Haxby Hefford was in good form at the Otago Rowing Championships over the weekend before wind interupted the regatta. Photo supplied.Weather may have interrupted the latter stages of the Otago Rowing Championships, but the large Ashburton contingent of rowers who made their way down to Lake Ruataniwha on the weekend still walked away with some solid results.

High winds limited racing action on Saturday and many finals were cancelled due to the conditions, while others were reduced in distance, but rowers still stood up and asked to be noticed, putting them in good stead for a busy summer once the calendar rolls over to 2020.

A number of Ashburton rowers picked up victories in either their heats or finals at the regatta and two A Final successes highlighted the weekend.

The women’s masters double sculls, held over 1000 metres went the way of Rose Kellet and Helen Hodge, while Kellet was also part of the women’s masters coxed/coxless quad sculls team alongside Kim Hamill, Gendie Woods and Teresa Eden who were also successful in their A Final.

Hodge also finished second in the A Final of the women’s masters single sculls.

Accomplished singles sculler Haxby Hefford was in line for a good result in the men’s club single sculls, having won his heat to advance further before the final was cancelled and it was the same for Ged Wall who also picked up a victory in his heat of the Boys’ Under 17 single sculls.

The men’s novice coxed four of Matthew Pearce, Parker Bradford, Riley Harris, Zane Cameron and Harriet Leverton were also on the winners list, winning their heat before finishing third in the A Final.

January will be a busy time for local rowers with a number of different regattas set to take place over the course of the month around the South Island.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 19 December 2019