President’s Mid-Season Report
As we step into 2026, the TGSRC rowing season is well and truly moving into the pointy end, and it’s an exciting time.
Since taking over the presidency in June 2025, the committee is proud of what we’ve achieved together in a relatively short period of time. We’ve secured strong sponsorship, including Milford as the headline sponsor for the 90th Head of Harbour Regatta on 7 February at Lake Pupuke. We’ve also been successful in obtaining trust funding, which has allowed us to invest in new safety-boat equipment—an important and lasting win for everyone on the water.
On the performance side, team results so far have been very encouraging, providing one of the strongest seasons the club has seen in recent years. Behind the scenes, we’ve continued to build positive relationships with stakeholders around our Bayswater facility and further strengthen our connection with the school. Coaching now has greater structure, supported by clear and transparent selection criteria, a mid-season survey, and our refreshed website and growing Instagram following are helping us stay connected as a club and raise our profile within the wider rowing community.
None of this happens without people. A huge thank you must go to our incredible group of volunteer parents. Your time, energy, and commitment enable our athletes to flourish and are central to what makes TGSRC special—an inclusive club where anyone who wants to row can do so, while still supporting those striving for the highest levels of performance.
Following a successful summer camp at Epworth, where we enjoyed five solid days on the water, we moved to a shortened Dewar Shield at the Blue Lakes due to the weather. While conditions changed our plans, it was still a valuable opportunity for athletes to row at a different venue. We have just finished a successful tough NICC regatta despite the weather which concludes the club racing part of the season. Following hosting our 90th Head of Harbour Regatta, we return to Karapiro for the Auckland Schools and NISS (selection only) regattas, before finishing the season with the Maadi Cup (selection only) in Twizel or at the always-fun Beach Sprints Series National Championships in Orewa.
Our athletes are working incredibly hard, and the coaching team is equally committed. The road to hell maybe 8 lanes wide and 2k long but remember most rowers do more before 8am than many achieve in a day.
Together, let's look forward to a fun, rewarding, and successful summer of rowing in 2026.
