College crews make strong start at Maadi

Marlborough’s college rowers have booked places in several A finals and semi-finals after the first day of heats concluded at the Maadi Cup regatta today.

Across six days of racing over 2600 competitors from 123 schools will compete in what is the event’s biggest-ever regatta.

Yesterday the Marlborough Girls’ College under-18 pair of Meg Flanagan and Lexi Timpson combined to win their heat and advance directly to the A final later this week.

Today two more crews joined them in finals. The under-17 pair of Maggie Lane and Paige Materoa finished second in their heat, also booking an A final berth. The under-18 eight, comprising Daisy Vavasour, Lexi Timpson, Meg Flanagan, Holly Feltham, Emma Flanagan, Molly Glover, Lily Crawford, Paige Materoa and coxswain Lara Bacchus came in first in their heat and are also headed for the final.

Into the semifinals went the under-16 coxed four of Daisy Vavasour, Holly Feltham, Emma Flanagan, Molly Glover and Lara Bacchus, who won their heat, the under-18 novice quad comprising Jess Bennet, Jorja Bacchus, Anika Moetaua, Alice Paterson and Olive Paterson, who finished third in the heat, and the under-15 coxed quad of Grace Straker, Ella Barnes, Poppy Lane, Hazel Glover and Li Na Chapman, who came home fourth in their heat.

The Marlborough Boys’ College contingent also claimed several places in finals or semis.

Showing the way was James Fitzgerald, who won his heat in the under-17 single to race into the semis. The well-performed crew of Dylan Burton and Fred Vavasour maintained their recent momentum by placing second in their heat of the under-18 pair and booking an A final berth.

The under-16 coxed quad of Lochy Gilmour, Hugh Straker, Zac Jenkins, Jack Stevens and Walter Wickham finished second in their heat and will contest the semifinal. Fred Vavasour won his heat in the under-18 single and will also race a semi while the under-17 pair of Hugh Straker and Mason Henderson won their heat to go straight into an A final.

The under-17 coxed quad of Leon Poswillo, Rhys Salvador, Dylan Burton, James Fitzgerald and cox Walter Wickham also prevailed in their heat and progressed directly to the medal decider.

Charlotte Lightfoot and Jamie Cunningham from Queen Charlotte College also made their presence felt. They finished first in their heat of the under-17 pair to move directly to the A final, third in both the under-17 and under-18 double races to book places in the semis.