It should be a busy day on the Buffalo River today as clubs begin arriving and final sessions are squeezed in ahead of the annual Buffalo Regatta which gets under way tomorrow.
Forty universities, schools and club teams from across the country will be taking part in the 129th edition of the country’s oldest rowing event and will see some of South Africa’s best oarsmen and women in action.
In total 803 athletes, consisting of 556 men and 247 women, and 702 boats, will take part in the two days of high-class rowing in various 2000m races.
Tomorrow will see a full day of heats as clubs chase a place in the finals.
On Friday the 57th Selborne Sprints Regatta, featuring 26 school clubs, and the newly formed Buffalo Sprints, with seven senior clubs entered, will battle it out over just 500m.
Almost a full day of finals will be on show on Saturday, with just a few heats.
Three clubs will bring in excess of 40 rowers to compete, with Grey High School, with 48 entrants, and St Andrew’s College with 47 bring the most.
The University of Pretoria (Tuks) will bring 42 entrants, men and women, to compete, which is the most of the senior clubs entered.
The biggest entry field on the women’s side comes from Clarendon Girls High who have entered 38 girls, while St Andrew’s Girls’ School, with 27 entrants, is the next highest.
The other East London rowing clubs entered are Selborne College, with 39 entries, Leander Rowing Club, with 26, and Buffalo Rowing Club with 19.
It is a welcome return to the Regatta for Buffalo Rowing Club, who had been non-active for many years, but were resurrected last year.
“We have been watching the kids and others row and compete in the Regatta and we decided to get it started again as we had a desire to try it out,” said president of Buffalo Rowing Club Ross Birtill.
The primary purpose of the club, according to Birtill, is now to grow and foster the sport and discipline of rowing, which they plan to accomplish not just through growing the senior club, but also by helping new schools and other institutions start their own rowing clubs around East London.
Top rowers up the buzz for Buffalo
Forty universities, schools and club teams from across the country will be taking part in the 129th edition of the country’s oldest rowing event and will see some of South Africa’s best oarsmen and women in action.
In total 803 athletes, consisting of 556 men and 247 women, and 702 boats, will take part in the two days of high-class rowing in various 2000m races.
Tomorrow will see a full day of heats as clubs chase a place in the finals.
On Friday the 57th Selborne Sprints Regatta, featuring 26 school clubs, and the newly formed Buffalo Sprints, with seven senior clubs entered, will battle it out over just 500m.
Almost a full day of finals will be on show on Saturday, with just a few heats.
Three clubs will bring in excess of 40 rowers to compete, with Grey High School, with 48 entrants, and St Andrew’s College with 47 bring the most.
The University of Pretoria (Tuks) will bring 42 entrants, men and women, to compete, which is the most of the senior clubs entered.
The biggest entry field on the women’s side comes from Clarendon Girls High who have entered 38 girls, while St Andrew’s Girls’ School, with 27 entrants, is the next highest.
The other East London rowing clubs entered are Selborne College, with 39 entries, Leander Rowing Club, with 26, and Buffalo Rowing Club with 19.
It is a welcome return to the Regatta for Buffalo Rowing Club, who had been non-active for many years, but were resurrected last year.
“We have been watching the kids and others row and compete in the Regatta and we decided to get it started again as we had a desire to try it out,” said president of Buffalo Rowing Club Ross Birtill.
The primary purpose of the club, according to Birtill, is now to grow and foster the sport and discipline of rowing, which they plan to accomplish not just through growing the senior club, but also by helping new schools and other institutions start their own rowing clubs around East London.
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