Corporate Rowers Eye Up Their Competition

Media Advisory for immediate 22 October 2008

Corporate Rowers Eye Up Their Competition

Local corporate rowers are gearing up for their big race on 23 November with a series of indoor rowing competitions.

The first indoor competition will be held at the Meridian Rowing Centre at Kerrs Reach at 6:00pm on Wednesday October 22. A second competition will be held on 6 November.

The competition will test the teams speed and endurance on an ergometer (erg), an indoor rowing machine that is used for training and to measure a rower’s performance.

Kay Eade, from event organiser Meridian, says this will be the first time competitors will have the chance to get some insight into how their rivals are tracking.

“The erg competitions will be very exciting, and probably very noisy evenings. They will be the first opportunity for crews to eye up their competitors and see how are doing in terms of fitness and speed,” she says.

“Eight ergs will be set up in a line facing a large screen and each team member will be able to see themselves rowing on a large screen. The winning team will be the one with the fastest combined time,” she added.

The erg races will be rowed over 500m, the same distance as the major corporate rowing races on 23 November.

The erg competitions make up part of the 10-week training programme for the teams.

The 500m series of races will involve sixteen teams of eight and they will be held at Kerrs Reach on 23 November 2008.

Some of the teams involved include Ngai Tahu Property, Christchurch City council, Fletcher Construction, Christchurch Casino, Christchurch Polytechnic Fulton Hogan, Lincoln University, and Meridian.

Meridian has been involved with South Island Rowing since 1999.

Kay Eade says the corporate rowing event is Meridian’s way of encouraging people to get involved in the popular sport that is at an all time high

“The Olympics raised the exposure of rowing in New Zealand following a number of fantastic performances. We think it is important to keep the momentum going and ensure that as many people as possible give rowing a go and get out there and get active,” she says.

As well as supporting grass roots rowing, Meridian has helped established the Meridian Rata High Performance and Meridian Indoor Rowing Centres in Christchurch, the Meridian Rowing Centre at Lake Ruataniwha and the Meridian Rowing Academy, which specialises in coaching and scholarships for young rowers

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