Bankrolling Maadi Cup bid
Timaru’s secondary school rowers have been mixing training with family-assisted fundraising to collectively find at least $85,000 for a week-long tilt at New Zealand titles in the North Island.
Racing at the Maadi Cup regatta – the New Zealand secondary schools rowing championships – starts on Lake Karapiro near Cambridge on Monday and there is a high monetary cost plus much dedication and coordination to get the rowers from four Timaru secondary schools to the event.
Craighead Diocesan School has been fundraising towards a cost of $35,000 while for Timaru Boys’ High School it is about $30,000, Timaru Girls’ High School about $14,000 and Roncalli College around $6000.
Jason Williamson, of the Craighead rowing management team, said the cost covers flights, accommodation, food and entry fees.
‘‘We are sending 27 girls and five coaches. The team will be supported by a large number of family and friends who are travelling to Lake Karapiro.
‘‘The team has done a range of fundraising activities throughout the year to reduce costs to parents.’’
Williamson said their team members were lucky to all receive some financial support from Pub Charity.
Karla Yeatman, of the Timaru Boys’ rowing fundraising team, said all were excited about the trip and fundraising had included
‘‘The team has done a range of fundraising activities throughout the year to reduce costs to parents.’’ Jason Williamson
an auction and raffles.
Timaru Girls’ sports coordinator Janelle Amalfitano said it was costing them about $1400 per rower.
The school was sending 10 rowers, she said – three in the under-17 grade, six in under-16, and one coxswain.
Fundraising activities had included a quiz night and selling raffles, garden manure and firewood kindling.
Roncalli rowing team coordinator Mandy Wills said they were looking at costs of about $1500 per student for their small travelling squad of four rowers.
‘‘It probably has been harder to fundraise because we have a smaller team.’’
Wills said they had been lucky as other schools were helping transport their boats to the North Island.
‘‘It would have increased the cost hugely otherwise,’’ she said.
Wills said it had been a huge commitment from all involved in the buildup.
‘‘Most of the rowers have some sort of activity every day,’’ she said. ‘‘The rowers also have the commitment of schooling . . . they’ve had to really manage their time. The commitment from their families as well has been immense really.’’
Wills said the team had been working hard.
‘‘It’s something that I support because they learn the skills of time management and also becoming so fit.
‘‘It does make you very proud . . . they have to be very savvy with their time which will only have long-term benefits.’’