Kayaking: Aussie-bound kayakers put in the work'
There may be a sharp contrast in the approach Hawke's Bay kayakers Jordan Pearse and Aimee Fisher have to holiday "work."
For Auckland University-bound Pearse strawberry picking complements her weight training. For her former Karamu High School schoolmate Fisher holiday "work" is all about "sleeping and recovering" from her latest training session.
Both approaches obviously work. The pair are Hawke's Bay's only representatives in the New Zealand junior team which will compete at Australia's second Grand Prix competition in Sydney from January 28-30.
Pearse's mother Pip Pearse, the Hawke's Bay Kayak Racing Club's head coach, will manage the team and Hawke's Bay's Scott Bicknell will again be in the Kiwi open team at the event.
"It's our first taste of New Zealand representation and we can't wait," said Fisher who at 16 will be the youngest member of the team.
Their seven events each at their club's annual regatta staged in conjunction with day two of the Hawke's Bay Rowing Club's annual New Year's Regatta at Clive yesterday was their final taste of competition before the Aussie trip.
Pearse, 18, will compete in a K2 crew in the under-23 age group.
"Because I'm small compared to a lot of our opponents I'll be happy with a top half placing. I'll be relying a lot on good technique and determination to be competitive," said Pearse.
The EnzaFoods-sponsored Fisher will compete in the K1 under-16 event as well as with the Kiwis under-19 K2 and K4 crews.
"I'm hoping to medal in the K1 race and qualify for the under-17 world championships. It's exciting times ... I've never been out of the North Island before," said Fisher.
Like a lot of their clubmates Fisher and Pearse had the opportunity to race paddlers they wouldn't normally race against yesterday and numerous newcomers to the sport from throughout the North Island had the opportunity to race for the first time.
As expected the Hawke's Bay Rowing Club retained the trophy for the top club during their two-day regatta yet again. Hot favourite Michael Harrison won the open men's single scull title and the final was a host club trifecta with Simon Lack in second place and Harrison's brother Blair third.
A Hawke's Bay novice four crew of Zac Simmons, Michael Van Der Peet, Callum Lack and Cameron Pease won one of the club's older trophies which was reintroduced after a lengthy absence.
A highlight of Sunday's off water activities at the regatta saw the presentation of the skiff by former Bay rowers Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell won gold in at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Chairman of trustees for the Oliver Smales Memorial Trust Kevyn Moore pointed out the skiff has been loaned to the club to promote youth rowing. Ultimately the trust will receive the skiff back from the club and it will be donated to the New Zealand Olympic Museum in Wellington.
The trust was set up by the Rotary Club of Taradale in 2005 with support from the Hawke's Bay District Health Board with the aim of providing essential specialised training of nurses and therapists looking after babies and children with severe health issues.
"This is an unusual opportunity to have a win- win for New Zealand rowing child health and the New Zealand Olympic Museum," said Mr Moore.
Another feature of the rowing segment of the regatta was the first outing of Paralympians Gavin Foulsham of Hawke's Bay and Jacqui Courtier of Putaruru who are hoping to represent New Zealand in the mixed pair adaptive event at the 2012 London Paralympics. Their Hawke's Bay-based coach Rohan Condon is impressed with the potential the pair, who clocked 6m18s over their 1000m distance, are displaying.
"We've got to knock two minutes off that time but they've got a feel for it."
