Interview Series - David Smith
“Who would you most like to row in a boat with?
Nigella Lawson, Amanda Redmond, Sandra Bullock and Halle Berry as the coxswain. ”
— David Smith
DAVID SMITH
How did you start rowing?
Started rowing in about 1960,a natural progression from the coxwains seat.
What was your first crew and who was in it?
First crew,a novice four,Myself,Allan “Tweets” Larkin,Jamie Hudson and brother Brian Smith.
Who was your 1st coach?
Cyril Molesworth
Who at that time was your sporting hero?
My sporting heroes were Bruce McLaren ,Denny Hulme and Chris Amon.
Given that you were a great friend of Noel Mills-tell us a bit about him?
What can I say about Noel Mills, that has not already been said ,a great guy, one of the best, not only a true champion rower but a great club member to boot, always had time for the younger members and always keen to pass on his knowledge and expertise. As a friend he was a model of reliability and sincerity. In his latter years he had major health problems, a quad heart bypass proved most successful and he was able to continue masters rowing.
His name will always live on with the creation of the Noel Mills Trust Fund from which is drawn
financial benefits each year to promising Junior members of the Club.
What was your BEST race?
Best race would have been winning the novice fours at the Ngaruawahia regatta.
What was your WORST race?
Worst race would have been any of those races where we finished up getting beaten.
You were a long time committee member of the club as secretary and a number of other positions-tell us about some of the things you remember about those years?
I spent more years in the club as an administrator than as an active member. Many enjoyable
moments were had, especially joining a supporters party to Lake Waihola to witness the club
winning its first redcoats in the coxed four and eight. Sadly the majority of that tour party have since passed away.
In the 70s there was a separate REGATTA COMMITTEE that run the club regattas at first on the river with the finish at the Army Hall and then up at Lake Matahina-tell us about those days. Brian Slipper was the driving force with you, Les Stewart, Peter Seebeck, Keith Bowering, Brian Morpeth. What events stopped rowing on the river and then years later finished our days at Lake Matahina and the move to the Blue Lake.
I spent many years as secretary of the regatta committee, it was a lot of work but one got a lot of enjoyment from it. The regatta was held on the Whakatane River with the finishing line just upstream from the wharf. In those days the Miss Whakatane Bathing Beauty contest was run in conjunction with the regatta, it was always a fun day which attracted a large crowd and drew entries from all over the North Island. For many years the committee provided accommodation for the visiting oarsmen in the form of stretchers with a palliasse (a large sack filled with straw). What with the amount of partying that went on after the regatta I’m not too sure how many of the beds were actually used for SLEEPING.
Because of the many problems associated with trying to run a regatta on a tidal river it was decided that we had to look for an alternative venue. The late Brian Slipper took it on himself to look into Lake Matahina as a possible rowing course. With the many problems regarding public access, parking,boat launching etc. it proved to be a logistical nightmare, but Keith Bowering and the NZ Army Engineers came to the fore with earthworks which enabled the club to stage many successful regattas. Unfortunately the Edgecumbe Earthquake put paid to the venue, the access road dropped into the lake and the many years of hard work and planning disappeared overnight. Since then the club has run its annual regatta at the Blue Lakes in conjunction with the Rotorua Rowing Club.
Who would you most like to row in a boat with?
Nigella Lawson, Amanda Redmond, Sandra Bullock and Halle Berry as the coxswain.
Editors note: sorry Wybo I thought you would be on Dave’s list but because of the competition you didn’t make the cut (despite all those trial fours races you won with Dave in the bow).
If you didn’t row what other sport would you have chosen?
I don’t know what summer sport I would have taken up besides rowing, tried cricket but no good at it plus it was boring.
What job did you do while rowing?
I was an apprentice watchmaker with the family business.
Where do you live now?
Still live in Whakatane.
Tell us a bit about your family?
Been married to my wife Judith for nearly 50 years, have three children, 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Unfortunately our 3 children all live far from home, Stratford(NZ) being the nearest ,then Western Australia and New York.
Rowing has played a large part in my life, I still get enjoyment in strolling down to the club on a
Sunday morning for a coffee and chat.
