GEORGE NEWS - South African rowing power couple, Tim and Wendy Hutton, who relocated to George towards the end of 2023, are hoping to introduce their sport to more locals.
Currently, they have been welcomed by the George Lakes Yacht Club at Island Lake in Wilderness, where their recreational boats are housed.
Their racing boats are at their house in George and are regularly taken to the Garden Route Dam for calmer waters and some speed work.
Wendy, who has won numerous mixed races with her husband as well as with her female rowing partner of more than 20 years, Trish Cooper, says as Masters participants, their rowing takes place in three main boat categories:
• Single Scull (1x) - one person rowing with two oars
• Double Scull (2x) - two people rowing with two oars each
• Quad (4x) - four people rowing with two oars each
Age categories increase in five-year steps. As Masters they race 1 000m in their sprint regattas and during winter they have a number of long rows ranging from 15km to 35km.
World Rowing Masters Regatta
The Huttons and their rowing partners excelled at the World Rowing Masters Regatta in September last year held at the Roodeplaat Dam near Pretoria, taking home an armful of medals.
Wendy says as they had rowed for Roode-plaat Rowing Club they had a home-base advantage. "Fortunately this is a family affair," she says.
"Tim rowed at school and introduced me to the sport when we met. At the regatta Tim rowed in two double events, one quad and an eight, winning a gold medal in the quad. The regatta also had mixed crews on the Sunday, so Tim and I raced the double and joined our French friends in a mixed quad.
"It's a wonderful sport that allows you to row and compete within your age category so you can remain competitive."
A sport for life
The Masters age categories range from 27 years to the ripe old age of 95 years! Definitely a sport for life.
"Our oldest competitor is John Price. At 93 he wasn't even the oldest at the regatta! He raced a man just over three months older than him. John is such an inspiration to us to keep active and fit."
Wendy and Trish, her long-time rowing partner, row in a double. "At the regatta we rowed the Women D division (age 50 average) and the Women E division (age 55 average). We then joined two ladies from the VLC rowing club from Germiston in a quad for two races.
"Although I don't normally race a single scull, I decided to give it a go seeing that I am now in the F division (age 60 - 65) coupled with the home advantage - my own boats and altitude." Wendy won four gold medals over the three-day event.
"We were fortunate enough to have a really good run-up to this event with a solid eight months of clear water access at our home base water on Hartbeespoort Dam."
Anyone interested to try out this wonderful sport, is welcome to contact Wendy Hutton on 082 821 0112 or wendy.hutton@mweb.co.za.
The Women's Quad rowed twice in the regatta in two age groups, WE4x (55-59 yrs) and WD4x (50-54 yrs), winning both categories. The WD4x crew are Samantha Johnson, Karin de Dominicis, Trish Cooper and Wendy Hutton. They won in a time of 3min 52sec.
Wendy Hutton and Trish Cooper, rowing partners for over 20 years and SA Master Double Scull (2x) champions for five years running, won the WE2x (55-59 yrs) in 4min 08sec.
Training for the big race. Wendy and Tim Hutton in the mixed 2x at the VLC Sprint Regatta earlier in 2023.‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
