Rowers represent province with pride

Marlborough college rowers certainly made their presence felt at the Aon Maadi Cup rowing regatta on Lake Karapiro, reaching a string of A finals and ultimately bringing home four medals.

Marlborough Girls’ College crews fought their way into nine A finals, winning one gold medal and a bronze.

Crews from Marlborough Boys’ College took part in seven A finals, claiming silver and bronze medals.

Showing the way for the Marlborough contingent was the gold medal-winning under-16 four comprising Grace Straker, Sophia Saggers, Brooke Harper, Mila van Rensburg and Grace McKendry. After producing the quickest time in their heat, they progressed directly to Saturday’s A final. Up against powerful combinations from St Margaret’s, Christchurch Girls’ High School and Rangi Ruru the MGC quartet rowed their way to the front and stayed there, thrilling their loyal supporters who had made their way north, plus coaches Sean O’Neill and Andrew Blake. They set a new course record for their age group.

The previous day the MBC boys under-16 coxed four, comprising Hamish Lindstrom, Jock Flanagan, Louis Girling, Blake Campbell and coxswain Jack Shaw picked up a silver medal, just five seconds adrift of the victorious Timaru BHS crew.

Three more bronzes were added to the southbound luggage, one on Friday when the MGC girls under-16 eight of Straker, Saggers, Harper, Abby Craig, Izzy Brick, van Rensburg, Elizabeth Bowron, Bella Rayner and Molly Wilkes bagged a bronze medal behind crews from St Margaret’s and Rangi Ruru.

The other came on the final day, MBC’s under-15 coxed quad of Willem Rowe, Aidan Bennett, Logan Flight, Hunter Marfell and Blake Marfell finishing third, less than two seconds behind the winning Wellington College crew.

The annual regatta, which concluded on Saturday, is the country’s largest secondary schools sporting event.

MBC coach Clayton Lindstrom said he and his fellow coaches were “pretty rapt” with how their charges went, especially with the fact they made their way into so many A finals, securing top eight positions in the country. He said it augured well for the future, especially with a small but strong group of under-15 oarsmen coming through.

Sean O’Neill, MGC head coach, said he was “very pleased to come away with a couple of medals”.

“It is particularly hard to get medals in that [inder-16] age group so the girls should be very proud of their efforts.”

Three MGC rowers earned national trials, Harper and Saggers in the under-18 group and Emma Flanagan in the under-19s.

MGC - A Finals

U18 eight – Grace Straker, Lexi Timpson, Brooke Harper, Sophia Saggers, Emma Flanagan, Mila van Rensburg, Ella Barnes, Hazel Glover and Molly Wilkes – 5th in A final

U18 novice coxed four – Eliz- abeth Bowron, Iris Vavasour, Georgette Herkt, Georgia Marfell and Tessa Unwin – 7th in A final

U18 pair - Lexi Timpson and Emma Flanagan – 5th in A final

U18 novice eight – Elizabeth Bowron, Iris Vavasour, Katie Fenwick, Abby Craig, Georgette Herkt, Anna Hurren, Lily Smith, Ebony Howes and Lilly McMillan

– 6th in A final

U18 coxed four – Lexi Timpson, Ella Barnes, Emma Flanagan, Hazel Glover and Molly Wilkes –6th in A final

U18 novice coxed four – Katie Fenwick, Abby Craig, Lily Smith, Anna Hurren and Lilly McMillan – 6th in A final

U17 coxed four – Jess Bennett, Hazel Glover, Ella Barnes, Bella Rayner and Grace McKendry –7th in A final

U16 four – Grace Straker, Sophia Saggers, Brooke Harper, Mila van Rensburg and Grace McKendry –1st in A final - GOLD

U16 eight – Grace Straker, Sophia

Saggers, Brooke Harper, Abby Craig, Izzy Brick, Mila van Rensburg, Elizabeth Bowron, Bella Rayner and Molly Wilkes – 3rd in A final - BRONZE

MBC - A Finals

U18 pair – Zac Jenkins, Dylan

Locke – 6th in A final

U18 novice coxed quad – Walter Wickham, Henare Panaho, Willem Rowe, Aiden Bennett and Blake Pitts – 7th in A final

U17 pair - George Lindstrom and Shane Henry – 4th in A final

U16 coxed quad – Hamish Lindstrom, Jock Flanagan, Lou- is Girling, Blake Campbell and Blake Pitts – 7th in A final

U16 coxed four – Hamish Lindstrom, Louis Girling, Jock Flanagan, Blake Campbell and Jack Shaw – 2nd in A final – SILVER

U15 octuple sculls – Willem Rowe, Aiden Bennett, Luke Bown, Logan Flight, Toby Randall, Drew Materoa, Bronson Blissett, Hunter Marfell and Blake Marfell – 5th in A final

U15 coxed quad – Willem Rowe, Aidan Bennett, Logan Flight, Hunter Marfell and Blake Marfell – 3rd in A final -