Maadi Cup: Tauranga Boys' College double gold earns first Maadi Cup podium appearance in six years

The Tauranga Boys' College U18 Novice coxed quad. Photo / Supplied

Tauranga Boys' College have claimed their first Maadi Cup medal in six years.

Their absence from the podium at the Aon Maadi Cup National Secondary School Rowing Championships in recent years, ended last week with students earning two gold medals at Lake Karapiro.

George Wilson and Connor Swanepol won the under-18 boys novice double sculls final and then teamed up with James Hollard, Zachary Conayne and coxswain Callum Berkett to win the novice coxed quad sculls event. Rowers must be in their first year in the sport to qualify as novices.

The last time Tauranga Boys won a medal at the national champs was when a coxed quad crew claimed the under-18 boys title in 2013.

Tauranga had 20 rowers at Karapiro last week and teacher in charge of rowing Tanya Williams says it is a great achievement. The results followed on from a two-gold, one bronze effort at the North Island Secondary School Champions at the beginning of March.

"It is one of the best seasons we have had and it is a massive improvement on last season." Williams says.

"We have some really good novices that have come up and they really worked hard. The coaches have put some great combinations together."

Williams says the relationship with the Tauranga Rowing Club is vital as it supplies coaching and storage for the boats.

"Rowing seems to go in and out of fashion at the school. Some people are put off by the commitment to training and the early mornings. The great thing about school level is the whole squad goes to compete. It is a huge event, and the experience was great for the kids."

Williams says results like this help to grow the sport at the school.

"We are recruiting now, but the season does not start until September. We want them to start training now and it is not too hard, about three times a week.

"Winning medals helps get it out there and we have a medal presentation at the school and that is a good way to help get new members. We do have some athletes use rowing as their off-season training."

Tauranga Girls' College also claimed gold as Rosie Frood and Courtney Ryan won the under-17 girls double sculls title. It continued a solid run for the pair, who won five medals at the past three Maadi Cup regattas when in the same boat.

The other Bay of Plenty medal was won by Trident High School's Ben Olfiers placed second in the under-16 boys single sculls final.