Photographs taken by Alison and Brian …….. Enjoy

WAITEMATA – TAKAPUNA REGATTA (31 October, 2009)
WOpen 4X 3rd Dominique, Laura, Hana, Rebecca WClub 1X 1st Rebecca
WOpen 1X 2nd Dominique
3rd Hana
4th Laura
5th Rebecca
WOpen 2X 1st Dominique/Laura

Our Novice girls raced for the first time without great success but they enjoyed the experience.

KRI SPRING REGATTA (21-22 November, 2009)
A Finals
WClub 1X – Rebecca 4th
WPrem 2X – 7th
WSen 1X – Rebecca 2nd
B Final
WPrem 1X – Dominique – 4th

NORTH SHORE REGATTA (28 November, 2009)
WOpen2X Laura/Dominique 4th
WOpen1X Dominique 2nd
Laura 3rd
Rebecca 4th
MNov8 Craig, Jamie K., Kieran, Jamie N.
Nick, Scott, James, Ethan 3rd
WClub1X Rebecca 1st
MNov4+ Nick, Jamie N., Kieran, Ethan 4th

The Novice boys had their first races and probably learned a thing or two about how competitive this sport is. Unfortunately the girls’ crews encountered misfortunes of the ‘collision’ variety and were frustrated in their efforts to be up with the leaders. Just like the boys they now realize how competitive rowing can be.

Rebecca is having a great start to the racing year and she has clearly improved on her efforts of last season.

Next regatta is at Mercer on December 5 and our Novice crews will be competing.

And now for some photographs………provided by Rebecca

Novice girls getting ready

Coaches

Craig Doughty (President, coach and past Waitemata rower) has compiled a great piece recording the formation of our club. Read on………

HOW “WAITEMATA ROWING CLUB” WAS FORMED

Prior to the formation of the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association, and the institution of local associations with full powers in the control of rowing events at regattas, there was, in addition to one or two freelance crews, a body voluntarily constituted by the Auckland, (formed before the present club) North Shore and Ponsonby Rowing Clubs, and known as the Auckland Rowing Association, and later as the Northern Rowing Union, but having no power over regatta committees, who framed their own rules. As one rule read – “Three starters or no race,” it not infrequently happened that those crews who deemed their chance of winning too uncertain would not go to the post, and therefore no race. Feelings of bitterness and rancor arose in consequence.

On one Regatta Day, after the race had been abandoned, a meeting of rowing men took place in the grounds of the old Graving Dock. Feeling was running pretty high when the late Mr. W. G. Smith, our Grand Old Man, and for many years Vice-Commodore of the Club, in a characteristic manner (he was always a straight hitter) exclaimed “You’re a jolly lot of cocktails. I’ll find a crew that will not be afraid to take a licking.”

Mr. W. G. Smith
Founder of the Waitemata Boating Club 1883

“W.G,” ever a determined fighter, lost no time in making good his word. A meeting was convened, the response being altogether encouraging, and the Waitemata Boating Club was launched upon a career that has been a strenuous one, but withal, one to be proud and jealous of.

In the “New Zealand Herald” of October 17th 1883, there appeared the following paragraph. “the owners of the Whaleboat built by Baileys are thinking of forming a new Rowing Club.
A week later this advertisement was inserted once again into the New Zealand Herald.

NEW ROWING CLUB

Formation of New Rowing Club
“A meeting of those interested in the above will be held
in the Waitemata Hotel this (Wednesday) evening the 24th
October at 8 o’clock
(Sgnd.) W. G. Smith,
Sec.pro tem.”

The meeting was duly reported thus:-
“A largely attended meeting was held last evening at the Waitemata Hotel to consider the advisability of forming a new rowing club. Mr. G. Gapes was elected to chair and briefly referred to the object for which the meeting had been called. After some discussion it was resolved that a Club be formed, to be called the “Waitemata Boating Club,’ and that it shall consist of an unlimited number of members. The annual subscription was fixed at 20/-with no entrance fee. A sub-committee consisting of Messrs Smith, Moore, McKay, Brannigan and Clark were appointed to draw up rules and by-laws, and report to a meeting to be held on the following Wednesday evening, when the election of officers will also take place.”

Another meeting was held on October 31st 1883, the Press report reading:-
“A largely attended and enthusiastic meeting took place at the Club Room, Waitemata Hotel. Mr. McDonald occupied the chair. The secretary read the report of the sub-committee together with the rules and by-laws which had been prepared. These after some minor alterations were adopted. A letter was read from the Hon. Sec of the A.R.A stating that the new club would be admitted to membership.”
“The following gentlemen were then elected to fill the various officers of the club”:-
Commodore: M. E. Mitchelson
Vice Commodore: Mr. R.E. Isaacs
Captain: Mr. W. J. MacDonald
Hon. Treasurer: Mr. W. G. Smith
Hon Secretary: Mr. Mr. G. Gapes
Committee: Messrs Clark, McKay, Findlay, G Moore, and E Moore.
Auditors: Messrs Jenkins and Brannigan.
“It was resolved to enter the Club’s whaleboat, the “Young Colonial,” for the Whau Regatta to be held on the 9th November 1883.

It was no mean achievement to launch successfully anything new in any department of activities in those days (the depression of the early 1880’s) as so many of the best of the younger generation had migrated to Australia which was then experiencing a boom. But “W.G” assisted by a few enthusiasts threw himself heart and soul into the new venture with the result that, by the time the following season opened, the Club was strong enough to enter upon a career that put it at once in the forefront, and made its name one to conjure with throughout New Zealand.

W.G Smith ever maintained his interest in the Blue and Gold’s. No appeal for advice and assistance ever met with a refusal, often both were given unsought. The loss of his genial and cheering personality was keenly felt by all those who had the privilege of associating with him. His memory is kept green within the club with the W.G. Smith Shield, donated by him whilst still amongst us on February 21st 1914 to commemorate the opening of the, then new, boat shed in Mechanics Bay.

You can download this file by clicking on the link below -

WRC_HOW THE Rowing Club was formed.doc

Waitemata Rowing Club applauds the fine performances of the NZ Rowing team at the 2009 World Championships held in Poznan, Poland.

The list of medal performances this year from Junior, U23 and Elite crews has been truly capped off by the winning efforts of Mahe Drysdale (1X), Hamish Bond & Eric Murray (2-), Duncan Grant (LW1X) and Peter Taylor & Storm Uru (LW2X).

CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE – Your performances are inspiring

Rebecca has joined a large representative team……

Here’s a list of all the rowers in the 2009 Inter-Provincial team.
2009 ARA I-P crews.doc

Earlier this month Rebecca took part in extensive trials to select an Auckland U20 crew to compete in the 2009 Inter Provincial regatta to be held at Lake Karapiro in early October.

REBECCA WAS SELECTED!! and she is now training with that group of young women.

Here are her own words describing her experience at the trials……..

“I.P. trials commenced with a 2k erg test on Sunday the 9th of August. This was effectively a ‘trial for trials’ that were on the following weekend. I arrived at the West end rowing club and it was packed with people. There’s tall…and then there’s TALL. I found I was of the former variety. To cut a long story short I made it in to the on the water trials the following weekend.

The on the water trials were much more intense and comprehensive. Sixteen girls were trialling, that meant a lot of possible combinations to be tested. Over the two days I probably completed twelve – ish races, the majority of which I won. We were not to be informed of who got into the final crew until the following Tuesday, which, being two whole days away, seemed like a bloody long time!
So yea, that was a brief recollection of my experience of I.P. trials. It wasn’t plain sailing, like anything it had its ups and downs, but I definitely think I’ve learnt a lot from this experience and proven to myself that if you don’t try you’ll never know.
(THE END)”

At the Annual General Meeting of the Auckland Rowing Association, held today, our Life Member and Commodore, BRIAN PARR, was elected to the office of President.

Brian will be involved with the implementation of a new governance structure for the ARA – the region now has a board comprising both non-elected and elected positions and there is concern that this form of administration will become remote and removed from the ‘grassroots’.

Brian hinted at this unease when he offered to be the clubs’ go-between/liaison to help smooth the transition.

Congratulations Brian.

Brian Parr at Henley 2009

Originally uploaded by bri_tred.

Here’s a photo of Brian Parr ‘noting’ with Rowing Royalty in the person of Sir Stephen Redgrave

It is with a mixture of grief, & gratitude to have known him in his “early rowing days” , that I write to record the connection between our Club, & Red Williamson, who recently died following a period of health problems which we all thought he had overcome in his usual strong manner.
Red started his rowing career at the Waitemata Club, when it was based at Okahu Bay, on the Tamaki Rd. waterfront, some 55 years ago.
He became involved through the “ Business House “ competition for the John Thompson Memorial Cup.
He rowed for the McAlpine Refrigeration Co. team & during his years at the Club & McAlpines, brought into the sport many new rowers who enjoyed successful involvement & much Camaraderie.
It was not long before he became part of the crew that became the Heavy Maiden Class Champions, with
Martin Collett, Dan Whip, & Don Doughty,
Later they had Ray Mikklesen in the Stroke seat & shortly afterwards Ray Reid joined them as they became the Champion Junior 4+ .
This crew also competed in the Senior(now Premier) class with more than a little success.
In those days it was common to have regular “ Trial “ races at the Club on weekends between regattas. Red was a strong supporter for these events & won many of the Trophies on offer.
He filled most, if not all, administrative positions on the Club Committee, & even talked his father into becoming Secretary for a number of years.
The Club was never very financial, & when coaching boats started to appear at some clubs, ( coaching used to be done from the coxswains seat !!) he decided that we would build one !
Red led the team that spent many hours building & getting the boat onto the water, powered by a home converted Ford 10 motor. Such were his skills & wide ranging adaptiveness to new ideas & changing technologies, which continued throughout his Working & Rowing life, that he was always in demand to guide & train crews wherever he became involved.
His involvement in our Club was the core for a good period of successes for the Club, in the scene of true amateur rowing, & it is recorded in many photos within the Club records.
Our condolences go towards his wife, Marion, & their family.

(Provided by Brian Parr, Life Member of Waitemata Rowing Club)

The 2009 AGM was held yesterday and a new Executive elected:
PRESIDENT Craig Doughty
COMMODORE Brian Parr
CAPTAIN Brian Hawthorne
VICE CAPTAIN Dominque O’Brien
SECRETARY Kylie O’Hara
TREASURER Emma Burte
COMMITTEE Andy Swaney, LLoyd Widdison, David Simpson

Our outgoing Treasurer, Judy Gillbanks, was farewelled and her great contribution to the management of the club’s finances was acknowledged by the meeting with the presentation of a small token of our gratitude.