West End Rowing Club

With sorrow West End Rowing Club would like to honour life-member Mike Lobel who passed away on December 26, 2025 after a short illness.
 
Mike joined the Club in 1960 aged 21, newly arrived in NZ from Holland where he rowed with the Spaarne Club in Heemstede.
 
The Club immediately became his family, with particular mention of the families of Bart Delfos, Murray Ashby, Kerry Ashby, Bill Tinnock and many more.
 
Many rowing successes were achieved with highlights of winning Redcoats in the eights from 1963 to 1965. Mike also represented New Zealand winning a Silver medal in 1962 at the Perth Commonwealth Games in Perth.
 
During these years deep and lasting friendships were forged. The memories of the West End club life of those days is something that Mike kept close to his heart and never forgot.
 
Mike held many administrative positions at the club including as Club Captain and he was made a Life Member of the club in 1995.
 
His memory will long live on at the club.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha 🖤🤍

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West End Rowing Club

🏆2025 WERC Annual Prizegiving🏆

The Ernie Day Cup for best 1st Year Member: Amanda Badger

The Goldsbury Dwyer Cup for the most successful crew: WERC Men’s Intermediate 4x+

The Hec Cooper Shield for services to WERC: Garth Bradford

“Aunty Amanda” proved age is just a number bringing a positive energy boost to the women’s club squad. Amanda earned a bronze medal at the North Island Championships and then went on to row with our masters women to help them retain their 6 year winning streak.

The Intermediate 4x+ defended the previous years National title with another win in the 2025 event alongside victory at the North Island Rowing Championships.

Garth attends and supports almost every West End event. He’s happy to give back to the sport and expects nothing in return. A valued board member, Garth was recently elected as our new Club President.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

🏆2025 WERC Annual Prizegiving🏆

Masters Rower of the Year: Suz Goldsbury

Noeline Weston Cup for Female Masters Crew of the Year: WERC Women’s 50+ Erg Team

The WERC Coaches Cup: James Russell

Suz had a total of 21 victories across five major regattas! Suz also serves as our masters captain.

The erg team including: Carolyn Steele, Gigi Green, Cordelia Kerr, Paula Thorne, Nicky Austin, Martha DeLong, Nat Welch, Meg Mackintosh, Rach Cummins, and Susan Reade smashed the 24 hour erg world record with 333km!

James has played a massive part in producing outstanding U15/Novice rowers at St. Peter’s for the past 4 years. This past season the u15 squad earned numerous medals and A-finals results across NISSC and Maadi regattas.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

🏆2025 WERC Annual Prizegiving🏆

The White Family Cup for Club Spirit: Rui Kerr

The Drysdale Family Cup for Female Rower of the year: Holly Chaafe

The Owen’s Family Cup for Male Rower of the Year: Sean Brooks-Adams

The Buikema Mitchell Cup for the most improved rower: Jessica Taylor

Rui served as team captain for the club squad and alongside his leadership role has actively been engaged in helping and working with the club.

Holly rowed with the club squad as a premier graded rower with an A final finish in the Premier 1x at Christmas Regatta and was selected to the Beach Sprint Coastal Rowing elite training squad.

Sean was our most successful club rower this year with wins in the intermediate 4x+ at North Islands and Nationals and a win in the Intermediate 1x at Christmas Regatta and bronze medal in the same event at North Island Champs.

Jessica has made tremendous strides in her rowing since joining West End a few years ago. Continuous improvement on water and on the erg led to her bronze medal at nationals in the Intermediate 1x.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

🏆2025 WERC Annual Prizegiving🏆

The Coxswains Shield: Caitlin Lawrence

Max Weston Cup for Male Masters Rower/Cox of the Year: Alasdair McGeachie

Caitlin was a club national champion coxing the men’s club squad Intermediate 4x+ at nationals while also coxing for Baradene College.

Alasdair was awarded the most successful coxswain award at this years North Island Legions Regatta.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

🏆2025 WERC Annual Prizegiving 🏆

John Barton Award for overall best School Rower: Lilah Martin

Junior School Male Rower of the season: Matias Donnianni & Paddy Russell

Junior School Female Rower of the season:
Billie Burn & Madison Bruford

Senior School Male Rower of the season: Billy Simpkins

Senior School Female Rower of the season: Lilah Martin

Congratulations to all of our school award winners and nominees for all of their hard work and successes this past season!

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

(Coaches James Russell & Tania Donnianni received the awards on behalf of award recipients)

On May 24th we celebrated 30 years of West End women’s rowing 🙌

🎉 It was a very special and fun night for all with speeches, drinks, BBQ buffet, and successful fundraising thanks to our generous donors.

Thank you to all who attended and looking forward to our next celebration already!

Ake Ake Kia Kaha 🖤🤍

📸:

Sunday June 8th is WERC Celebration Day 🎉

School, Club, Masters members, and families welcome to attend as we name a new 2x/2-, race the trial 8s, enjoy a BBQ lunch, and have prizegiving! 🙌

Free to attend. RSVP in bio for the event and sign up for the trial 8s seperately with link in bio.

The 24 hour small team Age 50+ Women’s indoor rowing world record has been smashed! 💥💪🚣🏼‍♀️🏆

Our team of 10 women rowed for 24 hours on a Concept 2 rowing machine achieving 333,065 meters! They beat the pre-existing record of 305,252m by 27,813m.

They held a 2:09.7 average split per 500m pretty consistently all the way through and they were exceptionally close to also beating (462m off) the Age 40+ age group record.

Team of 10 is

West End RC
Carolyn Steele
Gigi Green
Cordelia Kerr
Nicky Austin
Paula Thorne

Auckland RC
Raechel Cummins
Nat Welch
Megan Mackintosh
Susan Reade

Cambridge RC
Martha DeLong