Wellington boat-flipping and swimmer-smacking in windy build-up to regatta

Wellington rowers do it tough when it comes to training, even risking the occasional upturned boat, thanks to the ever present wind.

Having a very restricted 700m training area in the harbour doesn’t make it any easier as they prepare for regattas like Maadi.

Wellington school rowers have been training in the mornings, when the water is more likely to be flat and the wind isn’t as crazy.

Athletes train 10 times a week, but very few sessions are on water.

Wellington College rower Liam Stevens, 16, said if they are lucky they train on the water once a week.

“Because it’s so windy, and the boats are coming in and out, so it’s always pretty crap.”

Wellington College assistant coach Steve Manners said rowers share the harbour with a lot of others water-sport enthusiasts.

“There are ferries that go backwards and forwards across the harbour,  cruise ships, dragon boats, triathlons, paddle boarders  and swimmers.”

Manners said there have been times when rowers have hit swimmers.

“The swimmers are really low in the water, so we are racing along in our rowing skiffs and we smack swimmers from time to time,” he said.

Steve Manners works with the novice crews this year, and their main water training focus is balancing the boat in the choppy conditions.

First year rowers even had their boats flipped while training on the harbour.

On the good side, Wellington College rowers have their own camps at the Mount Maunganui, where they train during summer and spring holidays.

“Getting water time is the biggest problem we have  when we come to regattas like this. Wellington clubs we all say ‘we are not doing as well as we’d like to, but there’s not enough water time’,” Manners said.

But the Wellington contingent love Maadi.

“It’s great coming here! Giving these wonderful kids and athletes an opportunity to get out there and be successful is just fantastic,” said Manners.