Races starting every four minutes kept rowers, coaches and spectators on their toes at the Canterbury Championships rowing regatta on Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel last weekend (January 18-19).

With good water conditions and a packed programme, 1,325 competitors took to the lake for a two-kilometre course for novice through to premier grades, while masters athletes competed over one kilometre.

Wānaka Rowing Club (WRC) crews featured strongly across both masters and junior events, producing a series of podium finishes and promising performances.

In the women’s masters coxless quad sculls, Vic Schutte, Belinda Ryan, Erin McNary and Marlee O’Keefe claimed first place with a time of 4.02.31. Vic and Marlee then backed the performance up with a third placing in the women’s masters double sculls in 4.28.42.

Shane Gibson added to the masters success with third place in the men’s masters single sculls, finishing in 4.28.00.

On the two-kilometre course, Wānaka’s junior squad showed “grit and potential”, WRC representative Lizzie Ritchie said.

In the boys’ novice double sculls, Jasper Lambert and Duncan Turner placed first in their heat and fifth in the A final, while Travis Cooper and Finley Hughes won their heat before finishing eighth in the A final. 

Jack Jones and Will Persson placed fourth in their heat and went on to claim third in the B final. Jasper and Duncan also impressed in the boys’ under-15 double sculls, winning the B final.

In the men’s intermediate coxed quad sculls, Alex Pedersen, Will Persson, Duncan Turner and Finley Hughes (coxed by Zoe Melville) placed third in the B final.

The men’s novice coxed quad - Jack, Jasper, Travis and Finley, again coxed by Zoe - placed second in their heat and fifth in the A final.

With the South Island Championships just a fortnight away (January 31 and February 1), Wānaka crews are training hard, Lizzie said.

PHOTO: Wānaka Rowing Club