The peaceful hamlet of Redhouse will come alive this Saturday, 28 January, when buffed rowing athletes push themselves and their boats to the limit and excited supporters crowd the riverbank, urging them to move even faster as they compete for top trophies at the annual Grey/Zwartkops Rowing Club (ZRC) Regatta.
High school and university rowing crews from Port Elizabeth (Grey High, ZRC and NMMU), Grahamstown (St Andrew’s College, DSG and Rhodes University) and Port Alfred (NEMATO) will battle it out over sprint distances and up to 2000m on the Zwartkops River. They will be vying for trophy treasure such as the 2000m Ladies Cup, the 2000m River Cup and the thrilling to watch Champion Eights, amongst others.
Racing gets underway from 7:00 am and spectators are most welcome to join the summer fun. There will be breakfast rolls, hamburgers and cold drinks on sale all day, as well as a coffee shop and a full bar in the historic club house. The Zwartkops Rowing Club was founded in 1873 and is the oldest club in South Africa to row at its original venue. The quaint clubhouse walls are hung with fascinating photographs dating back more than a century, amongst other historically interesting memorabilia.
Do something different this Saturday! Put on your panama, pack the Pimms and bring your deckchair down to the Redhouse river bank to enjoy the thrills and spills of rowing.
Two of the Grey 2007 Rowing Team 1st Eight are still rowing competitively – Philip Straton for NMMU (Team Captain) and Nicholas Collier.
Alan Straton
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