Warren Blazey was a stalwart of his beloved Avon Rowing Club and South Island Rowing.
Known for being part of the starting team since the first regattas at Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel in 1985, along with running many social events, Blazey was recognised as a life member of South Island Rowing in 2020.
He was also made a life member of Avon in 2018.
Blazey was involved with the club for more than 65 years, including being president for a period of time.
He joined Avon as an 18-year-old in 1956, and made several Canterbury provincial crews before he continued to be involved with the club through various voluntary roles.
After gaining his umpire licence, Blazey specialised in starting regattas at Kerrs Reach, Lake Ruataniwha and Lake Hood.
He went on to hold the title of chief starter several times at large national regattas such as the Maadi Cup.
Earl remembers Blazey travelling to his (Earl’s) hometown of Hawarden and going to the local pub together.
“There was a travelling circus in the town this one time and we ended up going to the pub, and Warren knew about half the people there,” Earl said. “That included people from the circus.”
Although Earl started his rowing career at Avon when Blazey was finishing his around 1966, he said Blazey was always at the club, whether it was working the bar or social events, because Avon was “his passion.”
For many young rowers at the club, sitting on Blazey’s knee while he was dressed as Santa Claus at the annual Christmas party at the club was a core memory.
Blazey was also in charge of transporting boats for the club, and he often gave the younger rowers a bit of stick when he helped them load the trailers.
“He was just a brilliant bugger,” Earl said.
Former South Island Rowing chairman and friend, Pat McQuinn, said Blazey was incredibly loyal and hardworking to the organisation. Wherever he was, there was always a group of people nearby.
He recalls Blazey frequently helping out at Avon in any way he could, as McQuinn said he would often clean the toilets or complete the odd job if he saw one that needed doing.
McQuinn first met Blazey as a 13-year-old rowing at Avon while Blazey rowed in the club’s senior eight. He remembers Blazey leading the club’s social nights or other events, and he would often have a raffle organised.
“He was always a character, and the life of the party,” McQuinn said.
In the 1990s, Blazey became responsible for transporting boats for both Avon and the Canterbury Rowing Association to regattas and camps across the country.
Although they would see each other through Avon club events reasonably often, McQuinn has fond memories of travelling to regattas in the same truck as Blazey for “a number of years.”
Blazey was involved with many working bees at Lake Ruataniwha and led a project to dismantle and rebuild the CRA’s shed at Kerrs Reach.
Blazey’s only brother Murray said rowing was “all-important” throughout his brother’s life.
Travelling to regattas not only in New Zealand but also overseas was his love, Murray said.
He went to the 2000 Sydney Olympics and a number of World Rowing Championships.
His dedication and commitment to Avon and rowing in general showed what kind of person he was, and how much he loved the sport.
“Warren was a part of a group who would meet up each Wednesday at Avon, do a bit of a clean up, talk a bit of rubbish and have a good time,’’ Murray said.
He was part of the group each Wednesday morning at the club, up until about a month ago.
Fittingly Blazey was farewelled with a guard of honour that had eight oars held either side of him at his funeral.
