After two years of planning the University of Otago high performance centre has at last come to fruition.
The establishment of the national high-performance centre with the help of
David Richwhite and other donors is a win-win situation for the University of Otago and Rowing New Zealand.
An annual fund of $220,000 has been guaranteed for the next four years by a partnership between the University of Otago, benefactor David Richwhite and former club president Marcus Gray and the Callis Trust.
The centre, only the second in the country and the first in the South Island, will employ a full-time coach based at the University of Otago Rowing Club's aquatic centre for the next four years.
David Richwhite’s association with Otago rowing goes back to the days when was a successful rower for the Universtiy crews himself. Since then David Richwhite has closely followed and supported the club to ensure the best opportunities are available to those wishing to pursue the sport. The new high performance centre takes this to a whole new level.
The intention is to have 40 rowers based at the high-performance centre with most of these being University students.
"The establishment of the centre could be the difference between promising young rowers choosing to study at Otago or another university," the Rowing Club’s Chief Executive Glen Sinclair said.
With the funds offered by David Richwhite, Marcus Gray and the Callis Trust Rowers attached to the high performance centre will also be able to access various expertise in the various university faculties, such as nutrition, physiotherapy, medicine and physical education.
A bonus for the university departments is that the rowers will be available as subjects for research projects at the university.
