Though the Boys’ U18 Singles may not be the same opportunity to claim your very own Laszlo single scull as in the U17 Single at Maadi, it is still an extremely competitive event, with athletes putting it all on the line for victory. With almost no stage greater for a junior rower in New Zealand, taking home the crown will be on the minds of many come race day on the beautiful Lake Karāpiro. So, let us see who the contenders are.
Nathan Strachan – Macleans College
The favourite coming into Maadi, Strachan is a competent and powerful sculler, claiming gold at the North Island Secondary School Championships (N.I.S.S.C.) by nearly 12 seconds, alongside two bronze medals in the Boys’ U18 Double and Quad. Clearly, he decided to put on quite the show, and has demonstrated his depth across a range of boat classes. Last season, in the U17 Single event here, he fell just off the pace of the leaders, claiming bronze. This year, he is back for vengeance and seems to be on blistering pace, already overturning athletes that bested him before. Back at club events this season, at the North Island Club Championships (N.I.C.C.) , he came in silver in the Mens’ Club Single, and bronze in the Mens’ Club Double, showing he can hold his own not just against those his own age, but many adults too. So, coming into Maadi, I would imagine he should be feeling fairly confident, with him clearly possessing the pace to get the job done. However, nothing is decided yet, and there are certainly others that could surprise him.
Harry Lightfoot and Sebastian Watson – Wakatipu High School
Finishing first and second, respectively, at the South Island Secondary School Championships (S.I.S.S.C.), Lightfoot and Watson seemed to be a league above the rest all regatta, also comfortably posting the two fastest times in the heats. These lads are both competitors and teammates, racing both against each other and as crewmates. At the Canterbury Championships, they raced the Senior Double and U19 Coxed Quad together, taking first. They repeated this effort at the South Island Club Championships (S.I.C.C.) weeks later. Similarly to Strachan in the North Island, at S.I.S.S.C., Lightfoot dominated, winning gold in every U18 sculling event. Watson would have completed the same achievement had it not been for Lightfoot besting him by three seconds in the single. It seems pretty clear to me that the competition come Maadi will be between these boys and Strachan from Macleans. When looking at raw times, Lightfoot was about five seconds behind Strachan, but Twizel is known to have slower conditions than Karapiro. However, with a 12-second gap on his competition, Strachan may also have had more to give, so comparing these athletes currently is difficult. When it comes down to it, the athlete with the most grit may be the one to take it.
Jake Newton – Whanganui High School
Newton was the runner-up behind Strachan at N.I.S.S.C., although the gap between the two is fairly significant. However, Newton is known to be among the toughest athletes, having set multiple erg national records throughout his junior career. At the New Zealand Rowing Championships last month, Newton claimed silver in the Senior Coxless Quad, only missing out to Dunstan. Not only that, but last year at Maadi, he finished in the silver medal position in the U17 Single, missing out on the title, and his own boat, by a fraction of a second. This puts him in an excellent position to take the title a year later, though it does appear Strachan, who finished third in that race, has made a few more gains this season. Regardless, Newton may be a step above the rest for one specific reason: he represented New Zealand at the World Coastal Beach Sprints last year. His selection for the squad that travelled to Genoa, Italy, cannot be taken for granted, and he’ll be carrying that pedigree with him as he turns up to the startline come race day.
Prediction
It is Nathan Strachan’s to lose, with him clearly dominating at N.I.S.S.C. Jake Newton will be eager to close the gap, but I think it may be a little too great, so I think the greatest competition will be coming from the South Island and Harry Lightfoot.
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