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Rowers Hope to Raise $30,000 from Ergathon

We are raising funds to build a stronger fleet for High Point Rowing Club!

To kick off fundraising the Crew will host its annual Ergathon by rowing 100 kilometers in our erg room at 124C Wade Street in Jamestown on March 3, 2018. The purpose of this year’s Ergathon is to raise funds to build a floating dock and upgrade the Club’s fleet of boats and equipment. We ask all our rowers, Masters and youth, to vigorously seek financial support from friends, neighbors and family. We hope you will support them!

Last year the Ergathon raised over $24,000 and allowed the team to purchase new shells. Individual rowers who raise over $500 from family and friends will be recognized with some special exclusive apparel. Family’s who contribute over $125 will see their name proudly displayed on the team banner in the erg room and on race day at regattas.

“High Point rowers really step up for this vital event for the club,” says club founder Gene Kininmonth. “The Ergathon is not only the most important event we do for the development of our team, it is also one of the most fun events of the year.”

Donation/Ergathon forms will be handed out to rowers next week.

The 2016 Ergathon raised funds to install boat racks at Oak Hollow Lake.

The High Point Rowing Club Donors of 2017

Club Patrons
$5,000 & greater
Jackie & Herschel King
City of High Point

HPRC Masters are generous supporters of the club.

The Stewards Society
$2,500 to $4,999
Kiwi Mike Hitchcock
Erin & Richard Sanders
High Point CVB

Power 10 Club
$1,000 to $2,499
Beth & Russ Heer
Kim & Gregory Hundley
Steve McCusker
Shelli & Brandon York

The Last 500 Club
$500 to $999
Anonymous
Mandy, Eric & Colin Greene
Gene Kininmonth & Amy MacArthur
Beverly & Lawrence Snively
Nancy Yohn

Gifts from rowers & friends helped get Junior and Maddie to Nationals in 2017.

Oak Hollow Club
$250 to $499
Kristen Bremer
Robbin & Jerry Bryant
Bruce Cantrell
Henry Dorn
Nandita & VC Harish
Anne & Parker Huitt
Catherine & John Li
Bobbi Long
Debbie & Matthew O’Connell
Girl Jeanne McPherson
Elizabeth Nowell
Jerald Winter

Family Banner Club
$125 to $249
Marlena & Joshua Abantollans
Therese Blewitt & Therese Keaton
Jacqueline Broach
Ann & George Clendon
Connie & Mark Curri
Elizabeth & Mark Davidson
Paul Delaney
Katherine & Christopher Dickson
Lori & David Gignac
Leslie & Duncan Hicks
Julie & Gregory Higgins
Michele Krantz
Traci Loria
Alisha & Arthur Maynard
Susan Michel
Kellie & Todd Owsley
Rebecca & John Parker
Ashley & Matt Pipkin
William & Catherine Scarpa
Courtney Sparrow
Sarah & Donnie Sparrow
Susan Stephenson
Premalata & Komal Sundaram
Laura Tanley
Anu & Venky Venkatesh
Greta & Jason Tilley

Varsity Blues Club
$50 to $124
Anonymous
Rachel & Haywood Alexander
Tracy Bragdon
Jackie & Jerry Bryant
Jane Critchley
Mack Duncan
Deborah & Alan Gale
Mr & Mrs Paul Gibson
Paula Guenther
Lauren Hawthorne
Brenda & Robert Hilemn
Nanette Hutchison
Allie Jannetta
Kimberlie Kaltenbach
Tony Meyers
Christopher Murray
Brenda Planes
Erica Reisberger
Michael Shea
Lindsay York
Caren & Greg York

*Note, some of these names reflect gifts designated to Greensboro Crew

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR GENEROUS DONORS FOR THESE 2017 GIFTS!
Please email contact@highpointrowing.com to note any errors or omissions.

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HPRC Announces Spring Fleet Fundraising Campaign

By Gene Kininmonth 
“It is the horses, not the chariot that win races,” is a saying probably every High Point rower has heard me say at least once since our Club was formed less than three years ago. This is an old line used often by rowing coaches when preparing their crew to race against a team with vastly superior equipment.

And while generally true, it never hurts to have better equipment. Thanks to a generous gift from Caren and Greg York, this spring we purchased the black Vespoli M2 eight for the boys team. This shell was also raced by the girls youth eight at SE Regionals, where they improved their previous best time by 17 seconds. Both our squads were grateful for the chance to race in this boat.

So, I am pleased to announce that we are now commencing our annual Fleet Fundraiser Campaign. The goal is to raise $25,000 by late June to purchase two fours that can also be rowed as quad sculls. Sculling oars would also be purchased as part of the fundraising campaign and we have identified a university that has these boats for sale.

Four-man shells that interchange as quad sculls have a unique value to the club at this point in our history. As identical fours, the boats are perfect for evaluating the rowers in our eights by breaking the eight into two crews of four to race each other in practice. Rowers could then be switched between the two boats one at a time between races to evaluate each rower on an individual basis against their peers. This is called seat racing.

Seat racing assists coaches to determine who the best boat movers are on the squad and who needs more work technically. It also establishes a fair system of selection that is less reliant on subjective judgment.

A benefit of the fours converting into quad sculls is the doors that open to more racing opportunities for the team. Sculling races are increasing in popularity among both the Junior and Masters ranks across the country. And with the rise of our history making youth squad, why not consider sending our best to the world’s most prestigious rowing event, the Henley Royal Regatta in England next summer. The junior events at Henley are raced in quad sculls.

The men's Junior event at Henley Royal Regatta is the quad scull race for the Fawley Challenge Cup.
The men’s Junior event at Henley Royal Regatta is the quad scull race for the Fawley Challenge Cup.

 

The junior women compete for the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup and the junior men race for the Fawley Challenge Cup. Over 200,000 rowing fans from across the globe flock to the Thames over 5 days to watch Henley.  What a venue to showcase our rising talent!

The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup is raced by junior women in quad sculls at Henley Royal Regatta.
The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup is raced by junior women in quad sculls at Henley Royal Regatta.

Did I mention that Masters race at Henley too? In England, Masters are called Veterans!

We have an exciting vision for the future of High Point Rowing Club and I hope you will consider supporting the team with a gift at this time. We are fortunate to have such a talented squad of rowers of all ages representing High Point with such passion and I am grateful to all who have supported the team to get it to this point. We still haven’t scratched the surface!

High Point Rowing Club is a 501(C)3 non-profit. Gifts are fully tax-deductible and should be made payable by check to “High Point Rowing Club” and mailed to 1107 Johnson Street, High Point, NC 27262.

CHEERS!
Gene

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High Point Mums ‘Row for the Cure’

Mother’s of High Point Rowing Club’s scholastic youth team emerged as a crowd favorite at the Head of the Hooch Regatta in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Saturday when they raced in the “Row for the Cure” event.

Known locally as the Mum’s Crew, the team first formed last year when the fledgling High Point program for high school students was just getting started and parents of the students were asked to fill empty seats in the boat to row.

“We need nine rowers to row the boat and some days back then only four students would show up to practice,” recalls rowing coach Gene Kininmonth. “I’d look at the mothers and I think some of them just wanted to leap back in their cars and scream out of the parking lot. But you know a mother will do almost anything for their child and before they knew it they were trying a new sport. And these mothers have proven that rowing is a competitive sport for life.”

On Saturday, High Point’s Mum’s Crew raced through Chattanooga’s winding river course in blazing pink T-shirts, finishing the 5,000 meter race with a time of 25 minutes 41 seconds. Despite finishing in last place, the time was 40 seconds faster than the crew’s time the previous year.

The boat races are a philanthropic event in support the Susan Komen Foundation’s fight against breast cancer. With a breast cancer survivor on board the High Point boat, the Mum’s Crew brought many in the 25,000 strong crowd on the shoreline to their feet with applause. The crew is comprised of coxswain Kim Pollard, stroke Angela Antrim, Mary Horan, Angela Mangus, Barbara Pollard, Debra Catto, Kim Mullins, Chrstine Wright and bowman Marianne Benett.

Pretty in pink: The Mum's Crew improved their time by forty seconds at the Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, TN on Saturday.
Pretty in pink: The Mum’s Crew improved their time by forty seconds at the Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, TN on Saturday.

The Mum's Crew of High Point Rowing Club are (from left to right) Debra Catto, Kim Mullins, Christine Wright, Angela Mangus, Barbara Pollard, Mary Horan, Marianne Bennett, and Angela Antrim. Being held is the crew's coxswain Kim Pollard, a high school junior.
The Mum’s Crew of High Point Rowing Club are (from left to right) Debra Catto, Kim Mullins, Christine Wright, Angela Mangus, Barbara Pollard, Mary Horan, Marianne Bennett, and Angela Antrim. Being held is the crew’s coxswain Kim Pollard, a high school junior.
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Parents Raise Funds for Oars

Just hours prior to the High Point Crew Banquet held in mid May, families of the youth rowing program rallied together to raise funds to purchase a much needed set of oars for the team.

In a surprise move, crew parent liaison Mary Horan presented the checks to Coach Gene Kininmonth at the banquet. “This is a sign of genuine appreciation from parents and grand parents for the positive impact this team has had on the lives of our children,” said Mrs. Horan. “We are all grateful to Gene and also Coach Caroline Howard for their service and I am  impressed that so many families have chosen to acknowledge their efforts with a gift to the team.”

The following families provided gifts and pledges to the equipment fund for oars:

Matthew & Kristin Lloyd (Emma’s parents)
E. M. Casey (Emma’s grandparent)
Brian & Michelle Kareis (Anna’s parents)
Debra Catto (Sarah’s mom)
Charles & Mary Alt (Adam’s parents)
David & Jacque Haenel (Elizabeth’s parents)
Joyce & Steve Eury (Quinn’s parents)
Barbara & Russell Pollard (Kim’s parents)
Cynthia Komsa (Katharine’s mom)
Mary Horan (Katie’s mom)
David Thompson & Janis Antonek (Catherine’s parents)
Siobhan & Michael Mills (Cara’s parents)

THANK YOU HIGH POINT CREW FAMILIES!

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Crew Receives Gift of Boat

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Mary Horan is a director of High Point Rowing Club. Her daughter Katie is a member of the team.

High Point, NC – Greensboro resident and High Point Rowing Club board director Mary Horan has a contributed a cash gift to the team to purchase the youth program a four-man racing shell.

The boat was much needed as until now the new program had been borrowing boats from other clubs on race day, with little opportunity to practice before hand. Despite this, the team recently enjoyed its historic first ever victory in the women’s junior novice fours event at the Clemson Sprints Regatta in South Carolina. Horan’s daughter Katie Ognovich was a member of the winning crew.

“The results are extremely impressive especially when you consider that they were in borrowed equipment,” said Horan. “We have great rowers – yes I am being a proud mom – now we have a shell that will allow them to show everyone else what their moms and coach know.”

Crew team founder Gene Kininmonth said he could not imagine a better way to honor the commitment and passion the students have displayed for rowing. “Mary has been instrumental behind the scenes in getting this program off to a strong start and this gift of a shell will allow for more high school students to row in the Triad. We are grateful to Mary for her spirited leadership and support.”

The team’s next fundraising goal is to purchase an additional set of oars ($1,200) and a second coach boat ($3,000) so that the rowers can receive more focussed attention from coaching staff who currently share a coach boat.

High Point Crew raises its shell in victory at the Clemson Sprints Regatta in early April.
High Point Crew raises its shell in victory at the Clemson Sprints Regatta in early April. The win was a historic first for the program.
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High Point Moms Row for the Cure

Pretty in pink: High Point Rowing Club’s women’s masters eight crew comprised of Jane Critchley, Angela Mangus, Amber Kelley, Mary Horan, Colleen McGoldrick, Michele Hendrix, Angela Frith Antrim and Kristin Lloyd. The boat was steered by Miles Hendrix.

Chattanooga, TN – Mothers of High Point Rowing Club youth rowers not only supported their daughters at the 2012 Head of the Hooch boat races this weekend but they also volunteered to help support the fight against breast cancer by racing in the Women’s Masters Eight event at the regatta.

All proceeds of entry fees for this and other events went directly to the Chattanooga affiliate of Komen for the Cure. The five-year total raised at the Head of the Hooch has exceeded $450,000.

The Head of the Hooch is the second largest regatta in the country and is a 5,000 meter (3.1 mile) head race on the Tennessee River ending at Ross’s Landing Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 1,600+ crews comprised of high school, college and masters rowing teams are started sequentially and race against the clock.

The High Point rowing crew was one of 25 teams entered in the Masters women’s eight event, one of the most prestigious races at the regatta.

High Point Rowing Club’s women’s masters eight crew dressed in pink to support Row for the Cure.
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Support High Point Crew

Now you can help support scholastic rowing in High Point by purchasing this very unique Murrumbidgee Crew shirt. Order for you and your friends and family today for $20 each.

The word Murrumbidgee means “big water” in the Wiradjuri language, the local Aboriginal language of Southeast Australia.

Message our facebook page your size (men’s or women’s cut) and quantity or email contact@highpointrowing.com. Orders close Monday and please LIKE this post! All proceeds go directly toward equipment purchases for the high school youth rowing program.

Order your Murrumbidgee Crew shirt today. A great gift for a friend or family member too.