Otago University Rowing Club

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[edit] History

Otago University Rowing Club was established on the 16th of April 1929. The first President was Professor Carmalt Jones, who continued as president until 1944. The club started rowing out of the Otago Rowing Club, from their Kitchener St shed, which still stands today. In 1931 a shift was made to the North End Boating Club which lies beside the harbour directly down from the university only a short walk away. Also in 1931 the club adopted as its colours a Cambridge Blue singlet with a 4 inch gold band.

The club grew to a large group of 60 in the mid 1930's and the relationship with North End was extremely strong with the main coaches being messers Glengarry, Eggers and Rennick, all of whom were North End members. The first club eight was purchased in 1939 and was named the Carmalt Jones, it may have been in this boat that Otago won the Hebberley Shield (Winners of the New Zealand University Men's Open Eight) for the first time on Easter Saturday 1939 on the Otago Harbour.

The modern club is housed within the University of Otago Aquatic Centre, located at the end of Magnet Street, Dunedin. This facility includes a large boat bay, which holds the clubs' extensive fleet of boats ranging from Eights to Singles.

Members of the club are often selected to represent New Zealand at a variety of levels, including Under 23, Elite and New Zealand Univerisity.