ABOUT THE CLIFTON ROWING CLUB
The home of Taranaki rowing
Established in 1888, the Clifton Rowing Club is a familiar and iconic landmark on the Waitara river. During its existence, many hundreds of rowers have enjoyed the Club's facilities and reputation as a proud, successful establishment and host to many Regattas. Multiple Clifton rowers have gone on to represent New Zealand at the highest level in the sport and the Club is always looking for the next individual or team to participate and excel in the future. The Club's coaches bring decades of knowledge and experience to its Members and ensure its continued success. Have a browse through our site and discover the benefits of rowing and how Clifton can help develop your talent, no matter what level you join !
OUR PHILOSOPHY
"The philosophy of the Clifton Rowing Club is to foster and encourage the sport of rowing within Taranaki as an activity that promotes and maintains health and wellbeing of all participants in CRC."
MEET THE COACHING TEAM
Clifton Rowing Club takes pride in the high standard of our coaching team.
Our coaches are passionate about youth development and excellent rowing at all levels.
Gus Berghan (gentleman to the right)
Gus is our Club President, Novice Coach and an honoured Life Member. With over 16 years rowing and coaching experience, he has extensive coaching experience of school athletes at a national level and holds many National Masters Rowing titles.
Jodi Haskell
Born and raised in Waitara, Taranaki, Jodi's sporting achievements across a multitude of sports including rowing, spans decades. His dedication to the sport and patience is legendary!
Greg Cox (Cocky)
With 40+ years involvement with CRC, Cocky is a valued Life Member and Committee representative. His coaching abilities are proven through his countless North Island and National titles - he's been there and done it. With a wealth of knowledge, he's already brought benefits to the Club's rowers across every age group and level of expertise.
Jason Williams
Former New Zealand Rowing Representative, Jase's sporting and coaching accolades have been proven time and time again through his countless North Island, National and World Stage Titles, for not only himself but for those he has helped train and inspire. Equipped with 40+ years of blood, sweat and tears, he is a valued Life Member and a true Clifton rowing and coaching legend.
THANK YOU TO OUR COACHES PAST & PRESENT
THE COMMITTEE
Without the hard work and continued efforts of the committee, there would be no Clifton Rowing Club.
Our valued members are grateful for their work.
Grace Thrush
Patron
Gus Berghan
President
Hamish Neale
Secretary
Liam Cox
Club Captain
Grace Thrush
Whanganui Rowing Association Rep
Dave Perry
Boat and Club Maintenance Coordinator
Rose Berghan
Committee Member
Debra Taylor
Treasurer
Greg Cox, Jodi Haskell, Jason Williams
Coaches (one vote)
Janine Slootweg/
Louise Prendergast
Regatta Coordinators
Jodi Haskell
Safety Officer
OUR HISTORY
The origins of the Clifton Club began in 1888, when members of the Waitara Boating Club became unhappy with the club rules and regulations. In particular they were annoyed that they were forbidden to row on Sundays, as many of the rowers were employed at the local freezing works and Sunday was their only free day to row.
On October 14, 1888 a special meeting was held in the Waitara Town Hall to form the Clifton Rowing Club separate from the Waitara Boating Club. Thomas Bayly, Waitara’s then mayor, was elected the club's first president and Harry Spurdle became the club’s first secretary. The members then built a boatshed on West Quay and acquired whaleboats to race in. The whaleboat teams consisted of five rowers and a coxswain who used a long sweep oar to steer.
The rowing clubs of Clifton, Waitara, Tikorangi and Mokau held annual regattas on the Waitara River - with crews from Mokau rowing their whaleboats down the coastline to the mouth of the Waitara River. Outrigger canoes sometimes also competed at the regattas. Women also competed in the whaleboats in the 1890s (through to 1912) and were fully dressed, with long sleeved blouses, long skirts and hats.
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The Waitara Regatta was very popular with the people of Taranaki and crowds came by train on regatta day and lined the banks of the river to enjoy the spectacle. Spectators were charged an entry fee and so barricades were set up at a number of vantage points to stop people from getting a free view of the racing!
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Whaleboat racing continued into the early twentieth century but was gradually replaced by clinker-built boats. These were four men plus coxswain crafts and required a different style of rowing for successful racing.
Competitive rowing continued in Waitara until 1912 when it became apparent that the public was no longer as enthusiastic about the regattas as it had once been. Discussion about a merger of the Clifton and Waitara clubs took place but did not occur and eventually the Waitara Boating Club disbanded, leaving Clifton as the only rowing club on the river. The Tikorangi Club was no longer considered a viable club after the First World War but did not formally disband until 1922.
The Clifton Rowing Club continued to compete through the 1920s and 1930s. Prior to the outbreak of World War II the club enjoyed immense success when their senior crew of Gerry Fowler (stroke), Barry Old, Frank Olsson, George Topless and Maurice Crow (coxswain), with George Marshall as coach, won the New Zealand men’s coxed four title two years in a row in 1938 and 1939. When war broke out, Gerry immediately joined the army and George Topless took his place as stroke of the crew. Ossie Sampson came into the bow and the crew once again won the New Zealand title. Competitive rowing was then put on hold for the remainder of the war.
The men set about resurrecting the rowing club after the end of the war. They sold their existing premises (Clifton Hall), put all their boats in storage, and set about raising enough money to build new premises on the east side of the river. Using voluntary labour and a variety of fund-raising techniques, they were able to open their new boatshed on December 8,1951.
The 1950s and 1960s was another time of great strength for the club. There were plenty of rowers who all worked and played hard, and two of them – Ray Laurent and Peter Lucas – were chosen to represent New Zealand at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. Ray and Peter then teamed up with Pat Montgomerie, Terry McKeon and Johnny Hide (coxswain) to win the senior men’s coxed four title at the New Zealand Championships in 1957.
By the 1970s, although women had rowed in the earliest years of the club, women were officially allowed to join the club in 1972 and proved immediately that they were just as capable of rowing, hard work and dedication as the men!
From the 1970s onward, the membership numbers have reduced as other sports have grown in popularity in the region. The club however has always been able to sustain a core membership that continues to produce elite rowers and remains well served by enthusiastic volunteers who make sure that it functions as efficiently as possible.
