After a season plagued by cancellations and disruptive weather conditions, the crews taking to Lake Ruataniwha for SISS were more than ready to show their competition what they’re up against as we close in on the season finisher, Maadi Regatta, later this month. Dominant clubs emerged, sweeping up medals across multiple events and age categories, leaving no final lacking in intensity.
Quadruple Sculls
Asserting themselves as a force to be reckoned with, we must begin by highlighting the impressive performances from Cashmere High School’s U18 and U16 quads who not only secured gold in both these events but Murdie and Clare, who featured in both crews, picked up an extensive haul of awards across the weekend. Their contributions to a silver medalist U17 quad was on top of attaining U16 and U18 championship status. In the U18 crew, Murdie and Clare joined Higgins and Wyndham, who had her own additional success, bringing home gold in the U18 double on top of the two quads. Incredible performances all round from Cashmere ranks them up as ones to watch in a few weeks’ time. Similar efforts from the U15 champions from Wakatipu High School did not go unnoticed. Securing silvers in the U15 double for Pagan and Wood and another in the U16 quad for Small, did nothing to slow them and teammate Purdue down, taking yet another win with comfortable margins. In a white-knuckle final for the U17s, Twizel Area School sealed themselves as winners with less than 0.3 seconds separating them from the aforementioned runners-up Cashmere.
Otago Boys High School’s Burgess, Scott, Ozanne, Thode with cox N. Clarke reached the line ten seconds ahead of silver-medalists Wakatipu High School and their teammates in the B-crew, whilst Wakatipu added to their already-impressive collection of medals in the U16 event. As if his gold and silver from the U16 double and single finals, respectively, wasn’t enough, Wakatipu’s Manser teamed up with Crawford, as well as U17 quad runners-up Davis and Thornton, to secure a commanding win.
Timaru Boys High School bookend these quadruple sculls titles with gold-standard finishes in both the U15 and U18 event, highlighting the quality of their squad at either end of the development curve. With each of the crew already decorated with a variety of medals from the rest of the weekend, the weekend was rounded off with over a length lead from both crews as they crossed the line victorious.
Coxed Fours
St Margaret’s College collected the majority of the medals across the fours, taking gold in both the U17 and Novice categories in addition to their silver at U15. However, it was Cusiel, Vance, Ferguson, Payne and Sare from Rangi Ruru who held a firm grip on the U18 gold, leaving Marlborough Girls College and Christchurch Girls High School to battle it out for their placements. Ultimately, Marlborough secured the silver to add to the club’s collection following their win in the U16 category. Another commanding effort saw Christchurch Girls’ Robertson, Cochrane, Scrymgeour and Parsons, with cox Bohm, secure their title ahead of St Margaret’s and bronze-medallists Waitaki Girls High School.
Arguably the most thrilling of the fours’ finals, the U15s showcased incredible racing despite their relative inexperience. Almost 100m of clear water isolated the frontrunners as they battled it out; Christchurch Boys High School pipped rivals St Bede’s College at the line by a mere 0.4 seconds, to join their Novice crew as key competition ahead of the ultimate challenge down in Twizel in the coming weeks.
St Bede’s were forced to settle for silver yet again in the U17 final behind Timaru Boys High School, meanwhile St Andrew’s College dominated both the U16 and U18 finals with plenty clear water pushing crews from St Thomas of Canterbury and St Bede’s in second, who in turn left Christs College and Christchurch Boys to take third.
Eights
Returning for the eights, the St Andrew’s boys secured yet more decoration, taking home the win in the boys’ U16 event a length ahead of Christchurch Boys, in addition to their almost identical finish in the premier U18 final. Crossing the line ahead of St Bede’s College and Christchurch Boys again, St Andrew’s celebrated as these two crews crossed the line less than 0.3 seconds apart in the nail-biting final moments. The girls’ final unfolded in similar fashion with Christchurch Girls High School claiming just over a length from the fierce feud between St Margaret’s College and Rangi Ruru, which concluded with just over half a second between the two. But the girls’ from St Margaret’s would get their moment in the U15 race with an impressive finish seeing their girls stretch out ahead of the two Rangi Ruru crews. Rangi Ruru’s Novice and U17 crews were crowned their categories’ champions with a few seconds advantage securing two new additions to the club’s hefty medal haul. Finally, a commanding set of races from St Bede’s saw them establish a comfortable lead in the boys’ U17 and Novice events, as well as taking home yet another gold in the U15 final pulling away to gain clear water on Christchurch Boys High School who had to settle for silver ahead of St Thomas of Canterbury.
Livestream footage from North and South Island Secondary School Championships is available to view on rowinghub.co.nz/livestream excluding Under-15 events.
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