Start Date: Wednesday October 8, 2025

Time: 5.30 to 7.00 pm

Duration: 6 Weeks, 2 x a Week (Wednesday and Thursday evenings) Finishing on the 13th of November.

Key Learnings/Experiences: Proper technique of rowing on an erg, sculling in a boat (two sculling blades ) and at least 1 session of sweep rowing in a boat (1 sweep oar), camaraderie and teamwork.

Contact: URC.membership@gmail.com to register your interest.

This year is a later start than usual due to coaches being overseas in August and September.

If you are considering partaking in the 6 week course, please plug the dates below in to your personal diaries to ensure you can attend all sessions and get the most out of the program.

Week 1: Wednesday October 8th

The first session is land based, we use the ergometer and land based exercises to introduce the rowing stroke. Health and Safety as well as an introduction to the equipment and terminology are all covered in this first session.

Week 2: 15/16/19th of October

Due to Master’s National regatta occurring in Week 1, there will be just the 1 land based session that week. Propose week 2 we make up that 2nd session by rowing 3 sessions that week - Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. These sessions and all remaining sessions are a refresher/warm up on the ergometer followed by water based training.

Week 3: 22/23 of October

Week 4: 29th of October

Week 5: 5/6/9th of November

Due to Aoraki Regatta occurring in week 4, thus proposing 3 sessions in week 5 - Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Week 6: 12th and 13th of November.

What to bring to each session: Wear tight fitting sports gear such as long or short lycra bottoms, sports T and layer according to the weather with L/S thermals or merino tops, socks, running shoes. Bring a water bottle, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat.

People often ask…

Do I need to be fit to try the sport of rowing? A basic level of strength and fitness will enhance your enjoyment of the sport. The actual rowing stroke is relatively kind on the body however we do have to be able to bend down and pick up 15 to 20 kg each from the ground and be able to press it over our heads to get the boats in and out of the water. It is important that everyone takes their share of the weight to keep all participants safe.

What happens after the 6 week program, should I want to continue with Rowing? You sign up as a member of URC by filling in a membership application form which can be found on the website. You pay the remaining amount owing of the yearly sub $380.00. ($530.00 minus your L2R fee of $150.00 =$380.00). There are Club rows that you put your name down for on a weekly basis, these are found on the Union Google sheet. The Club rows occur Saturday and Sundays at 9.30 to 11.00 am year round and during summer when daylight is plentiful Wednesdays at 5.30 to 7 pm.

How do I get in to competing? The regattas are listed below. Should you and some of the other Learn to Row Graduates decide you want to attend regattas, you will start to train as “Novice Crews” and the club will support you with supervision/coaching/coxswains. You will train for Novice events at the regattas that offer Novice events for Masters. From the time you race your first race you will be able to race as a Novice till the end of Masters Nationals Champs that same year/season.

Regatta schedule:

• Aoraki 1000m Regatta, Twizel, 1-2 Nov

• Otago Championships, Twizel 13th-14th December

• Canterbury Championships, Twizel, 18th-19th January

• South Island Championships, Twizel, 1st-2nd February

• South Island Masters Champs,Lake Rotoiti, Nelson, 25-27 April

• NZ Masters Champs, Lake Karapiro, Cambridge, Date TBC (September)

Rowing is a fantastic sport which offers everyone the opportunity to start on an even playing field given everyone comes into it with no experience. Rowing has so many benefits from health and fitness, making lifelong friends, having fun, travel, competition (if you choose) and life skills such as resilience and teamwork. Thank you for your interest and we look forward to sharing our love of the sport with you.