MANNING Rowing Club officials hope work on the revamped clubhouse will be complete in time for the three day Summertime Regatta starting Friday, January 14.
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However, spokesman Hugh McLeod admits there's no guarantee this will be the case.
"We're hoping to get the operational certificate sorted by then,'' McLeod said.
"That means we will be able to use the clubhouse for the regatta. But we're had delays in getting some equipment here.''
He said if the certificate hasn't been issued the club will be able to use the clubhouse for the weekend in a limited capacity, but no functions will be held there.
The January regatta is a NSW event that will draw around 600 rowers from 30 clubs around the State. It's the major event on the club's calendar.
Club officials were able to give the new facilities a test run in a two day regatta held last weekend.
"We found there are a few things we will have to fix up before January, but otherwise everything went well,'' McLeod said.
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Rowers from around six clubs were involved over the two days.
On the opening day Manning rowers Graham Nix and Murray Doust won their respective divisions in the master sculls, while a number of club juniors had their first experience in competition. They included Ava Sharp, Joshua McPhellamy, Hunter Chapman, Rian Watkins and Noah Evans.
The Head of the River, a 16km race around Dumaresq Island, attracted 18 starters on the second day. UTS rower Tim Willsallen took line honours in the handicap event and also won the masters singles. Phoebe Sanders from Newcastle won the women's event while Linda Nesbitt from Endeavour took out the women's masters singles.
This is the first year the club has thrown the Head of the River open to rowers from other clubs and McLeod said there's already been interest in next year's race.
"We're sure it will get bigger,'' he said.
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