Whakatāne Rowing Club recently took to the pristine waters of Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) in the first regatta of the 2024/25 season.

The 1000-metre course provided the club rowers an opportunity to start the season in a more relaxed format with smaller numbers of competitors from local clubs.

This early season opportunity is particularly important for novice rowers to obtain a taste of the racing experience.

The format of the regatta meant novice, intermediate, club, senior and masters' rowers had a constant stream of events during the day.

Attending the regatta was a logistical exercise for the club, which had to take two trailers carrying nearly 30 boats.

The large intermediate boys' squad, coached by Gary McAdams and Leighton Hale, competed in a variety of events and look to be strong competitors in their division this year.

They started their day in the U17 coxed eight and crossed the finish line in a resounding first place.

The U17 Double Scull was a hotly contested event with the club fielding six crews.

Ash Schutz and Sam Knapton had a strong showing in division 1, coming first, with another strong showing by Adam Albert-May and Kohl Van den Anker in division 2.

Joining the second-year boys in some events were novices Hamish Cochrane and Conrad House, who competed in the U17 double and then combined with Pikake Tupe McGarvey and Jade Mahy in the mixed novice quad.

This year, the club has a small group of novice girls (Pikake, Jade, Kate Stables and Milla Best), who mixed with other experienced rowers to compete in various events.

Single sculling was the major event for the club.

The Men’s Open Single scull saw Alex Iremonger, Travis Talpos, Shaun Snow, Adam Albert May, Finn Anderson and Finn Madsen compete.

Not to be outdone, the women then rolled out with university returning rowers Holly Hay, Ayla Rowe and Grace Iremonger competing in the Women’s Open Single Scull.

The club’s masters, women are going from strength to strength; Clare Knapton, Lisa Hale, Nicola Burgess, Deb Rowe and Barb Armstrong combined in various events throughout the day.

As well as competing in small boats, they were joined by Rowe, Grace Iremonger, Olivia Calder and cox Kayla Billings to row the premiere Woman’s Coxed 8 in the penultimate event of the day.

Senior boys Schutz, Talpos and Alex Iremonger then combined with Tauranga Boys College crews in their first run out in the Men’s Open Coxed 8, crossing in first place.

The crews are training daily on the Whakatāne River and putting in long hours ahead of the the Memorial Regatta at Karapiro this weekend, which will be the first 2-kilometre race of the season for many.