Invercargill claim points decision at SI Masters rowing

The first weekend of Winter, coupled with stunningly snowy scenery, saw the 2019 South Island Masters hosted by Wakatipu Rowing Club in Queenstown at Queen’s Birthday Weekend. The event was boosted by the 304 competitors aged between 27 and 84 that entered– about an 80% increase on previous years!

The spectacular event started with the rare opportunity to race the Long Distance on Frankton Arm – the first time the ‘main’ Lake has been raced on in about 30 years. Launching from Frankton Beach on Saturday morning, crews took a much-needed 4km warmup to the starting line at Kelvin Heights slipway, racing back towards the new Frankton Marina.

Photo: Invercargill masters rowing: Pic: Rowing Celebration

Twelve North Island Clubs attended the regatta. Not surprisingly, Hamilton’s composite crew were the fastest women’s long distance quad with Caroline Meyer, Georgina Earl (both nee Evers-Swindell), Kate Fitzgerald (nee Robinson) and Fiona Paterson of Wairau, winning the Port Parrot trophy. The crew were also the Pink Paddle fastest 1k women’s quad in Sunday’s Lake Hayes racing.

The Smash and Grab trophy for the fastest men’s long distance eight was won by Auckland composite, and the fastest women’ s eight went to Avon’s A age-group crew.

Mixed racing took place Saturday afternoon on Lakes Hayes in sunnier conditions, before Sunday’s full programme commenced in perfectly calm and misty conditions.

The men’s Mock Rooster fastest four were a “Dunstable” Dunstan Arm crew and the women’s fastest four winners were Invercargill’s Jacqui van Dam, Ginny Sweeney, Celia Russell and Katrina Allen.

Dunstan’s Simon Smith won the Jack Coker Upside Down fastest men’s single trophy and Union Canterbury’s Kirsty Mahoney was the Parker Accountant women’s single trophy winner for a second-year running

A who’s-who of rowing-recent-past battled for the Don Gardiner fastest men’s double trophy. Nathan Cohen and Italian representative Daniele Danesin took out the 2019 title. The Robin Gardiner fastest women’s double was won by North Shore.

Wakatipu‘s Andrew Jolly, Chris Brooks, Gary Jack and Nick Bailey were the fastest men’s quad on home water, winning the Golden Scull.

A new trophy for the fastest women’s pair on handicap was presented by Oamaru and Port Chalmers Rowing Clubs, in memory of Georgina Salter MNZM. Fittingly two also-netballers, Sarah Hamilton and Clåire-Louise Bode of Waihopai, won the first-time award.

Invercargill Rowing Club was the overall points winners, by only one point from Dunstan Arm RC, and a further one point back to Avon RC in third.

Wakatipu’s organising committee, dubbed the “Tight Five” by convenor John Frampton, crowned the weekend off with a soiree in Coronet Peak ski-field’s pavilion, hosted by many Club helpers. Special mention was made of Wakatipu Junior Volunteer, Jacob Downing, and the epic amount on emails and correspondence from North Shore’s Karen Bryant.

Thanks to Jock Jolly, Christina Shaw, Fiona Boyer and Chris Walker, along with John, for a truly unique weekend of masters racing and celebration.