Day 2: NZ Rowing Champs
Day 2 at the New Zealand Rowing Champs
At the conclusion of racing on a Wednesday night of the New Zealand Rowing Championships it’s unusual to find all the top athletes heading for a bar this early on. But there was a big turnout at Twizel’s Razza Bar for the announcement of the draft crews that will add huge interest to four of the premier events for Saturday’s final day of racing.
The draft gives some of the best performers in the small boats the chance to be crew captains and pick their own lineups for the big boat races - the men’s and women’s premier eight and quadruple sculls.
And the captains didn’t disappoint with their line-ups, assembling a who’s who of the country’s top rowers and emerging talent.
Long-time New Zealand representative Brook Robertson had a convincing win in his heat of the men’s premier pair yesterday so got to pick the eight he reckons can take the win against two other draft crews plus four club entries.
Olympic gold medallist Matt Macdonald also got a captain’s role, hoping to “create a bit of chemistry” by picking bowman Tom Murray from the Tokyo eight, a core of emerging athletes and his North Shore coxswain Harry Molloy.
Elite Development athlete Ben Taylor went the most parochial way of the three captains, selecting four of his Avon clubmates as well as Auckland’s Luca Kirwan.
Three draft crews will be added to the three club boats already entered in the women’s eight.
Ella Cossill has spent the summer here rowing out of Karapiro as an Elite Development athlete. She’s no stranger to the draft concept having been part of the American sporting scene as part of the University of Washington roster. Three of her crew come out of racing eights in the US College system including Washington State Univeristy’s Jessica Norris and Yale’s Eva Hofmans. She’s also picked a couple of the High-Performance athletes she’s been rowing with over the New Year.
North Shore’s Catherine Layburn has gone with a couple of clubmates to boost her chances, selecting University of Miami graduate Tessa White-Parsons and rising single sculler Holly Gray. Juliette Alm-Lequeux, who’s been such a big part of the Otago University set-up, also gets a seat.
If there’s anyone who knows how to stroke an eight in this country, it’s Tokyo silver medallist Jackie Gowler. She’ll captain her crew in the Aramoho Whanganui colours bringing in a real list of up-and- comers into her boat.
Some of the country’s fastest single scullers had the chance to pick their dream team for the premier quadruple sculls. There are six draft crews in each of the men’s and women’s events.
Stella Clayton Greene used hard facts and feel to find the best for her boat, going off erg scores and combos she’s rowed with over the years to pick Waikato’s Katie Lush and Emily Gordon as well as Avon’s Sally Wylaars.
Waikato’s Jack O’Leary went with the feel-good factor for his selection in the men’s quad, which includes the larger-than-life Axel Dickinson from Aramoho Whanganui.
“I’ve rowed with Axel a wee bit; knew he was pretty solid and also we’d have a good bit of banter. Had some good intel from Bryce Abernethy, coach extraordinaire, on Angus Kenny and knew Gabriel [Reynolds] would row well with Axel. I reckon we’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”
The list of full crews are listed at the bottom of this article.
SMALLEST BOAT SUPREMACY
The battle for best sculler in the country is down to the final eight in the men’s premier single sculls.
Predictably the final will be packed with New Zealand reps from across the age groups after world championship lightweight athletes Matt Dunham (Cambridge) and Chris Stockley (West End) dominated their repechage to go through.
Waikato’s Jack O’Leary led the way in the other repechage to finish a length ahead of defending champion Ben Mason (Avon) who narrowly held off Jack Ready (Auckland Grammar) for the final qualification spot.
The man with the world's best time, Robbie Manson, will be favourite for Friday’s final, which also includes Waikato teammate Finn Hamill and Summer squad athletes Phil Wilson and Tom Murray.
There was only one repechage for the women’s single, with Elite Development athlete Katie Lush (Waikato) heading home a fast-improving Holly Gray from North Shore. Sam Voss and Amy Robson also made it through to the semifinals.
CULL OF THE SINGLE SCULL
New Zealand rowing’s version of Squid Game (without the splatter) continued in the repechages of the men’s club single. Forty-seven were entered in heats yesterday with eight scullers going straight through to the quarters. Thirty-eight were listed for the eight repechages early this afternoon but a few scratchings whittled the field down even further. A couple of hours’ rest and then it was 32 quarterfinalists trying to avoid the chop.
The top survivors from today’s double hit-out include Luke Brock from Clifton RC and Jack Henry from the Mercer club. Just a couple from a gritty group now among the final 16 scullers left standing for tomorrow’s semis.
The battle for best sculler in the country is down to the final eight in the men’s premier single sculls.
THE SMALLEST MARGIN
Race of the day was Messina Su’a and Reeve Watson from Aramoho Whanganui who pulled off one of the great comeback rows of the day in the second repechage of the women’s club double. They were well down on Waikato and Nelson at the 1000m and not placed much better at the 1500. But they came up with one of the great finishing sprints to pip Nelson’s Madeleine Collis and Emily Cumming for a semifinal spot by .01 of a second.
SCHOOLS SURPRISE
Islay Merriman and Harriet Thompson are just some of the school students taking the opportunity to race at the National Champs on Lake Ruataniwha against their older counterparts.
The Otago Girls’ High students were the surprise winners in the repechage of the women’s senior double sculls, edging out club crews to advance to the semifinals alongside Canterbury, North Shore and Avon Rowing Clubs.
The two have been rowing together for four years and are excited to race both the South Island Secondary Schools Champs and Aon Maadi Regatta.
And how’s this for commitment from Auckland’s Takapuna Grammar, who have sent down almost 20 athletes for the event. So far it’s paying off. They’re fastest qualifiers for the men’s intermediate eight and late this afternoon their novice double won their repechage to make it through to the semifinals, after having their boat destroyed in an on-water crash yesterday.
Men's Premier 4X
Crew One
Captain: Ben Mason Avon Rowing Club
Zackary Rumble Avon Rowing Club
Oliver Fahey Wellington Rowing Club
Callum Tutbury Waikato Rowing Club
Men's Premier 4X
Crew Two
Captain: Bence Tamas Waikato Rowing Club
Harry Wilkinson Dunstan Arm Rowing Club
Marley King-Smith Whakatipu Rowing Club
Logan Spencer Waikato Rowing Club
Men's Premier 4X
Crew Three
Captain: Jack O'Leary Waikato Rowing Club
Axel Dickinson Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club
Angus Kenny Dunstan Arm Rowing Club
Gabriel Reynolds Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club
Men's Premier 4X
Crew Four
Captain: James Scott Tauranga Rowing Club
Luke Shannon Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club
Tom Monaghan Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club
Logan Docherty Oamaru Rowing Club
Men's Premier 4X
Crew Five
Captain: Jack Ready Auckland Grammar Rowing Club
Gerard Wall Ashburton Rowing Club
Jack Pearson Dunstan Arm Rowing Club
Henry Whitford Lee Wellington Rowing Club
Men's Premier 4X
Crew Six
Captain: Kobe Miller Wairau Rowing Club
Fred Vavasour Wairau Rowing Club
Connor Bacchus Avon Rowing Club
Sam Wilson Avon Rowing Club
Women's Premier 4X
Crew One
Captain: Brooke Francis Waikato Rowing Club
Kirstyn Goodger Wairau Rowing Club
Phoebe Collier Avon Rowing Club
Ella Henry West End Rowing Club
Women's Premier 4X
Crew Two
Captain: Shannon Cox: Canterbury Rowing Club
Holly Gray North Shore Rowing Club
Becky Tuke Canterbury Rowing Club
Charlotte Lightfoot Dunstan Arm Rowing Club
Women's Premier 4X
Crew Three
Captain: Kristen Froude Invercargill Rowing Club
Laura Glen Avon Rowing Club
Helen Gunn Canterbury Rowing Club
Macaela Turfus Avon Rowing Club
Women's Premier 4X
Crew Four
Captain: Stella Clayton-Greene Hauraki Plains Rowing Club
Katie Lush Waikato Rowing Club
Sally Wylaars Avon Rowing Club
Emily Gordon Waikato Rowing Club
Women's Premier 4X
Crew Five
Captain: Juliette Alm-Lequeux Otago University Rowing Club
Tessa White-Parsons North Shore Rowing Club
Jessica Norris Avon Rowing Club
Claudia Kinder Avon Rowing Club
Women's Premier 4X
Crew Six
Captain: Kate Haines Waikato Rowing Club
Rachael Kennedy Waikato Rowing Club
Eva Hofmans Otago University Rowing Club
Harriet Williams Avon Rowing Club
Women's Premier 8+
Crew One
Captain: Jackie Gowler Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club
Phoebe Spoors Canterbury Rowing Club
Brooke Kilmister Cambridge Rowing Club
Laura Glen Avon Rowing Club
Jessica Mabey North Shore Rowing Club
Sarah Pahlen Avon Rowing Club
Anna Gallaher Waikato Rowing Club
Emily Gordon Waikato Rowing Club
Cox: Grace Hutchinson Tauranga Rowing Club
Women's Premier 8+
Crew Two
Captain: Catherine Layburn North Shore Rowing Club
Stella Clayton-Greene Hauraki Plains Rowing Club
Brooke Francis Waikato Rowing Club
Juliette Alm-Lequeux Otago University Rowing Club
Grace Farrell Avon Rowing Club
Tessa White-Parsons North Shore Rowing Club
Holly Gray North Shore Rowing Club
Daisy Forsyth Avon Rowing Club
Cox: Annabelle Scott Avon Rowing Club
Women's Premier 8+
Crew Three
Captain: Ella Cossill Waikato Rowing Club
Davina Waddy Canterbury Rowing Club
Kirstyn Goodger Wairau Rowing Club
Rachael Kennedy Waikato Rowing Club
Jessica Norris Avon Rowing Club
Eva Hofmans Otago University Rowing Club
Francesca Lidlow Canterbury Rowing Club
Helen Gunn Canterbury Rowing Club
Cox: Angela Holgate Wellington Rowing Club
Men's Premier 8+
Crew One
Captain: Brook Robertson Nelson Rowing Club
Phillip Wilson Petone Rowing Club
Axel Dickinson Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club
Kobe Miller Wairau Rowing Club
Gerard Wall Ashburton Rowing Club
Gabriel Reynolds Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club
Connor Bacchus Avon Rowing Club
Tom Monaghan Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club
Cox: Rylee Dudley Aramoho Whanganui Rowing Club
Men's Premier 8+
Crew Two
Captain: Matt MacDonald North Shore Rowing Club
Tom Murray Blenheim Rowing Club
Jack Ready Auckland Grammar Rowing Club
Ben Olifiers Waikato Rowing Club
Jack O'Leary Waikato Rowing Club
Henry Kirk Avon Rowing Club
Angus Coull Canterbury Rowing Club
Logan Docherty Oamaru Rowing Club
Cox: Harry Molloy North Shore Rowing Club
Men's Premier 8+
Crew Three
Captain: Ben Taylor Avon Rowing Club
Thomas Russel Avon Rowing Club
Luca Kirwan Auckland Rowing Club
Edward Botherway Avon Rowing Club
Ben Mason Avon Rowing Club
Tom Tothill Avon Rowing Club
Henry Whitford Lee Wellington Rowing Club
Will Rattray Cure Boating Club
Cox: Ella Hansen Waikato Rowing Club