Wakatipu High’s rowing squad enters this week’s prestigious New Zealand secondary schools’ Maadi Cup regatta on Lake Karapiro, near Cambridge, hugely buoyed by its latest results.
It convincingly won ‘top school’ at the South Island schools’ regatta on Twizel’s Lake Ruataniwha two weeks ago, winning golds in both
under-18 and U17 boys’ single, double and coxed squad events.
Marley King Smith starred in five of those crews, including both single sculls, and Xavier Small in four of them.
Silvers and bronzes from the girls’ and boys’ junior teams contributed to the result.
At last year’s Maadi Cup on Lake Ruataniwha, Wakatipu High was second-equal best school, scooping four golds and four bronzes.
With this week being the last Maadi for Year 13’s Marley and senior girls Olivia Key, Neve Bates, Phoebe Cavanagh and cox Emily Howick, who’ve all medalled at this regatta, ‘‘it will mean a lot to them all to finish their school rowing off with a successful campaign,’’ Whakatipu Rowing Club president Amy Wilson-White says.
Having Maadi on Lake Karapiro each alternate year is traditionally more challenging for South Island schools, however.
‘‘Limited accommodation in Cambridge, the increase in the cost of fuel and flights and the large number of students we’re taking [25 rowers] have made it a very expensive and complex logistical exercise,’’ Wilson-White says.
With this week costing $50,000-plus, the club’s been fundraising, including a wine fund raiser, through Marlborough’s Forrest Wines.
Wakatipu High director of sport Laura Nathan says: ‘‘We are incredibly proud as a school of our students and coaches, and to see all of their dedication, hard work and sacrifice come to fruition is just fantastic.’’
For top rowers, like Marley, Maadi can be a springboard to the South Island U18 trials and selection for the NZ U19 squad going to the worlds in France this year.
