New Zealand rowers won five medals at the London Olympics -
three gold and two bronze - and the sport is reaping the
benefits this season.
New school rowers have come into the sport around the country
and North End has had older novices joining the club.
The newcomers will be tested at the annual North End Regatta
at Lake Waihola today and the Otago Regatta Club event
tomorrow.
One of the largest fields today is in the schoolgirls double
sculls that has a field of 15 boats.
Four city clubs and four schools will be competing at Lake
Waihola today and North End is expected to win the regatta.
It will be challenged by the elite rowers from the Otago and
Otago University clubs.
Port-United should dominate the masters events.
The Otago club combination of Zoe McBride and Hannah Duggan
will be hard to beat in the women's double sculls.
McBride won three gold medals at the New Zealand
championships at Lake Karapiro last year and Duggan joined
her in the two double sculls events.
It will be the start of a busy summer regatta programme for
Otago rowers that culminates in the New Zealand championships
at Lake Ruataniwha in February and the Maadi Cup for school
rowers at Lake Karapiro in March.
It is a busy pre-Christmas period with the Clyde Regatta
being held on December 1 and 2 at Lake Dunstan and the Otago
championships at Lake Ruataniwha on December 15 and 16.
February will be the busiest time of the year at Lake
Ruataniwha, with the South Island championships early in the
month and the New Zealand championships from February 19 to
24.
The Maadi Cup secondary schools regatta will be held at Lake
Karapiro from March 18 to 24.
The season ends with the Lake Hayes Regatta on April 13.
If the weather is unsuitable, today's regatta will be shifted
to the Taieri River at Henley.
Otago rowing season
Schedule
November 10: North End Regatta, Lake Waihola.
November 11: Dunedin Regatta Club, Lake Waihola.
December 1 and 2: Clyde Regatta, Lake Dunstan.
December 15-16: Otago championships, Lake Ruataniwha.
January 19-20: Canterbury championships, Lake
Ruataniwha.
February 2-3: South Island championships, Lake
Ruataniwha.
February 9: Otago Schools regatta, Otago Harbour.
February 19-24: NZ championships, Lake Ruataniwha.
March 2-3: South Island secondary schools championships, Lake
Ruataniwha.
March 9: Otago Schools Head of Harbour Regatta, Otago
Harbour.
March 18-24: NZ secondary schools championships, Lake
Karapiro.
April 13: Lake Hayes Regatta, Lake Hayes.
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