Dunstan High School (DHS) and Cromwell College (CC) rowers have performed well against the powerhouse rowing schools in the country at Maadi Cup regatta held at Cambridge’s Lake Karāpiro.

Dunstan’s team of 17 rowers entered 12 different races, and Cromwell’s 18 rowers competed in 14 events.

DHS coach Simon Smith said the relatively small young squad were in a rebuilding phase, but he was happy with their results. 

“To have some top eight and top 16 finishes is really promising. Tahlia came away with a silver medal in only her second time racing in a single scull… and we were only a second away from a bronze in the double.”

Tahlia with her silver medal

Simon said the rowers loved it and the “huge experience” sets the school up well for next year and as the group of rowers move up the ranks. 

DHS highlights were crews making five A finals and five B finals.

Tahlia Nelson placed second in the U16 single sculls, and in the double together with Emer Bryant she earned a fourth as well.

Other A final results were; girls’ U15 coxed quad got sixth, the girls’ U16 coxed quad also sixth and the girls’ U18 novice coxed quad fifth.

DHS’s Niamh O’Docherty. PHOTO: Sharon Bennett

For DHS B finals, Angus Hanning placed third in the boys’ U16 single, Jed McIntosh placed fourth in the U18 single scull, the boys’ U18 novice double also came fourth, the boys’ U18 novice coxed quad came in seventh, and Niamh O’Docherty placed third in the girls’ U16 single.

CC rowers at Queenstown Airport prior to the regatta

CC crews made four B finals. In those, Olivia Piebenga and Greer Ferguson placed first in the girls’ under 18 (U18) double sculls; the girls’ U15 coxed octuple sculls placed third; Alyssa Wilson and Ayala Cunningham placed fourth in the girls’ U15 double sculls; and Olivia came sixth in the girls’ U18 single sculls.

CC U15 coxed octi crew

Simon thanked the Central community for the ongoing support of rowing, and the parents of rowers for their help with training, fundraising and at the regatta itself.

Cromwell’s Alyssa and Ayala

The President's Scull for best sculling school went to Wakatipu High School, with Cashmere High School in second and Timaru Boys High School in third. 

Almost 2,300 rowers pulled on their school colours and gave it their all in 430 races for 52 events across six days of racing.

A DHS girls quad on the water. PHOTO: Leon Morris

156 medals were spread over 49 schools, and 28 different schools were crowned national secondary schools' champions.

The New Zealand Secondary School Championships (also known as the Aon Maadi Cup Regatta) remains the biggest secondary schools sporting event in New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere. It was held March 27 - April 1 and has been sponsored by insurer Aon for the past 18 years.

Next year the Maadi Cup returns to Twizel’s Lake Ruataniwha.