Rowers reap rich harvest at Ruataniwha

Marlborough’s college rowers underlined their readiness for the forthcoming Maadi Cup regatta with a swag of medals at the weekend’s South Island secondary school champs.

Athletes from both Marlborough Boys’ College and Marlborough Girls’ College took the opportunity to tune up for the season’s main event with top performances across the board at Lake Ruataniwha on Saturday and Sunday.

Weather issues meant Friday’s preliminaries were curtailed, necessitating a reshuffle of events, with repechages being cancelled and races shortened to 1000m on Saturday.

However, the well-conditioned and well-motivated Marlborough contingent were undaunted, taking full advantage of flat water on Sunday to claim a hatful of podium positions.

The MBC rowers led the way, picking up four golds, three silvers and two bronze medals across several age categories. Aidan Bennett was again to the fore, taking out the under-18 single then joining forces with Hunter Marfell for a commanding 10-second win in the under-18 double.

There was also plenty of podium time for the 28-strong MGC contingent, who bagged one gold and three bronze medals, plus featured in two more A finals. Maisie Shenfield enjoyed a top regatta, winning gold as part of the dominant under-16 coxed four then picking up a bronze in the under-16 single.

The Maadi regatta is scheduled for Twizel on 23-29 March.

Marlborough medals

MBC

GOLD

Boys novice double (Isaac Coleman and Max Skehan)

Boys under-18 single (Aidan Bennett)

Boys under-18 double (Aidan Bennett, Hunter Marfell)

Boys under-15 coxed four (Ollie Saggers, Billy Hurren, Sam Shenfield, Harris Spencer, Dion Crafar)

SILVER

Boys under-15 octuple sculls (Logan Planthaber, Billy Hurren, Ollie Saggers, Harris Spencer, Sam Shenfield, Nico Bailey, Max Campbell, Gus Hoban, Elijah Flight)

Boys under-18 coxed quad (Aidan Bennett, Hunter Marfell, Matthew McLeod, Blake Pitts, Harry McKendry)

Boys under-18 novice coxed four (Isaac Coleman, Max Skehan, Cooper Murray, Ned Bowron, Patrick Gaines)

BRONZE

Boys under-15 double (Ollie Saggers and Billy Hurren)

Boys under-15 coxed quad (Ollie Saggers, Billy Hurren, Sam Shenfield, Logan Planthaber, Elijah Flight)

MGC

GOLD

Girls under-16 coxed four (Charlie Bennett, Maisie Shenfield, Daisy Lindstrom, Ruby Lindstrom, Hayley Sutherland)

BRONZE

Girls under-16 single (Maisie Shenfield)

Girls under-18 pair (Anna Hurren, Paige Wentworth)

Girls under-18 coxed four (Celia Spencer, Anna Hurren, Daisy Lindstrom, Paige Wentworth, Molly Hoban)

Girls under-16 coxed four (Maggie Clark, Casey Twidle, Poppy Fernandez, Emma Eyles, Molly Hoban)