Rowers blown off the lake

By Jonathan Leask January 31, 2012

It was déjà vu for the Ashburton rowing crews at Lake Ruataniwha, being blown away for the second time in a month.

The South Island Club Championships Regatta on Saturday and Sunday was hindered by the wind, the second regatta in a month to be uncompleted due to the wind after the Canterbury Club Championships had also been cut short a fortnight earlier.
"It is pretty frustrating really but there isn't a lot you can do about it being an outside sport," Ashburton College rowing coach Steve Beveridge said.
Racing got off to a smooth start before the wind came up and effectively ended Saturday's racing.
Sunday was a similar story with reasonable early conditions before the wind picking up and forced organisers to reduce races to 1000m efforts before calling off the regatta, without getting through to
the finals.
"On Saturday they had only got as far as event 50 so picked up from there on Sunday and basically got through all of the heats and didn't get through the finals.
"The medals were decided on the fastest heat times which can be a bit cruel because it depends on the strength of your heat and whether it was fast or slow," Beveridge said.
The regatta got off to an excellent start for the College crews making A finals in their first three races.
In the men's under 17 double Adam Hodge and Matt Beveridge were third in their heat, the women's under 16 four of Jessica Jary, Georgia Lysaght, Kate Hayman, Olivia Connolly and coxswain Mady Davidson finished second before Hayman was first in the U16 single.
Taking out her heat proved good enough for Hayman to earn bronze and she picked up a second bronze alongside Lysaght in the under 16 double after they won their heat.
The regatta signalled the end of the club season for the College with their focus now shifting to the secondary school schedule.
They have the Canterbury Secondary Schools regatta at Lake Hood on February 26, which is followed by a return to Lake Ruataniwha for the South Island Secondary School Championships in March, which will hopefully feature calm conditions and a complete regatta.

Pictured: Double bronze. Ashburton College rowers Kate Hayman and Georgia Lysaght with their bronze medals earned at the South Island Club championships.

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