Big names muck in for rowing champs

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When rowing holds a working bee, they get some illustrious names pitching in to lend a hand.

As preparations build momentum towards this year's world championships at Lake Karapiro, a group of volunteers regularly gathers at Flynn Cove to ensure the venue is ship-shape come the end of October.

Among them are former Olympic gold medallists, the patron of this year's world champs and the president of Rowing New Zealand.

Field of Play team member and assistant course manager Peter Britton said it was a happy and hard-working group.

Included in the volunteer crew are Tony Hurt, who won gold as part of the New Zealand men's eight at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, and Warren Cole, a gold medallist at the 1968 Mexico Olympics in the men's coxed four.

Joining them have been Don Rowlands, the chief executive when the world champs were last held at Lake Karapiro in 1978 and patron of this year's regatta, and Rowing NZ president Mike Hartley.

Also among the crew are John Strange, Peter Falconbridge, Errol Miller, Mike Wing, Colin Green, Bob Ebermayer and Lyle Rennie.

Their current tasks include work on advertising hoardings that are floating pontoons on the water, repairing other pontoons – some of which are 30 years old and have a lot of wear and tear from water movement – painting 2500 buoys, water blasting and general tidying, Britton said.

"A lot of these guys, like Tony Hurt, are professionals in their own right but give freely of their own time," Britton said. "It makes for huge savings and it's an enjoyable time for all of us.

"We're old mates, so it becomes a bit of a social occasion. People are very willing, we get people coming to help from Rotorua, Waiheke Island.

"We all know what it's like to row and some tall stories get told over a glass of wine later in the evening."

Britton acknowledged the set-up behind this year's champs was notably different to that in 1978.

"That was done on a shoestring by poor old Don," said Britton, who worked at the previous event as a liaison for single scullers Perti Karpinnen of Finland and Italy's Fabrizio Biondi.

"We relied heavily on volunteers and good will."

Event chief executive Tom Mayo said he was astounded by the calibre of volunteers rowing attracts.

"At most other sports I think the past greats would be more about pomp and circumstance – you;d only find them sitting in the stand watching and drinking beer.

"Here they like to do their bit to help the world champs. It's a delight – I keep bumping in to world and Olympic champs every day."

- © Fairfax NZ News