Lake Karapiro was the setting of great success for a BOP rowing club on the weekend, with every entered athlete progressing to the finals.

The Bay of Plenty Coast Rowing Club had 30 school aged athletes entered in the North Island Club Championships which took place from January 24 – 27.

Club captain Marcus Grimmer says that in the club's 25 year history the founder has never before seen all its members make it into finals.

With the way the competition is run, Marcus estimates more than half of the competition had been eliminated after the first round.

'This is a fantastic result.”

For four medallists this will be one of their last events with the club as they move to other centres for tertiary study.

'It's quite exciting for them to be medallists at their last club regatta,” Marcus says. 'They are an inspiration for their younger club members.”

Other members will be looking towards the upcoming National and Aon Maadi Cup competitions.

When Marcus was at school in Rotorua rowing was not a sport available to him. He wants to offer the opportunity to people aged 12 and over through the club's introductory programme.

It starts on February 23 and runs twice a week for seven weeks.

More information will become available on their website.