Stars turn out for Bay regatta | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

It is a time of the year Neil Pulford looks forward to when he can show off his beloved Hawke's Bay Rowing Club to the rest of the country.

Mr Pulford, the club's president, was among the 300 spectators at the club's annual Hawke's Bay Rowing Regatta yesterday keen to speak about future plans for the popular event.

"We want to create more of an interest for the public to come along, rather than just the rowing people," he said.

Mr Pulford said the club had been in recession previously but he believed its regatta was the oldest one in the country.

Membership now is about 80 and the regatta was a chance for supporters to see what the rowers and coaches can do and why the club had won some big titles recently, including North Island and National championships.

"We have the families of those competing come down and watch the rowers because most of the time we would be out of town racing, to Karapiro and Wanganui," Mr Pulford said.

He said securing teams from out of the region to compete and two big names such as Olympic rowing champs Emma Twigg and Mahe Drysdale was crucial to the event.

As usual, Ms Twigg raced in the Hawke's Bay colours when she competed at the regatta.

"Emma and Mahe are big draw cards, especially for the young ones," Mr Pulford said. "When they race here they mix in with everyone. There's no distinction between them and the others, they are all treated the same."

• Regatta report - Page 14