College pairs at the double
The victorious Marlborough college under-17 pair crews: from left, Aidan Bennett, Logan Flight, Eliza Glover and Anna Hurren. Photo Sharron Bennett Photography.
Within the space of 10 minutes, Marlborough rowers pulled off a notable double on the waters of Lake Ruataniwha.
During last weekend’s South Island secondary schools rowing champs, the Marlborough Girls’ College pair of Eliza Glover and Anna Hurren won the girls’ under-17 pair, followed immediately after by the MBC duo of Aidan Bennett and Logan Flight who claimed the boys’ under-17 pair title.
Both pairs notched up commanding victories in an event considered one of the toughest to win, the girls by 15 seconds, the boys by nearly six seconds, a superb display of strength and grit. They mirrored each other’s race tactics, never surrendering the lead and just rowing away from some well-credentialled crews.
The boys were coached by Clayton Lindstrom and Glen Marfell, the girls by Marion Horwell and Joe Bennion.
Overall, Marlborough college rowers picked up seven medals. MGC rowers claimed three golds and two bronze, MBC oarsmen winning a gold and bronze.
Next up for the college crews is the famed Maadi Cup regatta, to be staged from March 24-29 on Lake Karapiro.
Medal winners from the SISS champs:
Golds - MGC under-17 coxed four (Eliza Glover, Anna Hurren, Celia Spencer, Georgette Herkt, Molly Hoban – cox); MBC under-15 coxed four (Charlie Bennett, Maisie Shenfield, Poppy Fernandez, Emma Eyles, Hayley Sutherland – cox); MGC under-17 pair (Glover, Hurren); MBC under-17 pair (Aidan Bennett, Logan Flight). Bronze – MBC under-17 single (Bennett); MGC under-18 four (Glover, Hurren, Lily Smith, Iris Vavasour, Hoban – cox); MGC under-15 octuple sculls (Bennett, Shenfield, Fernandez, Eyles, Izzy McLauchlan, Maggie Clark, Georgie Fissenden, Sutherland – cox).