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Masters Communications
Regular newsletters are produced to provide current information and updates to connect masters rowers.


2026 Trophy Winners - North Island Masters Championships, sponsored by C&R and ICIB Brokerweb Ltd.
Photos by Judy Shadbolt The recipients were: CONSTANZE DUELL, Bay of Plenty Coast: Womens A-D Single - Doctor Stuart Reid Cup DAN DE GROOT, Star Boating Club: Men's A-D Single - Stuart Wade Blade STEVE WESTLAKE, North Shore Rowing Club: Men's E-M Single - John Marshall Trophy 1892 JAMES AND MICHAEL BRAKE, North Shore Rowing Club: Men's A-D Double - Stuart Wade Blade BRITTANY SMITH AND AMANDA BADGER, West End Rowing Club: Women's A-D Double - Alexander Farmer 1924 Trophy BRUC
president7013
May 312 min read


News Update from 2025 Under 19 Award Recipients
Hear an update from three 2025 award recipients - Angella Carney, Blake Cooper and Maclaine Stuart. Angella Carney Thank you again to you and the Legion of Rowers for your generous support of my U19 campaign. It was an unforgettable experience that taught me a lot. Since then, I have raced a club season with Waikato Rowing Club, where I placed second in the senior double, quad and eight at nationals. I definitely found club rowing very different to school programs, but I ulti
president7013
May 312 min read


2025 Under 19 Rowers - selected for U22 Oceania Team
Under 22 Coxed Four - silver winners at the Oceania Team Champs Australian, May 2026 Four of the 2025 Under 19 Award recipients were selected to represent the North Island in the U22 team to race at the recent Oceania Teams Champs in Australia in May 2026. They were Angalla Carney Blake Cooper Jack Buckley Nathan Strachan The team travelled an hour inland of Brisbane to Lake Wyaralong to race as a North Island team against the Australian State teams and the South Island. Anga
president7013
May 311 min read


World Masters Games 2027 in Kansai, Japan
As a passionate rower and club organizer, the thought of competing in the World Masters Games (WMG) fills me with excitement. Scheduled for May 14-30, 2027, in Japan's vibrant Kansai region, this event is a dream for masters athletes. While many associate Japan with Tokyo, the WMG is centered in Kansai – encompassing cities like Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe – with rowing events at the stunning Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. Read more HERE How to organise your Club? This guide will
Shaun Adams
May 314 min read


South Island Masters Nelson Lakes 2026
This year the event took place at Lake Rotoiti in Nelson Lakes National Park and saw 310 competitors from 26 clubs lining up for honours. With ANZAC day falling on Saturday, the weekend began with a short ceremony of remembrance and a rowing guard of honour. This was followed by the Craigs Investment Partners 5km race from the head of the lake back to the 1km course along Kerr Bay. Big boat honours went to AVON in the Mens 8, AWARUA in Mixed and the AUCKLAND RC Woman’s G 8. T
Tim Rogers
May 312 min read


Row Because You Love It !
(By Nicky Knowles, Cambridge Rowing Club) Nicky Knowles & Peter Fraser at Lake Rotoiti I am a mediocre rower. There, I said it — and honestly, I’m okay with that. Maybe it’s because I’m inherently a bit lazy at times and I lack motivation when life gets in the way perhaps? A conversation for a different time I feel Rowing is technically a very hard sport to master, especially when you didn’t start as a nimble teenager. In theory, once you have good technique and solid fitne
Nicky Knowles
May 34 min read


Elevate Your Rowing Skills: The Ultimate Guide to Camps
Why Rowing Camps Matter Going on camp is a fantastic way to invest in your rowing skills and fitness. Many clubs organise camps focused on technique, crew selection, and training. These camps provide a unique opportunity to enhance your abilities while connecting with fellow rowers. Camps are also a chance for an overseas adventure. Some locations and coaches should definitely be on your rowing bucket list. Imagine rowing in beautiful settings while learning from the best in
rebeccacaroe
Apr 132 min read


Para Rowing for Masters
Para rowing in New Zealand is predominantly masters participants. Ross Webb is working on recruitment into the youth section of clubs - April 25th is a have a go weekend in the Waikato. Some are new to rowing and others are switching from other codes. Some para rowers have been in the sport a long time like Ron Satherly, many are new to rowing aged 30-60. They all suffer from one thing - whatever ails them gives them consternation - either changes are needed to prosthetics or
rebeccacaroe
Apr 132 min read


Does your club structure serve masters rowers?
Alison Dutton mixed quad on dock Most clubs think they do. They have a masters program. They have a coach. They have a slot on the water on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Job done. But here's the question worth sitting with: does your club serve the competitive masters athlete who wants to race at national level and the 68-year-old who joined last spring and just wants to stay on the water for the rest of their life? Because those are not the same person, and a single train
rebeccacaroe
Apr 132 min read


The Legion of Rowers: Embracing Gifts in Wills for a Stronger Future
How to set up a Gifts in Wills bequest fundraising programme for your rowing club
rebeccacaroe
Mar 182 min read


Boat Insurance Questionaire
Readers may have noticed that AON ended their sponsorship of Rowing New Zealand in October last year. It appears that the underlying reason is that globally they have withdrawn from the Marine Pleasurecraft Insurance market. Rebecca Caroe and Natalee Taylor had insurance with AON for their 2x and were advised that the business had been transferred to AMI who would "see you right". After much discussion with brokers and the AMI team, it appears that they will not insure privat
Shaun Adams
Mar 81 min read


RNZ Proposed Masters Camps 2026
Rowing New Zealand is launching a national series of Masters Training Camps in 2026. They are now inviting clubs to express interest in hosting one of these weekend camps. Camp Overview Each camp will include: • Four on-water sessions in big boats (more where possible) • Erg and technical video analysis • Education seminars • Individual feedback for participants (videos) Camps will cater for 16–24 masters rowers, grouped by ability. These initial camps are not designed for ra
Shaun Adams
Mar 82 min read


Rowing Club Fundraising | Online Course
Your rowing club is probably like many others, dependent on external sources of money to run your club each year. Whether you apply for grants or host sausage sizzles, both are time consuming and raise money only for the current season. Next year you have to do it all over again. How to get away from sausage sizzles, give-a-little, and endless grant applications. How to become a self-funding club with strong community connections. Your questions answered There is another
Shaun Adams
Feb 251 min read


Sweating Your Boathouse Assets: A New Revenue Stream for Rowing Clubs
Consider this: ninety percent of the time, your boathouse building and equipment sits idle. Between morning and evening training sessions, during midday weekdays, and throughout slower seasons, your valuable facilities generate no income. What if you could change that? The concept of sweating your assets was famously pioneered by McDonald's in the 1970s. Ray Kroc realised that his restaurants sat largely empty during morning hours, with staff and buildings incurring costs b
Shaun Adams
Feb 93 min read


2026 Head of the Harbour Regatta
Photo: Grant Craies leading the crew from the boat park. Photo Credit: Melanie Lo The famous Auckland schools regatta, Head of the Harbour, has started adding Masters events to the schedule. Run on Saturday 7th February there were strong entries in the Masters single sculls event with West End's Amanda Badger winning and Brittany Smith coming second. Honourable mention to the lone Cambridge Sculler. Jen Muller making the journey north. The masters Doubles event was also wo
Shaun Adams
Feb 91 min read


When Olympians Come to Town: The Blue Lake Regatta Controversy
A small regional rowing regatta in New Zealand has sparked an unexpected debate about what happens when elite athletes compete alongside weekend warriors. The Blue Lake Regatta, known for its relaxed atmosphere and community feel, recently hosted Olympic gold medallist Emma Twigg and fellow elite rowers Finn Hamill, Matt Dunham, and Michael Brake competing in a range of events including mixed masters eight, quad and double. Their participation drew an angry response from on
Shaun Adams
Feb 92 min read


Masters Strategy for New Zealand
Sue Wright chair of the working group has presented a proposed strategy for masters rowing to the Rowing NZ CEO, Simon Wickham, on 14th October 2025.
Shaun Adams
Dec 13, 20251 min read


Legion Spring Regatta 2025 Photos
The team ready for action Spring weather in Rotorua Roll up, Roll up Cambridge RC novice four Cambridge RC novice four using their winners glasses Alice Beban, Hawkes Bay RC won 1x Alana Hawke, BOPC raced 1x Rose Lampen-Smith, Inge Morton, Claire Russell, Lorraine Anderson from St Georges RC North Shore masters RC winning 8 Jill Edwards and Alana Hawke, BOPC won new masters 2x
Shaun Adams
Dec 13, 20251 min read


U19 2025 team reports
Maclaine Stuart I wanted to thank you again for the money towards my U19 campaign to attend the World Champs in Lithuania. The grant provided was a huge help towards the overall costs and I am very grateful. Sorry for the delay in updating you, I spent a bit of time travelling after and have […]
Shaun Adams
Oct 7, 20254 min read


Juniors 2025 Support
Our juniors did us proud in Trakei Lithuania at the U19 World Rowing Championships. The photo below shows the recipients of $3,000 donations from the Legion of Rowers members. The full team is listed on Rowing NZ website. World Rowing results
Shaun Adams
Aug 29, 20251 min read
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