1975

Making Final Preparations - The brother combination of David (left) and Mark Allen (right) of the four year old Kennebecasis Rowing Club flank one of the club's coaches, Tim Frink, while preparing one of their boats for a vigorous rowing session to follow.

Following the overwhelming success of the 1971 Renforth Regatta, Bonnycastle and a few of the rowing diehards of Saint John set forth on their mission of "bringing rowing back to the Greater Saint John area."

"What resulted in the spring of 1972 was the formation of the Kennebecasis Rowing and Canoe Club (it has since dropped the name canoe), a club that four years later according to coach Frink stands on the verge of becoming a real Canadian rowing powerhouse.

With one old four-oar coxless shell, donated to the new born club by the MicMac Rowing Club of Darthmouth, N.S. , and a new set of oars, four keen adults who said they would give it a try, got in a boat in the water and began rowing, thus giving birth to the Kennebecasis Rowing Club.

As in the case with a lot of successful enterprises, a fortunate break at the beginning goes a long way in alleviating many of the growing pains.

The Kennebecasis club got such a break, in the person of Gerry Lienert who had just arrived in Saint John from Ontario. Lienert happened to have the distinction of being the coach of the Canadian Olympic Rowing team at the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games.

With Lienert at the controls, the Kennebecasis club participated in one regatta in 1972, the Renforth Regatta, where they were soundly thrashed by the Dartmouth crew. Since rowing is a sport for the young athlete (15 to 25 years of age), Bonnycastle knew something had to be done about getting younger blood into the club. "After all, the four guys in our crew were between 30 and 35 years of age.

"With the pursuit of youth in mind, Bonnycastle and Lienert in 1973 appealed to the high schools of Saint John for prospective oarsmen, getting a good response. "We were able to form two crews of four," indicated Bonnycastle.

As well, the Club went out and purchased two new boats, at a cost of $5,000. "We were able to raise the money," said Bonnycastle, "with the help of a grant to the Renforth Regatta."

Both crews were sent to the Burnaby Games in B.C., entering in four events. "And although they didn't win anything," said Bonnycastle, "they didn't come in last either, which is where they should have come."

The two crews also competed in the 1973 Renforth Regatta, which was won by a representation from Quebec.

Expansion was the order of the day for the Club as 1974 rolled around, "We ordered two pairs, which arrived about halfway in the season," Bonnycastle recalled.

An almost complete changeover in oarsmen characterized the '74 club. "We made a more serious effort to get the right build of oarsmen, people around 6'4" with long legs. Rowing is mostly a game of legs.

"We were serious in getting what we wanted," Bonnycastle remembered. Eight new members were found in '74, bringing the total number of oarsmen to 11. Three were left over from 1973.

"These people trained very hard under Lienert," said Bonnycastle. "They were scheduled to get in the water every weeknight from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, they came out around 8:30 a.m. and rowed till 11. They did this until the Regattas were over around the middle of August."

The year was a good one for the Club from a competitive standpoint. It was the first year they took part in the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in St. Catharines, Ont., where they did surprisingly well, according to Bonnycastle.

The heavy weight crew with coxswain finished second in their heat, thus qualifying for the finale while the lightweight with and without cox crews won their heat. The heavyweight crew without cox finished fourth in their heat.

After doing well in their heats the teams failed to place among the top three in the finals.

The pairs team, borrowing a boat from the St. Catharines club, placed third in their heat, surprisingly good said Bonnycastle considering the crews placing one-two in the heat also placed one-two in the finals. The Kennebecasis Club entered five events at the '74 Henley Regatta.

An initial shock starting 1975 was the leaving of Lienert, who was transferred to Ontario. At this time, the Club got its second lucky break. Bonnycastle recalls. "During the latter part of the winter, an English oarsmen who had had ten years rowing experience in England and who was interested in coaching showed up." His name, Keith Ratcliffe.

With Ratcliffe and Tim Frink of Saint John, one of the original oarsmen of the 1972 Kennebecasis club, doing the coaching, the club began it's 1975 season with the purchase of a new trailer and a new coaches' boat with motor.

Because of the weather and the rough waters in the Kennebecasis River, the oarsmen weren't able to get into the water until May, although they started their specialized weight training in February under the guidance of physical fitness expert Ken Murray.

As a result of being so late getting into the water, a month later than in 1974, the Kennebecasis Club didn't fare as well in the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta this year as they had in '74.

The heavyweight crew, with cox placed fourth in their heat while in the other four events, the Kennebecasis crews placed third, finishing less than one-half of a length behind the second place finisher in every case.

For coach Frink, the showing at the Henley was a disappointment, although at times were relatively good, "I thought we would come back with a few metals," said Frink.

The 40 year old Frink said the weather held the Kennebecasis crews, made up of Wayne McConnell, Steve Gaunce, Mark Allen, and Andy Messer in the heavyweight class and Mike Chapman, Dave Allen, Pat Flood and Norm DeMers in the lightweight class, behind the other teams in their training program.

"Certainly the heat at the Henley bothered them as well," added Frink.

Getting started in coaching because "Gerry Lienert said to me I'd never make the Olympics, so why not try coaching," Frink knows exactly what he wants to do in making the Kennebecasis club 'the nucleus of a real powerhouse.'

Proper training is what it's all about, the coach says, "Rowing requires a higher degree of physical fitness than any other Olympic competition with the exception of the decathlon."

For that very reason, the oarsmen of the Kennebecasis club work out every night, for at least two hours. Of that time an hour is spent in the water. "If we're fortunate enough to get a good day on the weekend the oarsmen go out on a 15 mile row," Frink added,

Because the sport is 75 per cent legs, according to the coach, the Club is looking for tall oarsmen, men in the 6 foot plus range. "I'd say in the heavyweight class the minimum weight would be 185 pounds. In the lightweight, 145 pounds is a good weight. What we don't want is a combination of something like 5, 10 foot and 175 pounds," emphasized Frink.

With such a vigorous schedule, Frink says an individual has to want to do it every night if he's to be successful. "Nobody does it for fun," says the coach. "It takes a lot of determination. I look at the mental attitude of the individual, who can take it and who can't."

The proper technique, such as getting the oars in and out of the water at the same time, and the proper team coordination are essential is a crew is going to perform well in competition. "That's why I want to develop the proper mental attitude, to haul their butts off," Frink said.

The key according to the coach, is the crew who can make the least mistakes while in the water. "The chances of a crew rowing a perfect 2000 meters is so negligible, you can pretty well forget it."

Frink isn't trying to discourage potential oarsmen from coming out. In fact, the potential for an individual with the desire and skills is great, says the coach. "The avenue in the sport is wide open. A kid with promise can go as far as you can in the sport."

The Kennebecasis club has one such kid, in the person of 17-year-old Andy Messer. "Neil Campbell, the Canadian coach, expressed interest in Messer at the Henley. Campbell told me Andy should try to get to a school in St. Catharines. I can see him in the 1976 Olympics. That would really be something," Frink said.

Frink can see more Messers being developed in the Kennebecasis club. "A lot of people have expressed interest, adds the coach. "It's too late this year, but at least we can get them so they can row. Then next year we can start with the heavy training."

The club's biggest need? "Bodies," said the coach. "Big Bodies."