On Saturday, March 22, the BHS rowing team traveled to Cambridge to compete in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Rowing Association Regatta, better known as the Maadi Cup.
The 19-member squad was eagerly anticipating this regatta, having achieved excellent results earlier in the month at the South Island Secondary Schools Regatta.
Upon arriving in Cambridge, the team headed straight to Lake Karāpiro, where they took possession of their new quad boat. Excited to get on the water, they wasted no time in testing it out.
On Sunday, March 23, all the participating schools paraded through the streets of Cambridge in the Maadi Parade. The BHS squad proudly represented their school, demonstrating their team spirit and enthusiasm.
Between Monday and Thursday, the BHS crews competed in heats and repechage races, putting forth their best efforts. On Thursday, March 27, Jess Rankin qualified for the C finals in the GU17x1, where she placed 4th, and the GU18x1, where she placed 8th. These were remarkable achievements, especially considering she raced in four events on the same day.
Friday, March 28, saw several BHS crews in B finals. Tom Carey, Riley McMorran, Sean, Jack Payne, and coxswain Evie Nathan placed 3rd in the BU16 4x+ race. Aimee Muncaster and Melissa Irvine went head-to-head in the B final of the GU16 1x, with Aimee finishing 7th and Melissa 4th, an impressive effort. The final B final of the day was the GN18 2x, where Harriet Gorman and Lucy Gibson placed 4th, competing strongly against older rowers.
Saturday, March 29, marked the final day of the regatta, with 15 squad members competing in A and B finals. The day started with Riley McMorran and Tom Carey rowing in the BU16x2 B final. They led from start to finish, securing 9th place in the secondary schools rankings in New Zealand, an outstanding achievement.
Harriet Gorman and Lucy Gibson finished 7th in the BU15x2 A final, while Tyler Rogers, Sean Gillman, Felix Roe, Jack Payne, and coxswain Evie Nathan placed 6th in the BU15 4x+ A final. Harriet Gorman, Lucy Gibson, Olivia Blackmore-Mahan, Courtnee Capon, and coxswain Aimee Muncaster placed 8th in the GN18 4x+ A final, once again competing impressively against older and more experienced rowers.
Melissa Irvine and Jess Rankin finished 2nd in the GU17x2 B final. Despite having only an hour between races, Melissa returned to the water for the GU16x2 B final. Alongside Aimee Muncaster, they led from start to finish, securing a victory and placing in the top 10 secondary school competitors in New Zealand for these events.
To conclude the squad’s efforts, Tom Carey competed in the BU16x1 B final, finishing in 7th place.
The BHS rowing squad’s results speak for themselves. With nine novice rowers this year, their dedication and hard work have made a significant impact on the team. This marks the final year for Jess Rankin in the BHS squad. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors and are confident she will continue to excel in rowing.
Our achievements would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of our coaches, Christina Blackford and Rob Meates. Their hard work has been instrumental in the success of the BHS rowing squad.
We deeply appreciate the Burnside Rowing Committee for their tireless dedication in managing the logistics of every regatta, ensuring everything runs smoothly for our rowers.
A heartfelt thank you to Harris Farms for their generous support this season and a huge thanks to Liz Inglis Photography for the incredible in action shots, they’re absolutely amazing!
