Rowing: Wanganui Collegiate too classy in retaining glamour title

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Wanganui Collegiate's victorious Maadi Cup rowing coach, Don McDonald, had no idea his charges had won the prize until his wife told him the good news.

"I never watch the race," he said. "I couldn't even tell you their time."

Wanganui Collegiate retained the Maadi Cup for the boys under-19 eight at the New Zealand secondary schools rowing championships at Lake Karapiro for a second consecutive year in a smart time of 6m 00.76s. They headed off Christ's College from Christchurch and King's College from Auckland.

It is the 16th time the school has won the trophy since the race began in 1947.

The crew of Rowan Marshall, Douglas Garland, Sam van Pragg, Ian Hutchings, Peter Barron, Liam Graham, Pita Karauria, Samuel Scown and coxswain Jeffcoat Dickie nosed ahead of the King's College crew at the halfway mark and maintained the lead over the remaining 1000m.

Rangi Ruru Girls School from Christchurch met their match in the girls under-19 eight final when their neighbours and arch rivals, St Margaret's College, finally broke their nine-year stranglehold on the Levin Jubilee Cup.

St Margaret's finished the 2000m race in 6m 47.33s, more than two seconds ahead of Rangi Ruru. Marlborough Girls College took the bronze medal.

St Margaret's hopes for their first senior girls eight title looked sunk a fortnight ago when two members of the crew had to pull out through injury and sickness.

Coach Trudy Keys quickly promoted under-15 eight members Jessica Bell and Hannah Maher to the senior crew.

The two junior members tasted success over Rangi Ruru twice, also gaining gold in the girls under-15 eight.

Rangi Ruru did manage to bag some of the silverware, winning the Dawn Cup for the girls under-19 four, and Wellington College were surprise victors of the boys under-19 four Springbok Shield.