ago.”

At 93 years old, Keith Fraser loves rowing and regularly takes part in races and regattas. Photo / Andrew Warner

He decided to challenge himself to take up the new hobby.

Asked if the sport took a few years to master he jokingly said, “not that long!”

Fraser said he had been “rowing as regularly as possible” with “as many different people as possible”.

At the weekend, Fraser competed in four rowing races, including a double, quad and eight-person rowing competition.

Fraser’s favourite part of being in a crew was “getting everybody to work together”.

“If you’re not working together, it can be quite uncomfortable. If it’s working together it’s lovely.

“It’s a wonderful feeling.”

Keith Fraser, far left, pictured at the weekend's regatta.

Rotorua Rowing Club president Barbara Neale said theweekend regatta involved about 423 rowers and their supporting friends and family.

There were 18 rowing clubs competing from across the North Island. Competitors were aged from 14 to Fraser’s 93.

In the mixed masters octuple sculls, Fraser’s crew – with him at one end of the boat and a 14-year-old coxswain at the other – placed third in the A-final. With Brian Walford, he placed seventh in the heats and sixth in the finals of the men’s double, and in the mixed masters coxless quad sculls Fraser’s crew placed sixth in the heat and B-final.

Neale said Fraser was a “really passionate rower” and many club members looked up to him.

“They all say ‘I want to be rowing at 93′.”

She said there were a lot of rowers aged 65 and over in the regatta.

Neale described the sport as requiring “power and finesse, strength and relaxation all at the same time” and the sport “strengthens your bones and your lung capacity”.

“Rowing is a mental challenge that is demanding and requires concentration.

“You often watch the sun come up when you’re on the water. You come [into shore], you’ve done this exercise.

“You’ve got all the blood roaring around your body and your brain switched on,” Neale said.

“On the water, [especially] when you are learning, everyone is equal.”

Michaela Pointon is an NZME reporter based in the Bay of Plenty and was formerly a feature writer.