The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]
Boating
Boating.
The Avon is too winding, too weedy, and too shallow to be an ideal river for boating; but rowing has flourished in Christchurch from a very early date. The two chief clubs, the Canterbury and the Union, have a long and eventful history, and have supplied many of the best champion crews that have competed in the regattas held not only in Canterbury but in the other provincial centres. At the present time there are four principal rowing clubs—the Canterbury with about 200 members, the Union with about 150, the Avon, and the Christchurch. Rowing is, of course, a summer pastime in New Zealand, and a large proportion of those who play football in winter row in summer. The regatta of Christchurch clubs could hardly be held on the Avon; though club races are of constant occurrence there. Better courses have been chosen in various years at Lake Forsyth (Little River), and on the Heathcote Estuary towards Sumner; and at Kaiapoi the Cure Boating Club for many years made the Waimakariri famous as a school for oarsmen. Apart from the Christchurch Regatta, the Lyttelton Regatta, held on New Year's Day, includes rowing as well as sailing races, and the Akaroa Regatta, held on Anniversary Day (on the 16th of December) is always a favourite holiday meeting with young men. It is difficult for an outsider to realise the amount of time, energy, and enthusiasm spent in and around Christchurch on rowing, and in spite of the disadvantage of being frequently compelled to meet rivals over rough sea courses, these smooth-water oarsmen have worthily upheld the credit of their beautiful little river.