The Bethlehem College rowing team will be rowing the length of the Waikato River this weekend, but they won't be on water.

Instead, the team of more than 10 rowers will be clocking up 425km on rowing machines at their Wairoa Rd clubroom on Saturday to raise funds to get to the Aon Maadi Cup regatta at Twizel's Lake Ruataniwha on April 4.

Max Well, 15, and George Rowley, 16, are part of the Bethlehem College Rowing Club Maadi squad taking up the River Row-a-thon challenge. 'It should be good,” says Max.

Competing in the Maadi Cup will be the biggest event in his rowing career so far. 'I'm pretty excited for it.”

Leading up to the Maadi Cup, the school's top secondary school rowing squads will compete against each other to qualify for the national age group champions at the Aon Maadi Cup regatta.

The event challenges rowers to race between Lake Karapiro in the North Island and Lake Ruataniwha in the South Island.

The Bethlehem College Rowing Club Maadi squad is working hard toward competing in Twizel, with regular gym sessions and training on the Wairoa River as well as various competitive regattas against other schools.

'To get to Twizel we have to qualify in the top 16 and to do that our coaches have us training 10 times a week for one to three-hour sessions on the Wairoa River and at the gym,” says Max.

It's a pretty demanding sport, but that doesn't stop Max and George, who have been rowing for four years. 'I just love it,” says Max. 'It's just enjoyable.”

'I guess I just like it and the comradery between everyone is really good,” says George, who competed in Twizel two years ago.

'It's definitely intense it takes up a lot of time.” But does it put him off? 'Nah.” Plus, George likes the competitiveness of the sport, and he's good at it.

'It was something that appealed to me. I gave it a try and it was something I was good at and I like being on the water.”

Before the Aon Maadi Cup, the school's top rowers will compete at the North Island Secondary School Championships at Lake Karapiro on March 18.

The Race the River Row-a-thon is at the clubrooms on Saturday, February 27, from 9am.

To donate, visit givealittle.co.nz/cause/racetheriver/donations before 4pm February 27.