Dunstan Arm Rowing Club (DARC) and Cromwell Rowing Club (CRC) competed in the New Zealand Rowing Championships (NZRC) at Twizel’s Lake Ruataniwha last week (February 14-18).

DARC came away with six medals, three golds, two silvers and a bronze.

Coach Simon Smith said the club was having a strong season, with times improving at every regatta.

“We made 26 A finals… I’m super proud of them. It was a diverse range of athletes this year from senior men and women to novices new to rowing.

“It was amazing to win medals in senior events against the best athletes in the country.

“Gerard Wall, Jack Pearson and Charlotte Lightfoot have been named in the under 21 NZ team also. A great result for Dunstan.” 

The golds went to Simon Lloyd and Henry Clatworthy (men’s club double sculls), Angus Kenny and Jack Pearson (men’s senior double sculls) and Simon Smith, Simon Lloyd, Mathew King and Jed Mcintosh (men’s club coxless quad sculls).

Simon said the last time he got a medal in the quad was 27 years ago, in 1996. 

Coach Simon (left) with the club’s golden coxless quad crew

“To jump in a boat with guys I’ve coached for years and come away with a medal was pretty special… I’m probably the sum total of their ages.”

The women’s senior double sculls crew of Silja Runge and Charlotte Lightfoot scored a silver behind North Shore Rowing Club. 

Club double sculls rowers Holly Dodd and Mackenzie Bryant had a joke as they raced on Valentines Day. PHOTO: Sharon Bennett Photography  

Jack Pearson, Angus Kenny, Harry Wilkinson and Henry Clatworthy took home a silver for the men’s senior coxless quad sculls race. 

DARC’s bronze was in the men’s under 22 double sculls by rowers Gerard Wall and Hamish Yeatman.

Gerard Wall also placed sixth in the under 22 single scull. PHOTO: Sharon Bennett Photography  

The DARC team of competitors

CRC made five B finals, and an A final. The women’s intermediate coxed four came in first in their B final (Kaylee Butler, Hannah Dicey, Tori Sarginson, Rebekah Thomson and Caroline Smith). 

The women's intermediate coxed eight from CRC placed fifth in their A final, improving by 21 seconds on their earlier time.

The CRC team

More than 850 athletes from 44 clubs competed at the championships which culminated in finals on Friday and Saturday (February 17-18).

The South Island Secondary Schools (SISS) Championships are next for school age rowers (March 10-12), followed by the Maadi Regatta at Lake Karapiro, near Cambridge (March 27- April 1).