Rowing: Christchurch schools in Maadi focus

Photo / Martin Sykes

Rowing's popularity with New Zealand secondary schools shows no signs of abating.

This year's Maadi Cup regatta starts at Lake Karapiro today. It has drawn more than 1400 crews from about 1900 students representing 120 schools across 48 classes.

Among the points of interest is how well the Christchurch schools, which have a proud record at the regatta, will cope after a disrupted preparation because of the earthquake.

Rangi Ruru was the top school overall at last year's regatta at Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel.

They won the Star Trophy for that distinction, topped off by winning the Levin Jubilee Cup for girls' under-18 eights.

St Margaret's College is another Christchurch school with a notable record in the championship.

Christ's College has won the Maadi Cup - the regatta is named after the trophy contested by the under-18 boys' eights - five times since 1995.

Their win in 2006 is the only break in Hamilton Boys High School's dominance of the event since2005.

There was a minor surprise at the North Island championships on the same course recently when Auckland Grammar pipped Hamilton for the eights title, albeit by a mere 0.26s.

Grammar had been tipped last year to make a big push for the title this season.

Heats and repechages occupy the first three days, the semifinals are on Thursday and finals are split over Friday and Saturday.