Police pleased with crowds at rowing

Waikato Police are describing crowd numbers and behaviour at the World Rowing Championships being held at Karapiro this week as 'oar-some' with no issues in relation to behaviour or traffic congestion recorded so far.

Officer in charge of policing the rowing, Inspector Paul Carpenter, said those attending the event had mostly been corporates, family groups and rowing enthusiasts and there had been very little issues for Police to deal with.

"We've also had about 1,200 school children attend each day who have added to the enthusiasm, and noise levels at the event as they get behind the various teams racing."

While the Waikato are providing the majority of officers on site at the venue and on the roads members of the Auckland based Police Maritime Unit were keeping an eye on things on the water.

"The World Rowing Champs are one of the first events falling under the new Major Events Management Act in the build up to next year's Rugby World Cup, as such Police are collocated at the rowing with ambulance staff and members of the Ministry of Economic Development.

"It's very much a whole of Government approach and observers from the Police team planning next year's event will be visiting Karapiro tomorrow to go through any issues that have been identified so far of which there have been very few."

Out on the roads officers have been reporting steady traffic flows and rowing fans are making good use of the park 'n' ride buses but Mr Carpenter said as the rowing progresses crown numbers and traffic flows were expected to increase.

"We're happy to report no issues so far in terms of car break-ins at the parking venues and we want this to continue.

"We'd ask people to follow the 'lock it or lose it' principals and if they can't take valuables with them secure them away out of site to deter opportunistic thieves."

With oars in the water for semi-final races on Friday and the finals over the weekend Police expect crowd numbers to grow.

"And that's when we urge motorists to use patience, avoid the fuss and get on the bus and avoid taking any risks out on our roads," said Mr Carpenter