Fraser High: Lone rower to make a splash thanks to community
A community of family and friends has pulled together to help a rower compete in the 2015 Aon Maadi Cup races.
The hopes of Fraser High School’s rowing community rest with one rower at the Maadi Cup championship at Lake Karapiro.
On the 40th anniversary of Fraser winning the Maadi Cup in 1975, Fraser will send a single rower to participate in the U17 races at Maadi Cup.
The rower is Claudia MacDonald, who takes good form into the competition.
MacDonald took home three bronzes from the North Island club championship in February this year in four events.
She doesn’t lack for support when it comes to the national secondary school champs this week.
Former Fraser rowers Kelly Symons and Ryan Wild take time out from full time jobs to co-coach the school team. Symons’ mother Lorraine Pinfold, who is administrator for the Fraser rowing volunteer effort, has also been working hard with friends and family of the student rowers on the revival of the sport at the school.
“Rowing is a sport requiring huge dedication from rowers and their families,” Pinfold said. “The commitment and dedication develops and nurtures valuable qualities and skills in our young people.”
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The community have rallied together to help fund raise the necessary funds for equipment and travel cost. These included selling pies, chocolates, firewood and holding a raffle at the school, and hosting many sausage sizzles.
Many charities donated to Fraser High school which aided in the purchase of much needed equipment. They included Perry’s, Gallaghers, Southern Trust, Pub Charities and Lion Foundation.
Volunteers have also worked car washes, tending to Hamilton cat shows and cleaning seating at the Waikato Stadium.
“In 2014 a group of past parents and rowers gathered to organise the rebuilding of Fraser rowing,” Pinfold said. “We had six rowers and one cox last year.” Twenty students tried out for the rowing team this season, but not all made the cut.
While the number of rowers in the team has yo-yoed over the years, Pinfold is optimistic about the future.
“Rowing is an expensive sport and by fund-raising to subsidise costs, we are assisting young people from a low decile public co-ed school to commit to rowing that due to financial constraints would otherwise not do so. Rowing builds character and confidence, both required to be successful in chosen careers for the future.”
