Members of the CURE Boating Club in Kaiapoi were in for a treat on Saturday morning when Olympic champion Rob Wardell joined them for a rowing session on the Kaiapoi River.

Rob took a seat in the clubs new ‘Octuple’ boat alongside members of the youth squad from the club.

"It was my first time rowing on the river here in Kaiapoi and to be in a octuple was a special treat,” says Rob.

The ‘Octuple’ eight seater rowing boat has each rower operating two oars and is designed to help younger inexperienced rowers to get the hang of sculling with two oars.

Rob, a former Olympic rowing champion had been invited to the club as a guest speaker at their ‘Evening with the Olympians’ fundraiser auction and dinner function held at the Lacebark Function Centre in Kaiapoi.

In we get . . . Members of the Cure Boating Clubs youth rowing programme, board their ‘Octuple’ eight seater rowing boat for a training session out into the Kaiapoi River with Olympic Champion Rob Wardell (second from the left) along for the ride. Photo: John Cosgrove

Club President, Peter Midgley, says it was an honour to have Rob there.

"We still have a lot of money to raise to finish our new clubrooms, and having Rob at the Olympians fundraiser was so special. He donated his time as a guest speaker and donated several of the auction items.”

He says members of the 158 year old club and their families had a wonderful evening with Rob and he was sure the young rowers all learnt something from their session with him on the water.