6 September 2012

New skiff for Porirua Rowing Club

The New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) has granted $5000 to the Porirua Rowing Club. The grant, coupled with club fundraising, has enabled the purchase of a new double scull rowing skiff for the club.

The ‘Swift Racing’ boat will be used to train the women’s crews for the upcoming 2012/2013 season. The boat offers another option at training and regattas and will ultimately help the club’s women’s crews compete at the top level.

Rob Flett, Porirua Rowing Club Secretary, says that the new boat will be very beneficial.

“With an expected increase in membership again this year on the back of our ‘learn to row’ classes, and the success of the New Zealand team in London, we think this new women’s double skiff will get a lot of use,” says Mr Flett.

The rowing season starts in October, and the club is holding learn to row classes for the next three weeks on Wednesdays and Sundays [editor’s note: up to and including 23 September 2012] to encourage new members to join up.

Some of the women who will train in the new boat are a top crew which received line honours at the recent motorway marathon held on Wellington harbour.

Paul Elenio, NZCT Regional Advisory Committee Chairman, says the trust was pleased to help.

”NZCT is one of the largest funders of amateur sport in New Zealand,” says Mr Elenio. “Last year alone NZCT distributed $38.5m in grants to sports and community groups throughout the country. We are proud of the positive contribution we make to organisations like the Porirua Rowing Club.

“We can only achieve this thanks to the hard work of our local venue operators who operate safe, controlled gaming environments, where responsible and legitimate gambling takes place,” he says.

“Rowing is not a sport for the faint hearted and we appreciate how much work the rowers and their coaches put into the Porirua Rowing Club. We trust the new skiff will help them achieve their goals for the next season and beyond.”

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