The Union Boat Club in the late 1890s.
Historic National Rowing event back on the Whanganui River
The Whanganui Rowing Association spring/summer season gets underway this weekend with a doubleheader regatta.
On Saturday, October 9, the 2021 New Zealand Interprovincial Regatta is on, comprising 12 races in eight and four-person skiffs, to be rowed on the Upper River Course.
The programme
starts at 2pm, with long term weather predictions looking good for the event.
The decision of the Association to take on the interprovincial regatta organisation again has not been able to be taken lightly due to the extraordinary conditions of the "covid age".
Event organiser Bruce Osborne has been working hard with NZ Rowing and authorities to ensure attendance at and functioning of the regatta sits under Government covid restrictions.
"We have entries from Wellington, Waikato, Whanganui and East Coast Bay of Plenty Composite. Fingers crossed on Waikato entries.
We think we have covid regulations covered for attendance at the Inter-Provincial Regatta."
Spectators will be restricted to one of two zones: Upriver zone runs from the course start to rowers' camp; downriver zone runs from the finish line at the Association shed/Collegiate School shed complex to the rail bridge.
Please stay in your zone!
On Sunday, October 10 is the annual Richard Tonks small boats race for singles and double sculls skiffs. The event starts 9.30am from Aramoho-Wanganui Rowing Club downriver to Treadwell Gordon building and back to up to Club. That's about 6 km. Spectator viewing is best from one of the bridges; Dublin or Rail.
