Rowing Season Review: Silver and Bronze at Maadi Cup

The Saint Kentigern College Rowing went into the start of the 2023/24 [ML1] season with the objective of achieving at least a 3% improvement in terms of results from the previous season. They achieved this and then some.

Inclement weather during the season opening training camp meant that crews could not get on the water and complete the intended sessions over the three days. Despite this setback, the camp facilitated the development of effective combinations for the early season regattas, where SKC crews performed well.

At the Christmas regatta in Karapiro, the College reached twenty-two finals with numerous top-three placings, providing momentum for each of the squads going into the holiday break.

The January camp was successful, with extensive training and crew selections for the North Island Club champions. We were up against not only other school crews but also seasoned club rowers, where we podiumed numerous times.

Following on recent regattas, we won top school trophy earning the most points among schools at both the Auckland Champs and Head of Harbour regattas. Building on these successes, SKC performed admirably at the North Island Secondary Champs, reaching twenty-nine finals, including 14 A finals where the club stood on the podium five times.

The medal winners in their respective events at North Island Secondary Schools.

Our medallists were:

Boys U17 Coxed Four               SILVER

James Knottenbelt, Angus Forrest, Callum Nelson, Fletcher Clark, Nicholas Thompson

Boys U17 Coxless Pair             SILVER

James Knottenbelt, Angus Forrest

Girls U16 Coxed Four                BRONZE

Kate Slyfield, Sophie Sayer, Emily Qian, Holly Van der Mescht, Chloe Zeng

U15 Boys Coxed Quad             GOLD

Liam Dowling, Ben Rickard, Monty Neubert, Sebastian Wallace, Charles McRobie

U15 Boys Octuple Sculls        SILVER

Liam Dowling, Sebastian Wallace, Ben Rickard, Monty Neubert, Zach Pebbles, Freddie Simons, Leo Sargent, Hugo Jancys, Charles McRobie

The season results have been instrumental in affording us the chance to expand our squad for the New Zealand Secondary School Champs (Maadi Cup). Their experience throughout the year presented invaluable opportunities to fortify the team and maximise our chances of success at the Maadi Cup down at Lake Ruataniwha, Twizel in the South Island.

When the lights were brightest, Saint Kentigern secured eight A finals at the New Zealand Secondary School Rowing Championships. Notably, they excelled in the U15 coxed octuple and the U15 coxed quad event, winning a silver medal and a bronze respectively.

U15 Boys Octuple Sculls        SILVER               

Liam Dowling, Sebastian Wallace, Ben Rickard, Monty Neubert, Zach Pebbles, Freddie Simons, Leo Sargent, Hugo Jancys, Charles McRobie

U15 Boys Coxed Quad             BRONZE

Liam Dowling, Ben Rickard, Monty Neubert, Sebastian Wallace, Charles McRobie