ROWING: Seeing double as twins take to water

28th December 2005

SHANE HURNDELL

Wairoa Rowing Club twins Aroha and Arai Ngawhare weren't even aware they were competing in the same regatta as the world's most famous rowing twins, Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell, yesterday.

"Man, they're our idols. I want to catch up with them and get some tips," Aroha said after the first season rowers completed their women's club eight and coxed four races at the Hawke's Bay Rowing Club's annual New Year's Regatta at Clive.

The 17-year-olds were in crews which finished last in both of their races but they weren't concerned.

"It's all about learning and improving at this stage," said Aroha who was competing in her second regatta while sister Arai was making her debut.

Despite their limited experience they've already been labelled as a "duo with potential" by East Coast Rowing Association's development officer Dave Rodger.

"That's nice. Dave's been good and so has our club coach Kim Lister," said Arai.

"This is our first bit of sport since our primary school days when we played netball and apart from some scuba diving rowing, is all we'll be focusing on," she said.

Their club was making their first appearance at the regatta in 10 years and their 16-strong contingent had plenty to celebrate early when their women's novice double crew of Jenna Kerley, 15, and Claire Robinson, 16, won their race by almost 100 metres.

While Jenna is in her third season of rowing Claire has only been rowing for a couple of months. The pair are coached by veteran Wairoa rugby union and rugby league player Darren Kaimoana and also benefit from sessions with Rodger.

"All the hard work they've put in paid off today," Kaimoana said referring to their three hour training sessions they endure three days a week.

"Jenna and Claire have got the goods ... it's now up to them how they use it," he added.

As expected the Evers-Swindells recorded a convincing win in their open double race and likewise Hawke's Bay's other Waikato-based world champion Emma Twigg in her open singles race. This trio raced in the Hawke's Bay Open Women's Eight with Rebecca Harrison, Gabrielle Rogers, Sarah Alexander, Cassey Stanford and Alex Ritchie.

With a 15-second head start they beat the New Zealand women's eight crew to the finish line but not before the national team had made up seven seconds.

Hawke's Bay's Simon Lack won his men's open singles race beating two members of the national squad. Hawke's Bay's women's novice four crew won the Len Harrison Memorial Cup.

Defending champions Hawke's Bay finished second to Wanganui's Aramoho in the battle for the interclub trophy. Aramoho recorded 96 points, Hawke's Bay 81 and Horowhenua 57.

Aramoho also took home the $1000 for accumulating the most points in the Bluewater Blastout which involved five 250 metre sprint races - men's singles, women's singles, a mixed double, a mixed quad and a mixed eight.