Peninsula-raised rowers earn further national honours

Former Takapuna Grammar School sportsman of the year, Evan Williams, has been selected for the New Zealand Under-23 Rowing team to compete in Eastern Europe later this year.

The world U23 championships in Bulgaria in July will be Williams’ second outing in New Zealand colours, after competing in an U21 trans-Tasman competition in 2021.

His latest selection for the U23 quadruple sculls crew followed a gruelling two-week period of competion and trials.

After a week-long national trial, he then competed at the National Rowing Championships the following week, taking home one gold in the coxless quadruple sculls and three silvers from the U22 single sculls, the men’s single sculls and the U22 double sculls events.

Williams said the two weeks were a slog, but all the hard work was worth it when he heard the selection news.

“It was a special feeling, maybe a bit of relief as well because it took so many years to get here.”

Annabelle Knowles, another TGS graduate, and under-19 national squad member, also had a successful nationals, rowing in two gold medal winning crews.

Competing for the North Shore Club, she made four finals, winning in senior doubles sculls and the senior coxless quad sculls.

Knowles who was the Auckland 2022 Female School Rower of the Year is aiming for the junior world championships this year.

Williams said his national team will get together next month to begin intense training for the competition in hopes of making the podium in Bulgaria.

Since leaving school in 2020, Williams has attended Waikato University on a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship, studying for a degree in health, sport and human performance. He rows for Waikato Rowing Club.

The 20-year-old is dropping a paper next semester in order to manage the longer and more intense training sessions.

“It’s a pretty cutthroat sport,” he said. “If you don’t outwork your opponent you’re not going to get anywhere.”

Williams said his Waikato teammates are quick to remind him of his Auckland origins.

“I get bullied for it every day. My teammates definitely don’t let me forget it.”

Williams, who has started a Go Fund Me page to help cover the $8000 cost of his upcoming trip, plans to visit his rugby-playing sister Kate in the UK after the championships in Bulgaria.

She is a Harbour rugby representative who is in Wales trying to break into the national women’s side.