The pinnacle event in the New Zealand Rowing Calendar, the 2025 National Championships see each boat class compete to hold the National Title for the following year, proving that they are the top of their event in the country. Winning any category at such an event is an achievement in itself; however, topping the country in the Premier Women’s Coxless Four is one many athletes will only dream of. The level of competition across the country in women’s sweep rowing has proven that this two-crew race for the Skelton Cup will be one of pure intensity. Who can we expect to take the trophy?
Avon Rowing Club
The exceptional crew of Butler, Ferguson, Tavendale, and Bethell create a formidable line-up. It appears to be a relatively new collaboration for Nationals, with Tavendale and Butler joining the winning crew from the South Island Championships of Bethell and Ferguson; however, with their prior accolades, as well as Avon‘s clear ability to create winning combinations, there is no doubt that this decision will have been strategically made. Butler, recently listed on Rowing New Zealand’s Pathway Athlete list as an “Identified” Athlete, will no doubt be looking to one-up last year’s National Performance of her win in the senior women’s four. A member of the 2024 National University team, Tavendale will be utilising her international sweep experience to back up her place in the crew. Ferguson, a member of the NZ 2024 U19 four which placed a competitive sixth, as well as Bethell’s performance in the 2023 U19 eight at the U19 World Rowing Championships, bring a wealth of international racing experience that will allow for this combination to perform with an aggressive race plan.
Waikato Rowing Club
Last year’s gold medallist club, the crew of Blake, Eliadis-Watson, Haines, and Sherman will certainly not let anyone else take this trophy away from them easily. Sherman and Eliadis-Watson both return to this year’s boat following their 13-second lead over Avon last year, and have had pivotal years in their careers over the 2024/2025 season. Sherman returns to this year’s Nationals as an Olympian, following her debut in the pair in Paris alongside fellow crewmate Haines, whilst Eliadis-Watson performed exquisitely in the U23 World Rowing Championships last year, leaving Canada with a gold medal in the U23 coxed women’s four. A former student of the University of San Diego, Blake is no stronger to racing in international waters and has recently been named as one of the Summer Pre-Performance Athletes of Rowing New Zealand. This crew’s outstanding list of accolades is undoubtedly impressive as they head into race week.
Prediction
These are two extremely strong crews that have been entered to race in the Premiership Four this weekend, and both should go into this race with a sense of confidence that they truly are the top athletes selected from each club. However, there is only one medallist to be crowned in this prestigious event, and I strongly predict it will be Waikato who take the gold, and the redcoats. Avon will put up an impressive show, and their strong crew of junior members will provide a first kilometre of phenomenal racing, before the senior experience of Waikato ultimately pulls out ahead.
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