Marsden Director of Rowing and team to cross the Cook Strait
‘Through the Blue’ charity fundraiser

Samuel Marsden Collegiate School staff and students send best wishes to their Director of Rowing Rachel Gamble-Flint and the team who will attempt to row the Cook Strait (100km) this weekend, to raise funds for the charity Through the Blue.

Gamble-Flint was a professional rower in the UK, including with the Olympics team, before she suffered an injury, which cut her sporting career short. “It was a very sudden finish”, said Gamble-Flint. The keen sportswoman wanted to stay involved in rowing in some form so decided to become a rowing coach. After coaching at Melbourne Girls Grammar Rachel joined the team at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School. She plays an integral part in their rowing programme and has taken up rowing again.

Gamble-Flint is joined by Tina Manker (teacher and rowing coach at Onlsow College, Germany Olympics team member 2012), Johannah Kearney (U23 NZ representative 2012-2014, currently studying at Victoria University and a rowing coach at Scots College) and Ellie Morris (Wellington Rowing Club) to make the crossing, with reserve rower Julia Richter on stand-by. They are part of a group of eight rowers who formed Through the Blue to develop programmes and resources to educate teachers about youth mental health issues and to empower teens to face their struggles and feel supported through the challenges of mental illness. The row across the Cook Strait is a fundraising event for the charity and the first rowing attempt to cross by an all-female crew. They will have two support boats for the crossing.

The team will depart from the Picton Rowing Club, weather permitting, in the early hours of a morning between 12-16 April. “The 12-14 hour row is a good metaphor for the resilience, strength and supported needed to live with and overcome mental illness” says Gamble-Flint.

The team thanks their main sponsors InterIslander, Proactive Physio and Laszlo Boats who have made the challenge possible, as well as their friends, family and those who have already made donations. Now they just have to see if the weather plays ball.

To donate to Through the Blue visit their givealittle page and to keep up to date with the team’s progress see their Facebook page.

Samuel Marsden Collegiate School in Karori and Whitby invite you to come for a tour anytime, or you can attend their next Open Day on 6 May, between 11am-1pm at the Whitby campus and between 2pm-4pm at the Karori campus.

Samuel Marsden Collegiate School has been providing quality independent education for 140 years. Today it has two campuses. The Marsden School Karori campus provides Preschool education for boys and girls, and education for girls from Years 1 to 13. Marsden Whitby provides education for boys and girls Years 7–13. As a not-for-profit organisation Marsden School expresses its vision in terms of what it ultimately wants to achieve for its students. That is to lay the foundation for lives of meaning, accomplishment and happiness, in a rapidly changing world. marsden.school.nz

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