NZ rowing champs underway

It was a big day on the water for the 17-strong Wairau contingent when the New Zealand rowing championships got underway at Lake Ruataniwha today.

The Wairau athletes competed in a series of heats across a variety of boat classes, some making their way to semi-finals or finals, others having to row repechages to progress.

Rowers’ fitness levels were fully tested, some having up to three races today as they set themselves up to duel for medals later in the week.

There was some intense racing throughout the first of five days with no spectators and Covid protocols in place.

The champs were transferred from Cambridge’s Lake Karāpiro and got to the start line only after some diligent work from administrators. There are 794 athletes from 42 clubs taking part.

Rowers could scarcely have asked for better conditions, a blue sky and gentle tail wind as 122 races were staged across six categories - premier, under-22, senior, club, intermediate and novice.

The National Championships were first staged in 1887 and have only taken a break for the two World Wars.

Results of Wairau athletes from day one of the national rowing champs at Lake Ruataniwha.

Men’s club double (Sam Feltham, Craig Ford) 5th in heat - to repechage

Men’s senior four (Fred Vavasour, Dylan Burton, Edward Botherway, Edward Lopas) 6th in heat – to repechage

Women’s senior four (Emily Bowden, Brooke Pitchford, Kyla Otway, Orla Fitzgerald) 2nd in heat – to A final

Men’s under-22 single

Kobe Miller 2nd in heat – to semifinal

Reuben Cook 1st in heat – to semifinal

Logan Docherty 3rd in heat – to semifinal

Edward Lopas 3rd in heat – to semifinal

Men’s senior double (Dylan Burton, Edward Botherway) 4th in heat – to semifinal

Women’s senior double (Orla Fitzgerald, Charlotte Lightfoot) 5th in heat – to repechage

Men’s under-22 double

Kobe Miller, Fred Vavasour 2nd in heat – to A final

Logan Docherty, Reuben Cook 1st in heat – to A final

Men’s club single

Craig Ford 2nd in heat – to repechage

Sam Feltham 5th in heat – to repechage

Women’s club single (Charlotte Lightfoot) 1st in heat – to semifinal

Men’s senior pair (Dylan Burton, Edward Botherway) 3rd in heat – to semifinal

Women’s senior pair (Kyla Otway, Meg Flanagan) 3rd in heat – to semifinal

Men’s premier double

Logan Docherty, Kobe Miller 2nd in heat – to A final

Reuben Cook, Fred Vavasour 4th in heat – to A final

Women’s intermediate single (Grace Waring-Jones) 4th in heat – to repechage

Men’s senior single (Edward Lopas) 1st in heat – to semifinal

Women’s senior single (Charlotte Lightfoot) 6th in heat – to repechage

Men’s club pair (Sam Feltham, Craig Ford) 5th in heat – to repechage

Women’s premier pair (Brooke Pitchford, Emily Bowden) 2nd in heat – to final

Combined Wairau/Nelson crews

Men’s senior eight (including Dylan Burton, Edward Botherway) 4th in heat – to repechage

Women’s senior eight (including Brooke Pitchford, Emily Bowden, Kyla Otway, Orla Fitzgerald, Meg Flanagan) 1st in heat – to A final