With one of the largest groups of entries for this regatta, the men’s senior single is traditionally one of the highest levels of club sculling at any regatta. All scullers will have their eyes keenly on the James Trophy, a trophy presented in recognition of the efforts of Mark James, a trophy that only the strongest club scullers can attain.
The road to senior is a tough fight, with many not achieving this rank until well after their school days. Requiring wins at championship regattas makes this level especially difficult, as competing at the senior grade means racing against the top level of club rowers. Among the scullers for this regatta, three stand out in particular: the South Island champion Matthew O’Meara, Whanganui’s Herbie Austin-Baker, and the New Zealand reserve Ryan Gass.
Matthew O’Meara
O’Meara is yet to be defeated when racing in the senior single event. At both the Canterbury and South Island Championships, O’Meara took home first place, with the latter opening a five-second margin over the 2023 boys U18 single champion Marley King-Smith. O’Meara is already a well-established name on the junior circuit, having won the U18 double at the 2024 Maadi Regatta and taking home a respectable third place in the U18 single. Punching above his grade in the premier level at the South Island Championships saw O’Meara win the premier quad and take home a silver medal in the premier double. Coached by Simon Smith who is well known to locals for his exploits overseas at the Head of the Charles and his two decades worth of coaching, O’Meara is in good hands this week. Listed as the number one sculler among a highly competitive group of Dunstan Arm scullers, O’Meara has already proved his excellence within the club and the South Island, so now all that remains are the races ahead of him this week.
Herbie Austin-Baker
The import from England has yet to claim first place in any singles event this season. Finishing in third place at the North Island Club Championships behind Japanese International Tsuge and Whanganui’s Brock, Austin-Baker still has one last thing to prove. Since Tsuge and Brock will not be competing at this year’s nationals, Austin-Baker is, therefore, the fastest sculler from the North Island who competed in this event. Hailing from Hinksey Sculling School and selected for the junior men’s double at the Home International Regatta last summer, there is domestic and international experience with this sculler. His accolades extend far beyond what any New Zealand junior has achieved: an A-final in The Fawley Challenge Cup in 2023 at Henley Royal Regatta and a semifinal in 2024. A hugely impressive achievement, Austin-Baker has already proved his name at the junior level. Whether he can step onto the podium or potentially take first place this week remains to be seen.
Ryan Gass
The well-known captain of Auckland Rowing Club will be eyeing this prestigious event, having fallen short of the mark last year. Champions of the North Island in the senior double and opting to race the premier single, Gass’s results in the senior single this year are limited to his work at the Christmas Regatta, where he placed first. At the North Island Club Championships, Gass made the A-final of the premier single but scratched out of the final for an unknown reason. As one of the fastest scullers in the country, he is able to compete among former and current New Zealand internationals. Part of the New Zealand U21 team in 2023 and later a travelling reserve for the U23 men’s quad in 2024, Gass is well-established on the racing circuit.
Predictions
It isn’t easy to pick between Matt O’Meara and Ryan Gass, as they are both well-established names on the club scene of New Zealand rowing. Austin-Baker will likely be a dark horse, though. His experience with the Great Britain team makes it very difficult to pick between the three. I would predict the A-final to be extremely close, with O’Meara and Gass within seconds of each other while Austin-Baker fights for the final spot on the podium.
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