Maties Rowing men and women pulled together at the annual University Spot South Africa (USSA) RMB Boat Race in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape this month to secure hard-fought and respectable second and third places.
Competing against nine other universities, the women took third place in the A final and second place in the B final, while the men claimed third place in both the A and B finals.
For both of Maties Rowing’s coaches Rika Geyser (women) and Graham Hood (men), the aim was to beat their regional rival, the reigning champions UCT. But that will have to wait until next year. No shame for Maties Rowing, which fielded five of the nine rowers representing Team SA at the FISU World University Games this July.
The Boat Race is modelled after the famed Oxford and Cambridge 5.4km river race in which two teams race, one-on-one, for the glory. While there are other sprint races on the rowing calendar, Boat Race is historically the one to claim, having begun in the late 1970s.
Maties Rowing Club has been growing steadily over the past few years, gaining new members and expanding its fleet of boats, including a parasport boat with pontoons and two new boats for women. The boats are housed in Elgin where the club rows but when not on the water, intensive training takes place on rowing machines in the Boat House at Coetzenburg.
Although accessible to any beginner prepared to learn the basics, competitive rowing is anything but a Sunday afternoon paddle, says Graham. “It may be a low impact sport that is open to anyone but to race, rowers need superior leg, arm and upper body strength, conditioning and stamina – which means dedication and sweat before you take to the water!”
“It is the ultimate team sport, in my opinion,” says Rika, referencing the need for each crew member to deliver precision and strength in perfect unison. “It is a full body work-out but for me it’s 75% in the legs. It is also a sport that requires careful coaching to prevent lower back injury. Get it right and you could still be rowing into your 80s.”
Rika, who suggests that those who are not great with ball skills should try rowing, is a champion rower, having represented South Africa in the 2008 Summer Olympics, and participated in the 2011 and 2012 Crossfit Games. A highly accomplished coach with 20 years’ experience, Rika joined Maties Rowing as Women’s Coach in 2024.
Graham, an attorney, who has rowed since he was a 14 year-old schoolboy, had two years at junior national level and rowed at national level while at university in Gauteng. After moving to Stellenbosch in 2019, his passion for rowing led him to Maties as a coach. “Through years of university rowing, I had a strong connection to Maties, so it is was a pleasure to come here and help to grow the club. It’s my happy place,” he says.
Follow Maties Rowing triumphs and news on Facebook and Instagram @MatiesRowing.
