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Grafton Rowing Club secretary Lyndall Burchell (left) with (right) president Greg Thompson and Margaret McKenna of Walkers Marina Hotel.

THE CLARENCE River will once again be the showpiece for the NSW Masters Rowing Regatta in May.

Described by Grafton Rowing Club president Greg Thompson as the perfect setting to hold such a prestigious event, the two-day regatta will see crews compete from all over NSW.

“The Clarence is arguably one of the best rivers in Australia and possibly the world to hold a rowing regatta,” a proud Thompson said.

“We hosted the same event three years ago and it was judged the best-run regatta in NSW.

“Every time people come here to compete they all say it’s the best river to row on. Even when we hosted some Olympic crews they agreed it is one of the best in the world.

“I received a letter from a Canadian crew who trained here last November leading up to the National Masters and they said it was without doubt the best river they have rowed on in the world.”

Thompson said crews from the Grafton club have been training hard for the event with competitors aged between 27 and 90.

“Some guys are in their 80s and are still competing. I expect our club will have at least 80-90 rowers,” he said.

“The regatta will attract a huge contingency of rowers and I know motels and hotels are already just about booked out. It will be one of the biggest regattas for a long time.”

The NSW Masters will be held May 15 and 16.

Walkers Marina Hotel’s Margaret McKenna donated money to the club, along with several other organisations, in a bid to continue development in the region.