- Home
- /
- School Rowing
- /
- New Schools Make...
New Schools Make Their Mark at 2026 Maadi Regatta
If further evidence were needed of the health of school rowing in Aotearoa New Zealand, a total of nine new schools made their debut appearance at the 2026 Maadi Regatta. We focus on a trio of these newcomers to better understand their rowing motivations and their Maadi memories.
Geraldine High School
Having the “right people” at the “right time” proved the catalyst for Geraldine High School to launch a rowing programme at the start of the 2025–26 season, which culminated in success at the season-ending Maadi Regatta at Lake Ruataniwha.
Rowing Manager Rae Gaskin said the school is always working to offer extracurricular opportunities that foster a stronger sense of connection and belonging among students. As rowing develops attributes such as resilience, mental fortitude, strength, commitment, and teamwork, the availability of Jeremy Gaskin and David Earl as coaches made it the ideal time to launch the programme.
“Jeremy is my husband, and our eldest son rows for Timaru Boys’ High School (Jeremy also rowed for TBHS),” says Rae. “It made sense to start our programme while we were already heavily involved in rowing as a family. Dave has younger children at Geraldine High School, so for him it’s about building something they can soon be part of too. For both coaches, it was exciting to return to coaching and rowing.”
Fortunate to have the support of Timaru Rowing Club, which provides boats and equipment, the programme began from scratch last September with an entirely novice group.
Starting with a small group of seven rowers, later expanding to 11 (10 girls and one boy), has enabled the school to field a U15 crew, a senior novice girls’ crew, and one U18 boy.
“Our rowers created an extremely supportive and fun culture within the squad,” she explains. “For the wider school, I think it will take time to fully understand the level of competition at these regattas.
“Our parents didn’t know what to expect, but once they saw what goes on behind the scenes, we found ourselves fortunate to have a supportive and proactive group who are keen to learn and be involved.”
The school’s maiden Maadi Regatta provided a raft of highlights. Charlee Cooper and Justina Courage claimed a silver medal in the Girls’ U18 Novice Double Sculls and bronze in the Girls’ U15 Double Sculls. The school created its first-ever parade banner, their mascot featured in the dance-off, and the entire crew celebrated the girls’ medal success.
“We timed our first season quite well, and because Maadi was in Twizel, we were able to take the entire squad,” Rae explains. “We wanted our first Maadi to be something everyone could experience. It meant a lot to our rowers to finish the season on such a high.”
Looking ahead, Geraldine High School has clear ambitions.
“We plan to grow our programme and attract more boys,” adds Rae. “We hope to continue punching above our weight, and we’ll be fundraising hard to secure our own boats.”
The Geraldine squad with their banner at the Maadi Regatta parade.
Geraldine's Charlee Cooper and Justina Courage claimed a silver medal in the Girls’ U18 Novice Double Sculls.
Darfield High School
Two years ago, students and parents at Darfield High School helped drive the creation of a rowing programme, culminating in a memorable debut at the Maadi Regatta in Twizel in March.
That early momentum, combined with strong interest across the Selwyn region, led to the establishment of Selwyn Rowing. The foundations laid at Darfield have since paved the way for rowing to be introduced at three additional schools: Lincoln High School, Rolleston College, and Ellesmere College.
While Darfield’s efforts have enabled greater school participation across the region, the journey has not been straightforward.
“Our biggest challenge was starting from absolute scratch- we had no coaches, boats, gear, or storage facilities,” explains Adam Jenkin, Selwyn Rowing Head Coach and Darfield High School teacher.
“Building the club meant acquiring everything from coaching boats and trailers to racks and safety equipment. We worked through this by relying heavily on grassroots fundraising, incredible community support, and some generously donated gear. Now, in our second season, we have assembled a dedicated coaching team and a growing fleet.”
Just two seasons into rowing, the sport has already made a positive impact on the culture at Darfield High School, with student enthusiasm and participation continuing to grow.
With the 2026 Maadi Regatta in Twizel effectively a “home” event, it became a major target. The three athletes who attended were immensely proud of their achievement, while the wider school community saw it as a significant milestone.
For Adam, one moment stood out:
“It was the thrilling, nail-biting U18 single, when Samuel Lindores just missed out on top spot in the repechage by 0.22 seconds.”
For Darfield High School, however, the 2026 Maadi Regatta is just the beginning.
“As we head into our third season, we are continuing to grow in both numbers and equipment,” Adam adds. “Our main goal is to carry this momentum forward and return to the Maadi Regatta next season in Karapiro with a larger, even more competitive group.”
Darfield High School’s U18 single sculler Samuel Lindores narrowly missed claiming top spot in his repechage at the 2026 Maadi Regatta, finishing just 0.22 seconds behind. The U18 single is a fiercely contested event. Photo: Sharron Bennett Photography
St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College
For St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College, attending their first Maadi Regatta in March delivered multiple benefits. This milestone reflects what can be achieved through the right mindset, support, and commitment. Athletes experienced top-level school rowing, while the wider community gained a sense of pride and inspiration, reinforcing that the Drury-based foundation school is building something special just two years into its journey.
Principal Catherine Bamber-O’Malley said the school was keen to create opportunities and drive positive change, helping shape student culture. Rowing proved a natural fit with the school’s ethos.
“Our decision to establish a rowing programme was deeply influenced by our commitment to the Ignatian tradition,” she said. “At the heart of our values is the call to Magis-striving for the greater good through excellence in effort, character, and service to others.
“Rowing is a lived expression of this tradition. Both rowing and Magis reflect a shared commitment to giving one’s best in service of something greater than the self.”
Initially, the programme faced challenges around access to equipment, limited experience, and introducing students to a new sport. However, support from Mercer Rowing Club - through shared knowledge and hands-on assistance - proved critical in building a strong foundation.
“The rowers have embraced both the physical challenge and the team-first mindset the sport demands,” Bamber-O’Malley explains. “We are already seeing positive changes across the school. Students are demonstrating greater resilience, improved work ethic, and stronger connections with one another.
“Rowing is helping shape a culture where effort, accountability, and support are valued - and that influence is being felt right across the school.”
The 2026 Maadi Regatta was the season’s primary goal, and it delivered many memorable moments.
“One highlight was seeing our students step onto that stage in our school colours with confidence, pride, and a genuine sense of belonging,” she adds. “It was also fantastic to see our U15 girls’ double - Quinn Robinson and Sienna Kilburn - win bronze in only their second regatta together. That result captured the spirit of the group: determination, teamwork, and belief.”
Looking ahead, the school hopes rowing will become a cornerstone of its sporting identity.
“With the continued support of Mercer Rowing Club, we’re excited about what lies ahead,” says Bamber-O’Malley. “A key goal is to secure our own boats and equipment, which will be an important step in our growth and independence.
“Most importantly, we want rowing to continue driving positive change - helping shape resilient, disciplined, and connected young people, and becoming a lasting part of who we are.”
St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College U15 girls’ double - Quinn Robinson and Sienna Kilburn (left) - won bronze (in a tie with Geraldine's Charlee Cooper and Justina Courage) in their second only regatta together. The result captured the spirit of the group: determination, teamwork, and belief. Photo: Sharron Bennett Photography
Steve Landells
Steve Landells is an experienced communications specialist and sportswriter with more than 25 years' experience. He is currently a proud dad of a rower who competes for St Peter's College, Auckland.
Share Story
- Home
- /
- School Rowing
- /
- New Schools Make...
New Schools Make Their Mark at 2026 Maadi Regatta
If further evidence were needed of the health of school rowing in Aotearoa New Zealand, a total of nine new schools made their debut appearance at the 2026 Maadi Regatta. We focus on a trio of these newcomers to better understand their rowing motivations and their Maadi memories.
Geraldine High School
Having the “right people” at the “right time” proved the catalyst for Geraldine High School to launch a rowing programme at the start of the 2025–26 season, which culminated in success at the season-ending Maadi Regatta at Lake Ruataniwha.
Rowing Manager Rae Gaskin said the school is always working to offer extracurricular opportunities that foster a stronger sense of connection and belonging among students. As rowing develops attributes such as resilience, mental fortitude, strength, commitment, and teamwork, the availability of Jeremy Gaskin and David Earl as coaches made it the ideal time to launch the programme.
“Jeremy is my husband, and our eldest son rows for Timaru Boys’ High School (Jeremy also rowed for TBHS),” says Rae. “It made sense to start our programme while we were already heavily involved in rowing as a family. Dave has younger children at Geraldine High School, so for him it’s about building something they can soon be part of too. For both coaches, it was exciting to return to coaching and rowing.”
Fortunate to have the support of Timaru Rowing Club, which provides boats and equipment, the programme began from scratch last September with an entirely novice group.
Starting with a small group of seven rowers, later expanding to 11 (10 girls and one boy), has enabled the school to field a U15 crew, a senior novice girls’ crew, and one U18 boy.
“Our rowers created an extremely supportive and fun culture within the squad,” she explains. “For the wider school, I think it will take time to fully understand the level of competition at these regattas.
“Our parents didn’t know what to expect, but once they saw what goes on behind the scenes, we found ourselves fortunate to have a supportive and proactive group who are keen to learn and be involved.”
The school’s maiden Maadi Regatta provided a raft of highlights. Charlee Cooper and Justina Courage claimed a silver medal in the Girls’ U18 Novice Double Sculls and bronze in the Girls’ U15 Double Sculls. The school created its first-ever parade banner, their mascot featured in the dance-off, and the entire crew celebrated the girls’ medal success.
“We timed our first season quite well, and because Maadi was in Twizel, we were able to take the entire squad,” Rae explains. “We wanted our first Maadi to be something everyone could experience. It meant a lot to our rowers to finish the season on such a high.”
Looking ahead, Geraldine High School has clear ambitions.
“We plan to grow our programme and attract more boys,” adds Rae. “We hope to continue punching above our weight, and we’ll be fundraising hard to secure our own boats.”
The Geraldine squad with their banner at the Maadi Regatta parade.
Geraldine's Charlee Cooper and Justina Courage claimed a silver medal in the Girls’ U18 Novice Double Sculls.
Darfield High School
Two years ago, students and parents at Darfield High School helped drive the creation of a rowing programme, culminating in a memorable debut at the Maadi Regatta in Twizel in March.
That early momentum, combined with strong interest across the Selwyn region, led to the establishment of Selwyn Rowing. The foundations laid at Darfield have since paved the way for rowing to be introduced at three additional schools: Lincoln High School, Rolleston College, and Ellesmere College.
While Darfield’s efforts have enabled greater school participation across the region, the journey has not been straightforward.
“Our biggest challenge was starting from absolute scratch- we had no coaches, boats, gear, or storage facilities,” explains Adam Jenkin, Selwyn Rowing Head Coach and Darfield High School teacher.
“Building the club meant acquiring everything from coaching boats and trailers to racks and safety equipment. We worked through this by relying heavily on grassroots fundraising, incredible community support, and some generously donated gear. Now, in our second season, we have assembled a dedicated coaching team and a growing fleet.”
Just two seasons into rowing, the sport has already made a positive impact on the culture at Darfield High School, with student enthusiasm and participation continuing to grow.
With the 2026 Maadi Regatta in Twizel effectively a “home” event, it became a major target. The three athletes who attended were immensely proud of their achievement, while the wider school community saw it as a significant milestone.
For Adam, one moment stood out:
“It was the thrilling, nail-biting U18 single, when Samuel Lindores just missed out on top spot in the repechage by 0.22 seconds.”
For Darfield High School, however, the 2026 Maadi Regatta is just the beginning.
“As we head into our third season, we are continuing to grow in both numbers and equipment,” Adam adds. “Our main goal is to carry this momentum forward and return to the Maadi Regatta next season in Karapiro with a larger, even more competitive group.”
Darfield High School’s U18 single sculler Samuel Lindores narrowly missed claiming top spot in his repechage at the 2026 Maadi Regatta, finishing just 0.22 seconds behind. The U18 single is a fiercely contested event. Photo: Sharron Bennett Photography
St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College
For St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College, attending their first Maadi Regatta in March delivered multiple benefits. This milestone reflects what can be achieved through the right mindset, support, and commitment. Athletes experienced top-level school rowing, while the wider community gained a sense of pride and inspiration, reinforcing that the Drury-based foundation school is building something special just two years into its journey.
Principal Catherine Bamber-O’Malley said the school was keen to create opportunities and drive positive change, helping shape student culture. Rowing proved a natural fit with the school’s ethos.
“Our decision to establish a rowing programme was deeply influenced by our commitment to the Ignatian tradition,” she said. “At the heart of our values is the call to Magis-striving for the greater good through excellence in effort, character, and service to others.
“Rowing is a lived expression of this tradition. Both rowing and Magis reflect a shared commitment to giving one’s best in service of something greater than the self.”
Initially, the programme faced challenges around access to equipment, limited experience, and introducing students to a new sport. However, support from Mercer Rowing Club - through shared knowledge and hands-on assistance - proved critical in building a strong foundation.
“The rowers have embraced both the physical challenge and the team-first mindset the sport demands,” Bamber-O’Malley explains. “We are already seeing positive changes across the school. Students are demonstrating greater resilience, improved work ethic, and stronger connections with one another.
“Rowing is helping shape a culture where effort, accountability, and support are valued - and that influence is being felt right across the school.”
The 2026 Maadi Regatta was the season’s primary goal, and it delivered many memorable moments.
“One highlight was seeing our students step onto that stage in our school colours with confidence, pride, and a genuine sense of belonging,” she adds. “It was also fantastic to see our U15 girls’ double - Quinn Robinson and Sienna Kilburn - win bronze in only their second regatta together. That result captured the spirit of the group: determination, teamwork, and belief.”
Looking ahead, the school hopes rowing will become a cornerstone of its sporting identity.
“With the continued support of Mercer Rowing Club, we’re excited about what lies ahead,” says Bamber-O’Malley. “A key goal is to secure our own boats and equipment, which will be an important step in our growth and independence.
“Most importantly, we want rowing to continue driving positive change - helping shape resilient, disciplined, and connected young people, and becoming a lasting part of who we are.”
St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College U15 girls’ double - Quinn Robinson and Sienna Kilburn (left) - won bronze (in a tie with Geraldine's Charlee Cooper and Justina Courage) in their second only regatta together. The result captured the spirit of the group: determination, teamwork, and belief. Photo: Sharron Bennett Photography
Steve Landells
Steve Landells is an experienced communications specialist and sportswriter with more than 25 years' experience. He is currently a proud dad of a rower who competes for St Peter's College, Auckland.
