Aside from the famed Henley Royal Regatta, the Maadi Cup, held this year in New Zealand’s North Island on Lake Karapiro, may be the world’s grandest and most deeply cultured rowing event. As the largest school sports event in the entire Southern Hemisphere, it is an unforgettable spectacle and particularly memorable for the elite few athletes able to claim victory. In the girls’ U18 coxed quadruple sculls event, competition will be tight, with all crews desperate for the glory that Maadi brings.
Cashmere High School
Starting with the top South Island performers, Cashmere have distinguished themselves above the rest so far this season. At the South Island Secondary Schools Regatta, they won by a convincing seven seconds over the rest of the field. With an all-U17 lineup, this crew will only get faster and look to have great potential. These athletes have been rowing in combinations together all season, even before the switch from club to school events. They have excellent racing experience as a team, which could be a significant advantage. In the heat of the moment, knowing and trusting your crewmates can make all the difference. With that said, they are yet to face any crews from the North Island, so it will be fascinating to see how they face up against new talent. Regardless, I’m sure they will be looking towards the centre of the podium.
St Peter’s School
Moving our attention to the North Island now, we have St Peter’s. This year’s contingent from the club claimed victory at the North Island Secondary School Regatta earlier this month, though their position is not exactly safe, with at least two crews breathing right down their necks. With three seconds separating them from the remainder of the field, I imagine this crew feeling upbeat, not a little anxious. This will undoubtedly have encouraged them to go that extra mile in the lead-up to the Maadi Cup. At NISS, their stern pair, Olivia Henry and Molly McClintock, also took gold in the U18 double, demonstrating their talent across multiple boat classes. Their experience together is undoubtedly a key factor in the boat’s speed, as they are setting up a strong rhythm that their competitors can’t match. What remains is whether St Peters can fend off the rest of the North Island and Cashmere for the title.
Diocesan School For Girls
Just lagging behind their counterparts from St Peter’s, Diocesan took silver at NISS, fending off Wellington East Girls College by only a couple of seats. At the North Island Rowing Championships, four out of five members of this crew also managed to claim silver in the women’s club coxed quad, another notable feat. However, the fact these girls have raced in the same combination for some time may suggest they will struggle to find speed where newer crews can, potentially making their position particularly precarious. This crew should find their way onto the podium but must be careful not to miss out when push comes to shove.
Notable Mentions
Rounding out the podium at NISS was Wellington East Girls College, who were remarkably close to overturning Diocesan too. Similarly to Dio, these girls could certainly end up on the podium on the right day. Finally, Whanganui High School have just been so strong recently that it would be unfair not to give them a quick mention. At NISS, this lineup finished in a slightly underwhelming fifth, but they are a fairly new combo and have speed to gain. Not only that, their stroke seat, Robyn van Dijk, medalled in the women’s senior quad at the National Rowing Championships in 2024. They would have to gain a considerable amount of speed to be in contention, but it’s not out of the question.
Prediction
It seems to me the fight will likely come down to Cashmere and St Peters, though an upset could happen. Cashmere are the reigning champions, having claimed victory in this event last year, and as it stands, I would put my money on them making it two in a row.
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