The Hawke’s Bay Rowing Club will celebrate “5 Olympic Golds” at a gala dinner to be hosted at Toitoi on November 19 2022.

Club president Gavin Foulsham said the Club had spawned 5 gold medallists starting with Keith Trask in 1984 at the Los Angeles Olympics. “Since then we have had Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swidells (2 Golds) and of course Emma Twigg and Tom Mackintosh at last year’s Tokyo Olympics.” he says.

“Emma and Tom’s success at Tokyo was an absolute highlight and we didnt get to celebrate that because of covid lock-downs so we want to put that right,” he says

The Hawke’s Bay Rowing club, which was established in 1876, is belived to be the most successful club in the Hawke’s Bay, in terms of Olympic success.

Twigg and Mackintosh, now based in Cambridge, both note the importance of Club in creating the foundation for their success.

“We had great coaches and a solid grounding at the Club. This gave us early success and the Olympic dream seemed attainable, even from an early age,” they said.

Mackintosh recalled being part of a winning novice 8 at the NZ Club champs in 2011. “I was 14 at the time and it remains a highlight,” he said.

The club is expecting up to 300 guests at the black tie dinner and hopes to have all gold medallists present. Master of Ceremonies will be rowing great, and double Olympic Gold medallist, Eric Murray.

Foulsham said the dinner would double as a fundraiser. “We want to raise $100,000 on the night. It might sound ambitious but we already have an anonymous donor who is providing $20,000 so we are off to a great start,” he said

Tickets are available from Eventfinda at $195 each or $1,950 for a table of 10.

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