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Rowers partake in trans-Tasman challenge to mark Anzac Day

April 25, 2021

Rowers in New Zealand and Australia rowed 2504 metres to mark Anzac Day.

Kiwi and Australian rowers marked Anzac Day in a unique way, rowing 2504 metres as many times as they could, as part of a trans-Tasman challenge.

The event began last year when the rowers were in lockdown, the Kiwis winning the inaugural edition.

Auckland Rowing Club members were up early this morning, taking a moment of silence before getting into their work.

The club's history was shaped by the first World War, the challenge today less about their pain than the ones who went before them.

"To think that over the five years about 100 of our members went to Europe, 30 percent of them died, another 30 percent of them were casualties. They came back with some serious injuries," Club Captain Darryn van der Sandt said.

"Those guys would have been 18, 19 and stuff. I'm 21 so to imagine what they would have gone through well before the age I am now, those guys gave up a lot," rower Jack MacDonald added.

It was not just club rowers using some time on the rowing machine to reflect and remember, Olympic gold medallist Eric Murray also joining in.

"I'll probably sit on here for an hour so the old Eric Murray would have probably got through seven or eight rotations but I think the new age Eric Murray may be about five or six if I'm lucky," he told 1 NEWS.

Across the ditch Major Tom Cregan also doing his bit to help the Aussies out in the challenge.

"It's certainly a different experience of an Anzac Day. I've had a few different types, from some deployed overseas or on the Western front in France as a memorial there," Cregan said.

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