Buffalo rowers on regatta push
THE 131st RMB Buffalo Regatta kicks off today with the first heat of the day scheduled to start bright and early at 6am and the last race of the day at 4.58pm.
A large entry of 860 competitors from 21 schools, 10 clubs and five universities will be taking part in the multi-day regatta which started in 1879, making it the oldest in the country.
The first race of the day is heat one of the junior women U15 sculls.
The race will take place over a distance of 1 000m and crews from Clarendon, Redhouse Rowing Club and the Victoria Lake Rowing Club 1[VLC] will be competing.
The last race of the day will also be the only straight final of the day – the junior women U16 coxless pairs over a distance of 2 000m.
Philip King, chairman of the East London Boating Association, said yesterday that everything was ready at the river and they were “ready to roll”.
King said today’s events would consist mostly of heats for the 21 schools taking part, with a few finals for some of the junior races in the afternoon.
These finals will be for the U15 and 16 scullers.
The rest of the finals will take place on Saturday with a break in the Buffalo Regatta tomorrow for the Selborne Sprints Regatta.
He said these finals, along with the junior men U19 coxed eight heats would be “the most exciting to watch” today.
The winners of the junior men U19 first eight last year was Eastern Capebased St Andrews College stroked by Henry Torr with a time of 6:16.74 over 2 000m.
Other events which usually garner much excitement include the junior men and women’s U19 first coxed four and eight, as well as the coxless pair and four, and the scull races.
Redhouse Rowing Club, the local Buffalo Rowing Club and PGRC, which make up part of the 10 clubs competing this year, will also be racing today due to having teams made up of schoolgoing children whose schools do not offer rowing as a sport.
“Everybody is here already and will be practising on the river today [Wednesday] to get used to the course,” said King.
For those wanting to watch the races, there are plenty of viewing points including the grandstands under the ELBA clubhouse, the balcony on the first floor of the clubhouse, the roof of the clubhouse, which gives views all the way to the starting line, and of course the banks.
There will be a bar and tuckshop open for spectators.
Regatta results will be available to view on regattaresults.co.za for those unable to make it to the river.