Rower named MBC Sportsman of Year

Outstanding rower Fred Vavasour was named Marlborough Boys’ College 2021 Sportsman of the Year when the annual awards were announced this week.

Fred enjoyed a stellar season on the water. At the South Island champs he won gold in the Intermediate Four, silver in the Club Pair and bronze in the Club Single and followed this up with gold in both the Intermediate 8 and Club Pair at the NZ Club Champs.

At the South Island Secondary Schools event he won gold in both the under 18 pair and single then, at the NZ Secondary School Regatta (the Maadi Cup) he placed fifth in the under-18 A single final and claimed silver in the under-18 pair.

To cap off an outstanding season, Fred was selected in the Rowing New Zealand under-19 team and was included in the Rowing New Zealand Pathway Programme.

The other finalists were: Tom Marshall (squash); William Exton (karting) and Dom Henry (target shooting).

Meanwhile, the MBC senior A squash team were voted Team of the Year.

After winning the South Island secondary schools title they claimed third place at the national secondary schools tournament, which required them having to beat two of the stronger Auckland schools (Mount Albert Grammar, and Auckland Grammar) to earn their bronze medal. This was a huge improvement from their eighth place finish the previous season and it was also the first time and MBC team has finished in the top three schools at national level.

The team comprised: Tom Marshall, Chris Hebberd, Jack Frisken, Bryn Woolley, Dylan Guillemot and Matthew Judd.

The other finalists were: Rowing – Under 17 coxed quad  (Rhys Salvador, Leon Poswillo, Dylan Burton, Ashley-James Fitzgerald, Sam Feltham, Walter Wickham - cox); Triathlon team (Ryan Marfell, Joe Coldwell, Finn Mackenzie).

The James d’Auvergne Memorial Trophy, presented to the best all round sportsperson went to Josh Whittall who represented the 1st XI football team, the senior A volleyball side and the rugby 1st XV.

National representatives 2021

Angus Kopua and Fletcher Kopua - Orienteering

Hugh Robinson - Touch

Dominic Henry - Shooting

Fred Vavasour – Rowing

Tom Marshall - Squash

Jack Frisken – Squash