Schools aim to keep rowing affordable

Rowing is an elitist sport worldwide but New Zealand is trying to make it available to all.

“Rowing is an expensive sport but we don’t want to make it an elitist sport,” said Gisborne Rowing Club treasurer Liz Robinson.

Robinson said it costs $2000-$2500 per student for one season of rowing in Gisborne.

Aon Maadi Cup cost schools $62 per crew to enter eights, $47 per crew to enter quads, $35 per crew to enter pairs, $25 per crew to enter singles and an amenity fee of $22.50 per pupil.

The regatta has 139 schools competing with an average of 24 students per school. The amenity fee alone is $540 on average per school.

Gisborne Rowing Club has nine students competing at Maadi.

“We try to make good selection choices for regattas to keep costs low for parents,” said Robinson.

Hamilton Boys’ High School has a squad of 72 students competing at Maadi.

The school’s director of rowing, Glen Ross, said they try to keep costs for the students low by fundraising and sponsorships.

“Obviously it’s quite an expensive sport so we try to keep costs down so it’s affordable for all the boys at the school,” said Ross.

Alan Maxwell, whose daughter is from Southland Girls School said it cost him “a couple of grand” to get his daughter to the Maadi Cup.

Cambridge rowing skiff builder Bob Rout says pub charities help the school teams out a lot.

“Public schools are becoming big players,” said Rout, who owns Kiwi International Rowing Skiffs. “It’s not an elite sport any more thanks to pub charities”.

Boats from Kiwi International Rowing Skiffs cost $39,300 for eights, $24,900 for fours, $15,850 for doubles and $10,725 for singles.

Rout said New Zealand rowing is cheap compared to a world standard.

“In Australia it’s an elite sport, you have to be at a private school to do it.”