Dunstan High School’s Pipi Horan pulled out a gutsy performance to win the girls under 17 single sculls rowing at Maadi Cup last week.

She brings home a $12,000 prize, a new single scull boat to take pride of place in the school’s rowing sheds.

Dunstan High School rowing coach Simon Smith said Pipi had not rowed in the 10 days prior to the regatta, which made her win even more incredible.

Pipi teamed up with Sophie Smith to also come away with a silver in the girls U18 double sculls.

Simon said his athletes made five A finals, an outstanding achievement that he could not be happier with.

Dunstan High School's U18 double sculls silver medallists Sophie Smith and Pipi Horan. PHOTO: Sharon Bennett Photography

“Every single one of my athletes got covid . . . which meant we had a depleted squad for South Island Secondary schools [just] prior to Maadi."

He said he was not expecting much with the disruption to their build up, which they all experienced.

“We had 10 rowers go to Maadi and five came out of isolation just the weekend before.”

Maadi Cup this year was reduced in terms of numbers as novice rowers were not a part of racing due to Covid-19 requirements. 

“It was half the size of normal, with around 1200-1300 athletes attending,” Simon said.

“It was a shame our juniors couldn’t go . . . they deserved to be there.”

He said he hoped that the regatta could get back to what it was in the coming years once Omicron has passed. 

Along with Dunstan High School, Cromwell College had students take part over the course of the week.

Cromwell College rowing club president Maree Piebenga said it was a massive week for the seven rowers who attended.

"Maadi is a tough level and intense . . . the rowers did the college proud.

"We made several B finals and an A final.

"We are a young club and still building things up, we only won our first medal last year . . . they all did so well.

"The weather was amazing with six days in a row of rowing and [only] a few fog delays."

Maree said the school had one rower, pre the regatta, who had Covid-19 and luckily no one got sick during the week.

She said congratulations were due to the U17 double sculling pair Olivia Piebenga and Greer Ferguson who placed eighth in their A final, and Mat King who came third in U17 single sculls B final. 

All smiles: Cromwell College's senior rowers just prior to heading off to Lake Ruataniwha. PHOTO: Cromwell Rowing Club

The 2022 New Zealand Secondary School Championship (also known as the Aon Maadi Cup) is New Zealand’s biggest annual secondary sports event, this years was held in Twizel at Lake Ruataniwha on March 28 – April 2.

It alternates between Lake Karapiro in Cambridge and Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel.  

The race began in 1947 on the Wanganui River and has grown to such proportions that last year 123 schools sent 2435 students – a far cry from its early days.

This year there were 1200 rowers spread over 52 events, culminating, as ever, in the girls and boys eights events, the Levin 75th Jubilee Cup and the Maadi Cup, which drew 18 and 16 entries respectively.

Full results can be viewed at rowit.nz