Christchurch school shows earthquake is no barrier to success

by NZ Herald on 31 Mar 2011
Like many other schools from earthquake-damaged Christchurch, Christ's College has had an uphill battle to get to the Maadi Cup.

But despite ongoing hurdles off the water, its rowers are proving their mettle on it.

The school has sent 39 rowers to the country's largest rowing regatta at Lake Karapiro and has already had notable success with seven of its teams qualifying for the A-finals.

But getting there hasn't been easy.

Several of the school's boats were written off in late January after the South Island Club Championships at Lake Ruataniwha when a gust of wind picked up the trailer they were on and threw them over a road.

'It costs about $40,000 for an eights boat and we lost three,' said Christ's College rowing coach, Peter O'Connor. 'We also lost seven fours.'

Worse was to follow after the February 22 earthquake which not only caused extensive damage at Christ's College but destroyed the training facilities in the city.

'Our boatshed is munted and the place we used to train at, at Kerr's Reach, is stuffed too. We've had to leave town to train without having had much racing.

'It has affected us enormously. There are some kids here who have lost their homes, it's been tough.'

To make up for it the team has spent time out of Christchurch training in Ashburton and as far away as Blenheim on the Wairau River.

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