Heats wrapped up at 2021 Aon Maadi Cup

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106 heats were contested at Lake Karapiro today on the second day of racing at the 2021 Aon Maadi Cup.

The Aon Maadi Cup regatta is the National Championships for secondary school rowing in New Zealand. The regatta is a New Zealand Secondary School Rowing Association (NZSSRA) and Rowing NZ event and remains New Zealand's largest rowing regatta. It is hosted by Karapiro Rowing and South Island Rowing on alternative years.

Girls’ U18 Single

50 athletes entered the girls’ U18 single event and seven heats were held today, with the top four crews in each progressing to the Semi-Finals. Coached by Simon Smith, Sophie Smith of Dunstan High School recorded the fastest time across all heats finishing in 8:10.68.

Boys’ U18 Single

Oscar Ruston of Gisborne Boys’ High School recorded the fastest heat time in the boys’ U18 single. Ruston is coached by Luke Jenkins. 53 athletes contested the event across eight heats, and the top three of each moved through to Semi-Finals, with 4th and 5th placings moving to Repechages.

Girls’ U16 Eight

Rangi Ruru Girls’ School won heat one of the girls’ U16 eight with crew Georgie Bethell, Nicole Vance, Caitlin Muir, Polly Cross, Zara Frost, Gemma Beckett, Alice Hawkesby, Arabella Acland and Bridget Pye (cox). Baradene College won heat two and Waikato Diocesan won heat three. All three crews move to the A Final with remaining boats moving to Repechage races.

Boys’ U16 Eight

St Bede’s College won heat two with fastest overall time in the boys’ U16 eight with crew Josh Hamer, Sam Woodgate, Jack Dennehy-Coles, Luke Hickling, Thomas Woodgate, Matthew Glen, Neil Kamat, Luke McBrydie and Oli Ellenbroek (cox). Christ’s College won heat one with crew Tom Picton-Warlow (stroke), Luke James, Oscar Todhunter, George Cochrane, George Clarke, Max Harris, Charlie Poulter, Alex Speight and Luke Menzies (cox). St Bede’s College and Christ’s College progress straight to the event’s A Final, with all other crews contesting Repechages.

Girls’ U17 Double

After recording the fastest time in the girls’ U17 coxed quad yesterday, Mount Aspiring Colleges’ Pipi Horan and Emily Findlay won heat one of the girls’ U17 double. Burnside High School’s Emily Ryall and Bryah Moriarty won heat two, Dunstan High School’s Mackenzie Bryant and Sophie Smith won heat three, Craighead Diocesan’s Emma Wood and Kate Crawford won heat four, Hauraki Plains Colleges’ Maggie Morrison and Rebecca Adams won heat five, and Otumoetai College’s Emma Averill and Jenna Brangwynne won heat six. The top four crews in all heats move to Semi-Finals with 5th and 6th placing crews challenging Repechages tomorrow.

Boys’ U17 Coxed Quad

Crews needed a first place finish in heats to secure lanes in the A Final of the boys’ U17 coxed quad. In heat three, St Peters’ School (Cambridge) won in 6:41.99, the fastest time across all four heats. Sacred Heart College, Marlborough Boys’ College and Mt Albert Grammar School won their respective heats and also moved to the A Final. 2nd - 5th placing crews move to the event’s Repechage races tomorrow.