Row, row your boat to Cape Town for Grey rowathon

THE Grey High Rowing Club planned to row from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town but ended up going much further than that when they held a fund-raising rowathon at Walmer Park at the weekend.

In reality, the boys did not actually row to Cape Town but the distance they planned to cover – 740km – is about the same distance between the two cities. However, the boys did over-shoot their mark by 161km, finally ending up with a distance of 901km on their ergo machines.

An ergo is an indoor rowing machine, which is used to simulate the action of watercraft rowing for the purpose of exercise or training for rowing.

Besides being a fund-raiser for the club, it proved a useful exercise for the boys, who rowed in relays in three age-groups, each age-group spending a total of four hours on the machines.

Reflecting on the event, one of the organisers Sarah Stevens said: "It was a hugely successful event for Grey rowing which raised much-needed funds for the club.

"The boys rowed their hearts out while also achieving some serious training sessions."

The boys rowed an average of 24.4km each.

There was also a 500m dash where the general public participated. The youngest participant was seven and the oldest 69.

"Our goal was to raise enough money to purchase a new motor boat engine, which I am sure our fund-raising committee will report we have achieved," Stevens said.

"We'll be back with Grey Rowathon 2015 bigger and better, and our thanks must go to Walmer Park Shopping Centre for holding the event." - Neale Emslie