Avon Club Attracts Many New Rowers

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31236, 7 December 1966, Page 17

Avon Club Attracts Many New Rowers

T> EPORTS that rowing is on 11 the decline in Canterbury have been positively refuted this season by the Avon Rowing Club. Members are encouraged and excited by the influx of more than 40 new members all keen to row and take advantage of the physical development which is a by-product of the sport. Officials consider it is the biggest intake of new members in the 85

years that the club has been in existence.

However, the new members just did not appear of their own accord. They are the result of the hard work put in by a dedicated and enthusiastic group within the club and officials feel that any club could have the same success if its members are prepared to work. The spade work started last winter when a small committee, led by E. Lindstrom, went to work to examine just what should be done to get young men to row. How should the club introduce them to rowing? What boats and gear would be necessary? What teaching methods should be used to show them the Initial steps of getting into a boat, holding the blade, and rowing a satisfactory stroke? These questions settled, the club was away and rowing. It already had a training barge which has proved invaluable for novice oarsmen.

The honorary barge master—complete with everything except a “cat-o’-nine” tails—is E. Barkle, who does yeoman service each evening and who has probably travelled more miles on Kerr’s Reach this season than many oarsmen. In addition a dedicated band of coaches has dealt with the many problems arising from such an influx of new members.

Boats and gear—particularly oars, have required attention, and on recent Saturdays almost every boat

in the Avon clubhouse has been on the water.

Training oars—some almost relegated to the discard pile, have been releathered, the blades repaired and fibre-glassed, and boats not rowed for a couple of seasons are back in commission to keep the novices on the water.

In charge of maintenance is T. Lindstrom, a son of G. Lindstrom who, with his brother, won the New Zealand pair-oar championship in 1946, 1947, and 1951. The son is even bigger than his father and has twice broken stretched boards in training boats with his powerful drive on the oar.

There are as well, a number of very promising young oarsmen among new members and club officials are looking forward to next season when they feel Avon crews will be a force to be reckoned with in regattas. To celebrate the club’s new lease of life, the old members, who have always given strong support to the management, are attending a Christmas dinner and cabaret at the clubhouse this Saturday. About 200 are expected to attend. The celebration is actually two-fold. Members are looking on it as almost a jubilee. The club started in 1881 as the Trades Rowing Club. It celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1955 and members felt that it would be fitting to have another celebration before 1981.