Taking on a 2000m course is a daunting feat even for the most experienced athletes, so you can have only respect for the first-year rowers taking on Lake Karāpiro’s eight-lane course. Despite their limited experience, there was no shortage of impressive rowing from these novice crews. From comfortable leads to nail-biting finishes, these novice events provided some of the most entertaining racing of the weekend.
Women’s Double Sculls – Waikato Rowing Club
There was little doubt who was going to take home the win the in the final of the Women’s Novice Double Sculls event, as leaders Helena White and Savanna Bourke from Waikato Rowing Club had already amounted several lengths of clear water advantage over the rest of the crews by the time they had reached the final 500m of the race. Cruising over the finish line, the duo comfortably established themselves as the frontrunners from early on in the race, leaving Ruby Hoekstra and Agatha Doggett from Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club to battle with Anna Barradell and Tana Godfrey from Whangarei Rowing Club for second and third. Ultimately, it was the crew from Aramoho Whanganui who came in second, with Whangarei finishing about a length and a half behind.
Women’s Coxed Four – Epsom Girls Grammar
After establishing an early lead, Epsom Girls Grammar were able to shake off the overlap from Diocesan School for Girls and Petone Rowing Club on either side around the half-way mark. Despite a strong effort from Waikato Rowing Club, Epsom could not be caught and maintained their comfortable lead through to the finish line, leaving behind them a fierce battle for second in the final 500m between Diocesan and Waikato. After plenty back-and-forth it was eventually Diocesan who secured the second place finish behind Epsom, pulling away with a final surge leaving multiple lengths between them and Waikato in the final 100m.
Women’s Coxed Quadruple Sculls – Whanganui Collegiate
Moving into the final 500m of the Women’s Coxed Quadruple Sculls final there was almost no question who was going to come out on top, as Whanganui Collegiate Rowing Club extended their lengths of clear water over the rest of the pack. Behind them, a battle for second-place persisted between Whangarei and Aramoho Whanganui across several hundreds of meters, but despite Aramoho Whanganui managing to gain around half-a-length, a last minute push from Whangarei saw the crews level with ten strokes to go allowing them steal that second-place in the final moments.
Women’s Coxed Eight – Diocesan School for Girls
Coming into the final stages of the Women’s Novice Coxed Eight final, it appeared Cambridge High School were going to be able to hang on to their half-a-length lead over Diocesan, as they had been for the majority of the race so far. However, a spectacular move from Diocesan saw them row right through Cambridge; pushing their bowball a foot in-front before opening up in the final 200m to cross the line a length ahead. This incredible sprint-finish saw Diocesan take the win leaving Cambridge High School in second, followed by St Peter’s School taking third.
Livestream footage from Karapiro Christmas Regatta is available to watch on YouTube, excluding Under-15 events.
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