Tirau take in Shirley boys as their own
Self-proclaimed underdogs Shirley boys have been taken in by the town of Tirau.
Shirley Boys’ arrived in Tirau on Saturday morning from Christchurch for the Aon Maadi Cup, but it didn’t take long for them to feel at home.
Promotions manager, chief supporter, and loudest cheerleader for the team Lee-Ann Venis said the ladies at the golf club in Tirau had been a huge support.
They cook meals for the rowing boys, and have even opened up the pools for them.
“The town’s taken the boys in as their sons,” said Venis.
The self proclaimed under dogs have only been competing in the Aon Maadi Cup for four years.
Row captain James Alexander, 17, said this is the first year they’ve had rowers in every age event.
“It’s huge for us, it’s sort of the start of where we can keep rising,” said Alexander.
“It’s growing really quickly and it’s pretty fantastic for our school.”
Their first year they had eight rowers, this year they have 27.
They train at the Avon River in Christchurch, or at the gym twice a day, six times a week in peak season.
The trip was an expensive one, and involved “a lot of fundraising”.
The school and parents all helped out, raising enough to reduce the costs per rower from $1500 to $900.
They qualified fourth fastest qualifier in the under 18 quad, and go into a repecharge.
They have also won a semi in the lightweight doubles and U14 coxed four.
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