Maadi market vendors “love rowing”

Market vendors at the Maadi Cup Regatta are doing well and enjoying the rowing.

Several stalls have been set up along the Regatta campsite, and while they are primarily there to hawk their wares, they all have a keen interest in rowing.

Merchandise for sale includes sunglasses, camping and outdoors equipment and rowing memorabilia.

“Our performance-oriented glasses have been doing well,” says adidas eyewear vendor Mark Finlay.

“ We’ve been supplying rowers with the latest sports glasses for years, and they back us up by saying that a good pair of lenses really help during training and rowing.”

Rowing souvenirs such as miniature oars are also proving popular.

“I started making them back in 2003, so that kids who rowed can buy one, put it on their wall, and say to themselves, “I was there. I did that,”” says Oarthentic Oars stall owner Rob McCarthy.

“The kids get pushed bloody hard, and a lot of them don’t get the chance to feel proud…rowing is terrific, the trust and faith that it inspires in their fellow man is great, they end up friends for life, like brothers and sisters.”

“We should have forty thousand rowers in New Zealand, rather than four thousand.”

Camping equipment stall owner Sharnel Darrah, an ex-rower herself, says she is mainly there for the rowing.

“I rowed for Tauranga Girl’s for three years…it’s the first time I’ve brought the stall to Maadi. We usually sell to places that don’t have this kind of equipment…Cambridge, Tokoroa and so on. But we mainly come to see the Regatta.”

“I love rowing… it’s a great way to build confidence, and trust for your team. The dedication shown by the rowers is tremendous, it’s great to watch.”