September 2025 Newsletter

Kia Ora Everyone
Welcome to the September 2025 Newsletter.

Introducing our new Club President for 2025/2026
We warmly welcome Neil Chinnery-Brown or Neil CB as he is commonly known to the position of Club President.
Neil has a long history with the club and is one of our Life Members. A little bit about Neil below.

"I started my involvement in rowing for the Tauranga club as a 19 year old in 1966, coming to Tauranga for work, rowing out of the old club premises on Dive Crescent right where the Sebel Hotel currently stands. Great spot in that the channel at low tide was only a few meters from shore.
After a good year playing rugby, our coach told us to get a summer sport and so started my love of rowing. I rowed for five years with no great success, but got really fit, until getting married, children and a mortgage came along.
Then in 1985 my eldest daughter started rowing for Tauranga Girls’ College, just their second season. Somehow the fact that I had rowed before made me the assistant coach, and as my other two daughters followed their older sister into the sport, my involvement continued. We moved to Whangarei in 1995 and so my coaching stopped. However, after a couple of years we were back in Tauranga and my connection with Tauranga Rowing Club resumed.
We started an active Masters squad, mainly parents of school rowers and that, until I officially ceased coaching a few years back, was the end of an era. But there is more to rowing than coaching. I have held other positions in the club, Committee member, Club Captain, Lounge Manager, Maintenance Officer to name a few.
I was approached to see if I would be interested in filling in the President’s position after Richard van Dijk had to reluctantly resign. It will be difficult shoes to fill as I am a little out of touch with the management of things these days, but bear with me, I am sure with time I can help our club continue to succeed.I look forward to guiding our club to future success."

Now for the important stuff!
September sees training activity increase as we head into the competitive part of the season. Please make sure you eat well, hydrate and advise your coach of any injuries before they become serious. The North Island Provincial Regatta will see some of our members representing the Bay of Plenty at Karapiro next weekend to start the season off.
We wish good speed to our Masters members traveling to the NZ Masters Champs in Twizel on 11th/12th October.
Returning rowers, Life Members, Committee members, parents and coaches, remember to register with Rowing New Zealand through Rowing Connect as per our earlier email of 10th September. Athletes must also register for their 2025/2026 competition licence. Novices will be sent instructions on what to do at the beginning of Term 4
Two beach trailers have been ordered for the new white coach boats. 
Remember that our Members Handbook is available on the TRC website https://taurangarowingclub.co.nz/members-handbook. This will be of particular interest to those athletes and parents new to the sport or club as it includes both generic rowing and club specific information.

Remember, enjoy your rowing and dream of good water!

Neil CB 

clubpresident@taurangarowingclub.co.nz

021 158 5204