Accolades keep coming for the Dunstan Arm Rowing Club (DARC) men’s senior quad, which was named team of the year at the Central Otago Sports Awards late last week.

The crew is made up of Henry Clatworthy, Angus Kenny, Jack Pearson and Marley King Smith.

Following their national title, two of the quad Jack Pearson and Angus Kenny were selected for the New Zealand under 23 team in February and will compete in the under 23 World Championships in St Catherines, Canada in August. 

Coach Simon Smith was also nominated for coach of the year, but missed out to Wānaka athletics coach Michael Beable. 

“To get a nomination was great and a recognition in itself,” Simon said.

Simon was “incredibly proud” of the DARC senior men and looking forward to their future progress as their New Zealand campaigns get underway.

“Three are going to Canada this year, and Henry is going to China.

"Marley King Smith is then heading to Washington State University in the United States.

“The plan is to be back here [at DARC] next season, but there’s a chance they might be pulled up into the summer squad elite team . . . if that happens, they’ll be out of my hands.”

Pictured are (from left) coach Natalie Wilson, Bella Breen, Ruby Smith and Simon on the podium with their gold medals at Maadi Cup held on Lake Ruataniwha, in Twizel. PHOTO: Supplied

Rower Jack Pearson, who is currently training with the NZ team in Cambridge, said it was “really full on”.

“[It’s] upwards of 200 km a week, and twice a day or more.”

Jack was in the running for the sportsman of the year award with other nominees Ben Richards (freeride - ski), Hunter Burke (luge), Luca Harrington (freeksi), Nico Porteous (freeski), Hamish Elliot (multisport), Finn Bilous (freeride -ski), Ben Campbell (golf), Hayden Paddon (motorsport) and Finn Butcher (kayak). 

Queenstown’s Ben Campbell took away the gong in this category.

Jack said he did not expect to have a chance at the sportsman of the year, but receiving the nomination was cool because he was included alongside such talent.

“I knew we had a decent chance at winning crew of the year. We couldn’t be there, but our coach accepted it on our behalf on the night.”

Other Central sportspeople recognised in the team of the year finalists were Dunstan High School’s Maadi cup gold medal winning rowing pair Bella Breen and Ruby Smith, and the New Zealand junior men's curling team of Jed Nevill, Hunter Burke, Darcy Nevill, Sam Flanagan and Will Becker.