College sport: Rowers ready to end South Island dominance

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Auckland Grammar are well placed for a share of titles from the New Zealand secondary schools rowing championships after winning their heat in the Springbok Shield under-19 boys' fours on Lake Karapiro yesterday.

The central Auckland school gained the second fastest time of the three heats, 0.77s behind Wellington College.

Last year's winners of the blue riband Maadi Cup eights, Wanganui Collegiate, completed an impressive North Island college line-up to rival the South Island schools' dominance on the water.

Christ's College from Christchurch are expected to be a major contender for the Maadi Cup.

In the Dawn Cup under-19 girls fours, there appeared to be no deviation from the dominance of Christchurch schools St Margaret's College and Rangi Ruru.

Wanganui Collegiate won the first heat in 7m 55.0s and St Margaret's (7m 41.92s) and Rangi Ruru (7m 43.02s) were much faster in winning the others.

but Auckland colleges are making their presence felt with promising results two days into the competition.

Auckland Grammar, Takapuna Grammar and St Kentigern College all won heats of the under-15 quad sculls and AGS won their heat in the under-15 eights.

Sacred Heart are looking promising in the under-16 quad sculls, posting a competitive time of 7m 49.17s to win their heat and advance to the final.

Westlake Girls High School gained some revenge on Diocesan, who have enjoyed a successful season so far, forcing Diocesan into the repecharge of the under-17 eights after they were soundly beaten by Westlake in their heat.

The competition continues through the week, with the finals on Friday and Saturday.

ATHLETICS

The North Island athletics championships at Sovereign Stadium this weekend promise some exciting competition. However, the transtasman test on Saturday will rule Rangitoto College student Rebecca McEnaney, aged 15, out of the 800m.

SWIMMING

Westlake Boys High School student Josh Agnew broke two records in the Auckland champion-of-champions event.

Agnew won the senior boys' 50m butterfly title in a record of 27.06s and continued to power through the water in record speed, breaking the 50m senior boys backstroke record as well.

Eleven records were broken, with Diocesan breaking the 4x50m junior girls backstroke relay record set by St Cuthbert's College in 1990.

WATERPOLO

Auckland schools were not out of their depth in the senior boys premier section of the North Island secondary schools competition.

Westlake Boys High School remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and kept their score sheet reasonably clean, beating Rangitoto College 5-1 in a one-sided final.

Rangitoto were treading water after upsetting defending champions Auckland Grammar 11-9 in the semifinals. Grammar took third spot ahead of Wellington's Rongotai College to complete the Auckland top three.

Sacred Heart College (Lower Hutt) created history by winning the girls championship for the first time, beating Wellington Girls College 5-2.

TENNIS

St Kentigern College stamped their claim on winning their first Auckland secondary schools title by forging a nine-point lead in the senior boys A1 competition at the end of the first-term season.

St Kentigern cemented their position, leading the intermediate and junior boys competitions ahead of Auckland Grammar.

Diocesan are heading the senior A1 girls competition, after edging out Epsom Girls' Grammar 5-4.

They also knocked Westlake Girls' High School from top spot in the intermediate grade, but could not complete the treble, losing to Baradene College 7-2, for Baradene to head the junior competition.

THIS WEEK


Today:

* NZSS softball championships, March 28-31, Dunedin. NZSS volleyball championships, March 28-30, Tauranga. NZSS rowing championships, March 26-31, Lake Karapiro. Auckland: Auckland secondary schools wrestling championships, Dilworth School, senior campus.

Tomorrow:

* Auckland: Auckland secondary school triathlon championships, Manly Beach. Northland/South Auckland: zone two Gillette Cup cricket semifinals.

Saturday:

* North Island secondary schools athletics championships, March 31-April 1, Sovereign Stadium.

* Auckland: Auckland secondary schools outrigging regatta, Onehunga Lagoon.

* North Harbour: cricket.

Sunday:

* Auckland: sport climbing; Auckland secondary schools waterpolo finals. Waitakere Aquatic Centre.