Overview
West End Rowing Club was inaugurated in May 1884 at a Ponsonby hotel and built its first shed in St Mary's Bay that December. The harbour bridge and motorway pushed it off that shore in 1956, and today the club rows from its main clubhouse on the Whau River at Avondale, a boatshed at Mercer on the Waikato River and a coastal-rowing clubhouse at Cox's Bay in Herne Bay. It won its first national men's championship eight at Lake Karapiro in 1949, had its eight picked for New Zealand at the 1950 Empire Games and took the championship eight every year from 1951 to 1958. West End is also the home of coastal beach-sprint rowing in Auckland, running the Beach Sprints NZ summer series on the city's beaches.
- Founded
- 1884
- Federation
- Rowing New Zealand
On the water with VesselSOS
- Family see you from shoreA live link in any browser – they don’t need the app.
- One tap to the right rescue centreHere 111 · New Zealand – the app switches centre as you move, with your position and call script even without signal.
- Return-time checkIf you’re not back in time, your people know.
- Shared hazard mapRocks, nets and other hazards reported by other boaters.
Regattas and series
Run or hosted by the club, per the club website. Dates and notices are on the club site.
- Beach Sprints NZ Summer Seriescoastal-rowing beach sprint series on Auckland beaches (e.g. Mission Bay, Manly–Whangaparāoa)
- Whau Experience Day
Live map, a start clock on every phone and results — when the club runs a race on VesselSOS Racing, it shows up here. Racing is a pilot with clubs for the 2027 season.
No race running right nowSee VesselSOS RacingHistory and achievements
- 1884Club inaugurated in May at the Ponsonby Club Hotel, Three Lamps; first clubhouse built in St Mary's Bay in December
- 1918A cyclone damages the St Mary's Bay shed
- 1930New club crest with the motto Ake Ake Kia Kaha
- 1933First eight bought, from Melbourne University Boat Club
- 1949First national men's championship eight, at Lake Karapiro
- 1950Club eight selected to represent New Zealand at the Empire Games
- 1956Moves out of St Mary's Bay as the harbour bridge and motorway are built
- 1958Championship eight won every year since 1951
Location
- Position
- 36°52.74′ S 174°39.86′ E
-36.87907, 174.66426 - Address
- 26 Saunders Place, Avondale
Frequently asked
Who do I call in an emergency at sea here?
Sea rescue: 111 · New Zealand 111. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF channel 16.
When was West End Rowing Club founded?
In 1884.
Which regattas does the club run?
According to the club website, among others: Beach Sprints NZ Summer Series and Whau Experience Day.