Dunstan High School (DHS) rowers are continuing to be a force in secondary school rowing.

Three crews took home gold in the 2025 New Zealand Secondary School Championships, also known as the Aon Maadi Cup Regatta, at Lake Karāpiro near Cambridge last week.

The medals were won in the under 15 double sculls (Bella Breen and Charlotte Crosbie); under 17 double sculls (Bella Breen and Ruby Smith), and the under 17 coxed quad sculls (Ruby Smith, Bella Breen, Drew Thomas, Charlotte Crosbie and Milla Okane). 

The winning margins were solid, with leads of 0.09sec. in the U15 final, 0.04sec. in the U17 double final and 0.03sec. in the U17 coxed quad.

Head coach Simon Smith said he was “very proud” and it had been a magic week of flat conditions and only the odd little puff of wind. 

Coach Simon Smith with the under 17 coxed quad sculls crew of Ruby Smith, Bella Breen, Drew Thomas, Charlotte Crosbie and Milla O'Kane. PHOTO: DHS 

He put the success of the small team of 13 that travelled to the regatta down to hard work and good preparation.

“The [athletes] have been with senior and [Dunstan Arm Rowing Club] rowers throughout the season… they were really well prepared from being amongst [and training with] the older athletes.

“We’ve got rowers in under 15s rowing well above their age group, it’s just fantastic and the [rowing development] hub is paying off.”

Cromwell College also had two rowers travel to Maadi this year; Ayala Cunningham and Elizabeth Engstrom. The pair placed fifth in the C final for the U17 double sculls.

Simon said they valued the experience and were soaking it all up, learning a lot alongside all the other school rowers.  

Rowing was still top of mind for many club and secondary school rowers with Bella Breen and Ruby Smith selected to trial for the U18 South Island team at Lake Ruataniwha on April 12 -14.

Dunstan Arm Rowing Club rowers Harrison Thode and Roland Ozanne have been selected to trial for the under 19 at Lake Karapiro April 12-19 and DARC also has trialists for the New Zealand Universities team and the NZ under 22 team too. 

Maadi Cup is one of the biggest secondary schools sporting event in New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere. 

Next year the event will return to Lake Ruataniwha, near Twizel. 

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