Karapiro Rowing Incorporated

A big thank you to everyone for your support over the course of the weekend. Thanks to our volunteers who helped facilitate racing through some trying conditions. A special mentions to those who stepped up to help us with boat holding.
Wishing you safe travels. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
📸 Rowing Picture Show

North Island Rowing Championships 2026 https://youtube.com//live.

2026 Karāpiro North Island Rowing Champs - Saturday Karāpiro Rowing Inc2026 Karāpiro North Island Rowing Champs - SaturdayVisit www.rowit.nz for all regatta results

We hope you’ve all had a chance to catch your breath after an incredible few days at Lake Karāpiro! The atmosphere was amazing, and the feedback from the rowing community has been fantastic. This year’s Christmas Regatta was one of the biggest we’ve ever hosted:

Over 2,400 athletes competing across 372 races. We parked around the same number of cars as we did during Maadi finals!
We were supported by more than 160 volunteers working tirelessly behind the scenes


We also introduced time trials on Thursday, saving 2.5 hours in the schedule. Combined with nine lanes and four-minute gaps between races, this meant more racing opportunities for more athletes by finals day.

And if you noticed the “dreaded green stuff” in the water… Over 30 tonnes of w**d were cleared over the weekend, taking around 300 volunteer hours just to keep racing moving. A huge thank you to everyone who jumped in to help behind the scenes.

Another great regatta complete! We look forward to seeing you at North Island Rowing Champs in January

Check out this little pop-up shop! #lakekarapiro #nzrowing

👀 Watch the official livestream coverage of the FINALS of the KRI Christmas Regatta.
Link: https://youtube.com//live

🎄 Give Your Spectator Tent a Christmas Makeover! 🎄
Get festive at the Christmas Regatta and be in to win a hamper kindly donated by Fresh Choice Leamington!
Decorate your tent with your best Christmas theme and show off your creativity. Judging will take place Saturday afternoon, so make sure your decorations are up and shining!
Please ensure that you are keeping the health and safety guidelines in mind with your decorations.

🎄A stunning Cambridge day for the annual Christmas parade ☀️ A first for KRI - and it did not disappoint! Thanks for all the waves and cheers!
Now we look forward to welcoming you all to Lake Karāpiro later this week for our annual Christmas Regatta. Travel safe!

Do you have boating experience? Do you sit on the bank at Lake Karāpiro wishing that you were out on the water?
We are looking for more umpire and safety boat drivers for our regattas. Every little bit helps. If you can give half a day, a full day, or a full regatta, we would love to hear from you.
Please contact our Volunteers Manager, Nic Peacocke, [email protected] or visit Volunteers | Karapiro Rowing Inc.

Did you know that it takes 64 Volunteers to get a race down the course?

Are you often lakeside cheering on your rower and looking for a way to get more involved? Why not join our amazing team of volunteers?

Whether you want to get out on the water or keep your feet firmly on dry land, there are loads of great ways to help. No experience required. All you need is a willing attitude and we’ll show you the ropes. If you can give us half a day, a day, or a regatta, we’d love to hear from you. Every bit makes a big difference.

Interested? Come and talk to us. Our Volunteer Manager will be located in the Karāpiro Room during the Memorial Regatta.

The KRI Regatta Committee takes the leading role in the operation of all major rowing regattas run at Lake Karapiro. They are seeking a Volunteer Secretary. This role requires approx. 2-3 hours each month and provides a great opportunity for those who are organised, detail oriented, and interested in gaining insight into sports events, policy and volunteer management.

Karapiro Rowing Inc - Volunteer Secretary : RowingNZ Rowing New Zealand

We extend our congratulations to Terry Tidbury who was awarded with a Life Membership at our recent Karāpiro Rowing AGM.
Terry has a long history with rowing, having been involved in various roles with KRI and Auckland rowing over several years. He joined the KRI board in 2012, serving for a full nine years, with the final 5 years of his tenure as chair. This made him one of the longest standing board members, only second to Don Swales. During his time, Terry played a key role in transitioning KRI from an operational board to a governance-focused one and setting up the very successful organising committees.
But Terry’s contributions go far beyond the boardroom. He’s been a financial advisor, chief umpire, boat driver, boat park manager, regatta committee chair, and even cooked breakfast for our volunteers — and that’s just scratching the surface!
Terry – we thank you for your dedication, leadership and tireless support, both to KRI and the wider rowing community.

Great news!

The Karapiro Hydro dam road is now OPEN!! Thanks to the team at Mercury - we are thrilled to have our small vehicle short-cut available again to event and function guests! (CEO Stew Hamilton - Mercury pictured with Liz - Karapiro lake domain)