The King’s County Record, Wednesday, August 3, 1977

By Barb Landry

David and Mark Allan of Renforth won at Henley Regatta.

A boat race event of world prominence was held on the Kennebecasis River August 23, 1871 with 15,000 people in attendance to see a crew from Tyne England and the Saint John "Paris" crew compete.

James Renforth, "stroke" of the Tyne crew, collapsed during the race and died shortly after.

The community was then known as "The Chalet" and was renamed "Renforth" in honor of this man.

Renforth has and is continuing the rowing tradition by developing local oarsmen who have in the short period since 1971 gained recognition in international competition.

In 1972 the Kennebecasis Rowing Club was founded and in the short space of six years it has become a nationally-known and highly regarded rowing dub. The club started out with four young oarsmen but without a coach. As luck would have it, Gerry Lienert, one of Canada’s Olympic coaches came to live in the area. From that moment the club never looked back. Gerry set his sights on the Canadian Henley Regatta and took his light and heavy crews there in 1974. Although this Regatta is perhaps the most prestigious on the Continent, and despite never having rowed before both crews won places in the finals.

This great start has made the Kennebecasis Rowing Club oarsmen and women very ambitious and proud crew who have gone on to win many events and a club to watch out for as teams from all over North America found out last weekend when the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta took place in St. Catherines, Ontario.

Two handsome young brothers from Renforth rowed away with a gold medal in 2,000-metre junior pairs.

Sons of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Allan of Renforth, Mark, 19-years-oId is a Mount Allison student in his third year and hopes to go on to medical school. His brother, David is 16-years-old and a Grade 12 student at Kennebecasis Valley High School.

Mark has been rowing for five years and David for three years. When asked what they felt rowing did for them Mark was very quick to reply that for him it’s made a better person of him and gives him a proud feeling in what he’s doing, brother David agrees wholeheartedly. After working all day these two boys can be found out in the water rowing for 2 to 2 1/2 hours every night, seven days a week getting ready for the next meet. Also out there working with the crews is their coach Keith Ratcliffe who lives in Renforth but hails from England, and rowed with the Enalish National Team.

Mr. Ratcliffe is married with three children and the boys say he gives up a lot of time to coach them.

When Mark and David were asked what they do to keep in shape after the rowing season is over they said they turn to exercises such as running and weight lifting to keep in shape.

When asked how their crews stood up against teams from the rest of Canada they said they were just as good and this club is a lot younger than most.

Next weekend, Aug. 6 and 7, will see the boys in Montreal, for the Canadian National Championships in the senior class where they will compete against the best crews from each province.

They will be racing in the pairs and fours. They will be trying out a new straight fours racing shell which was made in England and is a lighter shell.

It runs around $4,000 in cost but will last anywhere from eight to 10 years and longer with proper care and handling. In fact Mark said one shell the club still uses must be 50-years-old.

When asked how they get money to go on these trips the boys told me the money comes from the Renforth Club members who work very hard and from some government grants. There are about 15 oarsmen and oarswomen in the club ranging in age from 14 on up.

One of the girls' teams won in the States so it's not only a man's sport as the boys were quick to point out.

Anyone wishing more information on the Kennebecasis Rowing Club could contact the president Dr. C. H. Bonnycastle or Robert Hutchinson, 90 First Street, Renforth, N.B., stating name, age, height, weight, telephone number, address and experience.

Don’t forget to keep in mind Aug. 20 when you can come to Renforth and watch all these young men and women compete against other teams. Times of the races will be announced later for the Renforth Regatta. Other members in the Henley Regatta from Kennebecasis Rowing Club were: Wayne McConnell and Steve Gaunce, rowing with a broken hand, finished fifth in the six-team race.