Weith honoured with boat naming
A former Timaru Girls’ High School rower Emma Weith will now be part of the school’s team forever.
Weith was surprised when she had her name unveiled on the school’s single scull boat at their open day. The Otago University rower has excelled since leaving Timaru Girls’, representing New Zealand at both age group level and university level.
She is the only former Timaru Girls’ High School rower to have claimed a coveted red jacket after winning her first New Zealand premier title. Weith was part of the Southern RPC team which won the eights at Lake Ruataniwha in March.
‘‘I can’t believe it really. It’s certainly an awesome offer and I’ll definitely treasure it. It’s exciting seeing a number of new rowers here to give it a crack and hopefully they enjoy themselves enough to keep at it.’’
Weith has recently returned from China, where she was competing with Otago University.
‘‘I loved my rowing, it did so much for me while I was at the school, this is an incredibly nice gesture by them. I always follow the girls and their rowing and get excited when they do well at a regatta.’’
The 21-year-old acknowledged the naming caught her by surprise.
‘‘I was just told that I had to be at the Timaru Rowing Club at 1pm on Sunday for a presentation, I had no idea what it was going to be about.’’
Weith said her rowing focus is now largely at a national level. Timaru Girls’ High rowing coach Glen Patterson said it was an absolute no brainer for the school to name a boat after her.
‘‘She’s done incredibly well with her rowing and it’s great for the schoolgirls to see what you can achieve in rowing.’’
He said Weith deserved the recognition. ‘‘We thought it would be a fitting way to acknowledge her efforts on the water.’’
Weith is just the third TGHS rower to have a boat named after them, with Abby Chamberlain and Emily Burtenshaw’s names etched on a two seated boat, albeit in unusual fashion.
‘‘Their boat is called Abily, a mixture of both their names,’’ Patterson said.
About a dozen new rowers had turned up to the school’s open day to give the sport a go.