The Wellington Girls' College Rowing Club have had another successful season, bringing home two golds and a silver from the Aon Maadi Regatta, making seven A finals and three B finals. The 40-strong squad competed in a number of regattas throughout the season, doing themselves, their coaches and their school proud with their hard work, determination and commitment to their team. The Club has been very fortunate this year to receive grants from Pub Charity, New Zealand Community Trust, the Lion Foundation, and Grassroots Trust Central to fund much needed equipment. In addition, the Club has gratefully received sponsorship from Equity Release, Tommys Real Estate, and Money Box which enabled them to complete the purchase of a new ‘double’ racing boat (see details below).

Special thanks goes to Kate Boddy and Pete Franken for their tireless efforts as co-managers of the Rowing Club, coordinating camps, regatta and training sessions from Lake Ruataniwha in the South to Cambridge in the North, and plenty of spots in between. Without them, there wouldn’t have been a 2023/24 rowing season. Thank you also to our award-winning Head Coach Catherine Duffin, ably supported by Seth Peake, Pascale Peake and Mackenzie Tuffin for encouraging our rowers to persevere through all the crazy training sessions, supporting them through the tough times and inspiring them to be the best they could be at every regatta.

For any year 9 students thinking about whether to take up rowing for the 2024/25 rowing season, the following is a quote from Kim Gross, a former rower now involved in student athletics in the US, reflecting on what rowing has taught her about life: You taught me that when my brain tells me, “No, that will make you uncomfortable” or even that nagging sensation comes that says “No, you can’t”, I’ve successfully built the other part of my brain that says, “Oh yeah? Watch me.”