Bid to solve rowing problems

Press, 14 September 1988, Page 47

Bid to solve rowing problems

Ways are being sought to overcome the conflicts between rowing skiffs and canoes at Kerrs Reach.

This emerged at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Rowing Association last Tuesday evening. The Christchurch City Council’s ranger had been informed of hazards that had been developing in past seasons, said the president of the C.R.A., Mr Trevor Le Bas, in his annual report. "Council officers are looking at the possibility of establishing a canoeing headquarters near the New Brighton Power Boat Club rooms, downstream from the New Brighton Bridge at Pages Road,” Mr Le Bas said. “This will assist in overcoming many of the conflicts that occur at the present time.” Meanwhile, members of the Canterbury Rowing Club have been involved in a project to clear willow trees from the riverbanks downstream from the Avondale Bridge. They have assisted Parks and Recreation staff in cutting branches and clearing the banks. “This work has made a huge improvement in a somewhat narrow section of useable waterway,” Mr Le Bas said. "Unfortunately the Christchurch Drainage Board declined a request to remove a build-up of silt in this part of the river.” Mr Le Bas also reported, that the City Works and Planning Department had recently completed the cycle-

way along the eastern bank of the Avon River Kerrs Reach to Avondale Road. Some rowing coaches might choose to operate from the bank, cycling along the towpath. As a result of problems that arose during Easter Tournament the Drainage Board had agreed to moor its weed harvester off the rowing course when not in use. According to Mr Le Bas, every effort would be made to keep the -machine upstream from the Avon clubrooms or downstream from the New Brighton Bridge. Another issue that came up in the annual report was the habit of crews taking to the water to train during the Kerrs Reach pennant regattas. It was reported that this behaviour would not be tolerated in the future. Some serious delays to racing had occurred and caused more than one crew to check its progress during events. Otherwise the pennant series, with the introduction of racing* in divisions for the first time, was regarded as a success. The association believes that, along with several other provincial championships, the 1988 Canterbury rowing championships lost some of its former prestige with clubs adapting to “non-status” racing. However, it was considered that the format adopted for racing produced good results. Mr Le Bas referred to the "sorry state of affairs” at the South Island championships

when the organisers were forced to declare the second day of the regatta an invitation event. Members of crews sitting out the first day on the shore were enticed back when events become nonclassification.

"Clubs are largely to blame as their coaches, administrators, and rowers are all party to this trend of only seeking to break status at the nationals,” the annual report said. Discussion at association level has established a desire to promote the sport through the upgrading of classification regattas in the eyes of both competitors and public. "Clubs must lend support and enter into the spirit of racing if regattas as we know them are to survive as a true measure of the strength of rowing in this country.” It has now been established that the national championships and the Maadi Cup secondary schools regatta will be held on Lake Ruataniwha, Twizel, on alternate years. The 1989 nationals will be run at Ruataniwha by the four associations of South Island Rowing Incorporated in co-operation with Wellington.

Mr Ted Lindstrom was made a life member of South Island Rowing Incorporated at its annual meeting. In the C.R.A. annual report Mr Lindstrom was given the credit for Lake Ruataniwha’s high profile as “the premier venue for rowing in New Zealand.”