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NZ Champs: Day 3
Mercy Dash
Finn Hamill's aunt Ali Hamilton is sprinting along beside the last 100m of the Men's Premier Single final, camera out capturing the moment he successfully defends his title. Ali's a former world champion athlete and she negotiates the obvious tripping hazards well. Her little sister Rachel is Finn's mum.
Finn's holding off big charges from Oscar Ruston and Ben Ollifiers to win in 7.16.99. Oscar crosses in 7.17.85, Ben in 7.20.74.
"Well, I really wanted to get a video of Finn winning, it's a tough time in the Hamilton family," says Ali.
Ali and Rachel's 57-year-old brother Angus is very unwell in the UK.
"He's in a hospital bed, probably watching this…our brother is nearing the end of his life."
The connection between uncle and nephew is very strong.
"Finn did this fabulous thing in Henley last year, Angus had been sick and we were really trying to have a big family occasion cheering Finn on. Angus discharged himself from hospital and came down to Henley. Finn saw Angus there and gave him a ticket to go on the VIP launch to watch his race."
Time is running out for Angus.
"I'm flying out tonight to go and give him a big hug," says Ali. "And hopefully I'll have a nice video and message from Finn to show him."
Last year Finn had a surprise visit from his dad who got to see him win his first title in the Prem Single.
This time, he's got Olympic champion Karolien Florijn here in his corner. She's out on a training camp, avoiding the Dutch winter before she returns to Europe to prepare for the World Championships, which are being held on home waters – on the legendary Bosbaan course in Amsterdam.
Finn held off big charges from Oscar Ruston and Ben Ollifiers to win his second straight title in the Premier Single. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
First XV
Alana Sherman is just the fifteenth woman to win the Premier Women's Single since 1973.
She's the sixth one-time winner, the title dominated by rowers building long winning streaks.
"It's pretty cool being able to do it in the single," says Alana. "It's made a good season. I've been in the pair lately at Summer Squad so I started getting back out in the single this week. It was cool to have a few rows in it before the final."
It was more like the Summer Hit Squad for the final, all the Rowing NZ-based athletes fanning out across the lanes.
Hauraki's Stella Clayton-Greene led to the 1000m before Olivia then Alana took control of the race, Alana crossing in 7.59.46, Olivia in 7.59.81.
Veronica Wall had a blistering finish to cross third in 8.01.44.
The only athletes not from the Summer Squad were Waikato's Eva Hofmans (5th in 8.05.38) and West End's Holly Chaafe (8.31.39).
Alana Sherman leading the way for the Summer Squad athletes in the Women's Premier Single. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
What just happened?
No one was expecting that – except maybe the two people in the middle of the drama that was the final of the Men's Premier Double.
Arie Magasiva: "We've been training it quietly in the background. It's not really been a main focus, but then we realised it was coming together quite well, so we locked in a bit."
Callum Tutbury: "Way back at the start of the season our coach Nick [Barton] had a vision. He saw us as two big, tall lads who didn't like the single, but far out, put them in a double and obviously the vision worked…flying."
It's Arie's first Red Coat.
"I didn't really think it was on the cards this season, I'm pretty overwhelmed, just grateful."
Callum: "We'll keep you in a sculling boat bro'."
Arie Magasiva (right) in his first Red Coat and Callum Tutbury after winning the Men's Premier Double. Photo: Sharron Bennett Photography
The kids are coming – Part One
Just 11 months ago Jack Buckley and George Langley were collecting the Dunstan Trophy after winning the U18 Pair at Maadi Regatta.
Today the two former Westlake boys stood to become the first new school leavers to win the Michael Rozijn Memorial Cup for the Men's Senior Pair.
It's been a big 12 months for both rowers. Last March they won the U18 sweep trifecta at Maadi, Jack was selected in the Under 19 Kiwi Eight and is on the initial U23 trial list. He's off to University of Washington at the end of the year. After Maadi, George did North v South, made the U19 Development tour to the US and is still eligible for U19s.
The North Shore pair got out to an early lead but Avon's #1 crew of Scott Shackleton and Sam Wilson took charge.
For Scott it was a first trophy since winning the Maadi Cup, U17 Single and Double in 2019.
"Yeah, so seven years between drinks, saw the headwind out there and we're smaller guys but we just thought we're not going to let that be an excuse, we're just going to stand on it and give it a real good crack."
Scott's got a tattoo on his right arm that tells a story about what drives him.
It simply says I AM
"It comes from an old rowing coach I had at Avon called Alex Meates. I was out in a double one day and it was a really crap day. I was trying to go for one of those age-group teams and after about a lap we came in to the pontoon.
"Alex was like, 'What are you doing.'
"I said, 'I'm just going to come in and do the workout on the erg.'
"And Alex turned around, walked back up the pontoon without looking at us and said, 'Oh that's all good Scott, not everyone was meant to go to the Olympics anyway.'"
Ouch.
So, I AM?
Scott: "Not everyone's meant to be here and doing this but I am."
And thanks AM - Alex Meates.
Avon's Senior Pair Scott Shackleton (stroke) and Sam Wilson after their win. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
Tale of a trophy
Going back to the Michael Rozijn Memorial Cup, incredible coincidences can happen in these four days of rowing.
You can't not know Rob McCarthy, the oarthenticoars man up on the shopping strip below Podium café. Rob's a big believer in the power of re-connective energy for healing, as some athletes have experienced chatting to him over the past few days.
Just 20 minutes after talking to Scott and Sam about winning the Michael Rozijn Memorial Cup, I bump into Marty O'Brien, who's coaching at St George's and Macleans College.
He mentioned being at funeral with his wife in 2009, where Rob was present. Marty's wife Nadine is a health professional and was mentioning a troublesome elbow to Rob.
"He put the healing hands up to Nadine's elbow," says Marty, "and starts doing this connective healing. Without a word of a lie, that was 17 years ago, and Nadine's never had trouble with that elbow again."
That funeral was for former Sacred Heart College and Auckland RC rower Michael Joseph Rozijn, who died in a 60m fall from a tree.
Today, he was well-remembered.
"We still miss him, we still miss him," says Marty. "Every time you'd coach him, he'd come up afterwards and shake your hand. He was just that guy."
The kids are coming - Part Two
Scott Shackleton mentioned how the competition in the Senior class is just getting younger after that early dog fight with North Shore's George (17) and Jack (18).
He isn't wrong.
Just look at the thriller in the A Final of the Women's event.
It was won by Avon's Phoebe Collier and Coco Flood in 7.58.25, but they had a fight on their hands to the very end against Epsom Girls' Grammar pair Jess Walkinshaw and Imogen Wallis, who finished second in 7.59.96.
They're coached by Brendan Boreham and Pete Mills.
Pete's been in the game since the mid-1980s.
With Jess and Imogen's permission he passed this text they sent to the coaches early this morning about their plan for the race.
So how well did they execute?
Jess: "We felt quite relaxed and then you start the race and there's a lot going on, there's kids that are up on you, there's things happening, but Imogen in particular, she did such a good job, she called, 'Keep it internal.'"
Pete's seen lots of rowers over the years. The Epsom girls' mindset is beyond intuitive he reckons. It's everything you want from a rower.
Jess Walkinshaw (stroke) and Imogen Wallis, finished second in 7.59.96. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
Avon dominated the Senior sweep events on day three.
Men's Senior Pair: 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th 7th.
Women's Senior Pair: 1st, 4th, 7th, 8th.
Men's Senior Eight: 1st, 6th, 9th.
Women's Senior Eight: 1st, 5th, 6th.
Phoebe's no stranger to winning Senior titles – by her count there are four in the pair, three in the eight and two in the four.
She reckons she's second or third oldest in the women's squad.
What keeps her coming back?
"Honestly, it's the people, I love being around the people. [Avon legend] Kevin Meates would always say to me, 'Good people make good rowers, and I enjoy being around good people.'"
Para power
Blind Petone athlete Toby Ireland is pretty confident in the water. He’s a strong swimmer and a more than capable oarsman.
Both abilities were tested in the final of the Open Para Single.
Toby capsized up at the start. It didn’t faze him at all. With the help of an umpire boat he was able to climb back in his single and prepare for the race.
It was a six-boat field, combining Inclusion and open para athletes.
Toby’s blindness means he’s allowed radio contact with his coach Jan Maureschat during the race. Jan can only give position, distance and steering instructions though. The motivation has to come from within.
Toby took out the Inclusion gold over Takapuna Grammar’s Zoe Penny. New Cambridge rower Naomi Carter won the Open Para segment.
Toby Ireland took out the open single PARA inclusion gold at NZ Rowing Championships. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
Star power
Two examples of star power in the double sculls today.
The final event reminded everyone just how good Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis are, and could well be again, as they aim for the next Olympics. After very little time in the boat together since winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics they held off the Summer Squad challengers to win the Premier Double.
It was tight at the end, Lucy and Brooke crossing in 7.45.43 ahead of Hauraki composite Stella Clayton-Greene and Kathryn Glen (7.46.05).
And rewind right to the start of the day and Event Two, where Star Boating Club's Olivia Martin and Tessa Thomson rowed superbly to claim gold in the Women's Club Double.
They were well tested by Counties Manukau's Paige Tevita-Williams and Zara Blackie, who came at them big-time in the last 500m. The Star rowers just got better, crossing in 7.43.20, nearly five seconds up on Paige and Zara.
Incredibly they've put together a winning season on the back of very few on-water sessions a week.
"Once every week," says Tessa, as if it's normal. (It is in Wellington). "Sometimes you get a good spell of weather and get out three times a week!"
So to the ergs they go.
From the first events to the last, it was a day of PBs in all sorts of ways.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and Maadi Cup-winning coach. He was cox of the world champion New Zealand eight of 1982 and '83. He is NZ Olympian #446.
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- Home
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- NZ Rowing Foundation
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- NZ Champs: Day...
NZ Champs: Day 3
Mercy Dash
Finn Hamill's aunt Ali Hamilton is sprinting along beside the last 100m of the Men's Premier Single final, camera out capturing the moment he successfully defends his title. Ali's a former world champion athlete and she negotiates the obvious tripping hazards well. Her little sister Rachel is Finn's mum.
Finn's holding off big charges from Oscar Ruston and Ben Ollifiers to win in 7.16.99. Oscar crosses in 7.17.85, Ben in 7.20.74.
"Well, I really wanted to get a video of Finn winning, it's a tough time in the Hamilton family," says Ali.
Ali and Rachel's 57-year-old brother Angus is very unwell in the UK.
"He's in a hospital bed, probably watching this…our brother is nearing the end of his life."
The connection between uncle and nephew is very strong.
"Finn did this fabulous thing in Henley last year, Angus had been sick and we were really trying to have a big family occasion cheering Finn on. Angus discharged himself from hospital and came down to Henley. Finn saw Angus there and gave him a ticket to go on the VIP launch to watch his race."
Time is running out for Angus.
"I'm flying out tonight to go and give him a big hug," says Ali. "And hopefully I'll have a nice video and message from Finn to show him."
Last year Finn had a surprise visit from his dad who got to see him win his first title in the Prem Single.
This time, he's got Olympic champion Karolien Florijn here in his corner. She's out on a training camp, avoiding the Dutch winter before she returns to Europe to prepare for the World Championships, which are being held on home waters – on the legendary Bosbaan course in Amsterdam.
Finn held off big charges from Oscar Ruston and Ben Ollifiers to win his second straight title in the Premier Single. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
First XV
Alana Sherman is just the fifteenth woman to win the Premier Women's Single since 1973.
She's the sixth one-time winner, the title dominated by rowers building long winning streaks.
"It's pretty cool being able to do it in the single," says Alana. "It's made a good season. I've been in the pair lately at Summer Squad so I started getting back out in the single this week. It was cool to have a few rows in it before the final."
It was more like the Summer Hit Squad for the final, all the Rowing NZ-based athletes fanning out across the lanes.
Hauraki's Stella Clayton-Greene led to the 1000m before Olivia then Alana took control of the race, Alana crossing in 7.59.46, Olivia in 7.59.81.
Veronica Wall had a blistering finish to cross third in 8.01.44.
The only athletes not from the Summer Squad were Waikato's Eva Hofmans (5th in 8.05.38) and West End's Holly Chaafe (8.31.39).
Alana Sherman leading the way for the Summer Squad athletes in the Women's Premier Single. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
What just happened?
No one was expecting that – except maybe the two people in the middle of the drama that was the final of the Men's Premier Double.
Arie Magasiva: "We've been training it quietly in the background. It's not really been a main focus, but then we realised it was coming together quite well, so we locked in a bit."
Callum Tutbury: "Way back at the start of the season our coach Nick [Barton] had a vision. He saw us as two big, tall lads who didn't like the single, but far out, put them in a double and obviously the vision worked…flying."
It's Arie's first Red Coat.
"I didn't really think it was on the cards this season, I'm pretty overwhelmed, just grateful."
Callum: "We'll keep you in a sculling boat bro'."
Arie Magasiva (right) in his first Red Coat and Callum Tutbury after winning the Men's Premier Double. Photo: Sharron Bennett Photography
The kids are coming – Part One
Just 11 months ago Jack Buckley and George Langley were collecting the Dunstan Trophy after winning the U18 Pair at Maadi Regatta.
Today the two former Westlake boys stood to become the first new school leavers to win the Michael Rozijn Memorial Cup for the Men's Senior Pair.
It's been a big 12 months for both rowers. Last March they won the U18 sweep trifecta at Maadi, Jack was selected in the Under 19 Kiwi Eight and is on the initial U23 trial list. He's off to University of Washington at the end of the year. After Maadi, George did North v South, made the U19 Development tour to the US and is still eligible for U19s.
The North Shore pair got out to an early lead but Avon's #1 crew of Scott Shackleton and Sam Wilson took charge.
For Scott it was a first trophy since winning the Maadi Cup, U17 Single and Double in 2019.
"Yeah, so seven years between drinks, saw the headwind out there and we're smaller guys but we just thought we're not going to let that be an excuse, we're just going to stand on it and give it a real good crack."
Scott's got a tattoo on his right arm that tells a story about what drives him.
It simply says I AM
"It comes from an old rowing coach I had at Avon called Alex Meates. I was out in a double one day and it was a really crap day. I was trying to go for one of those age-group teams and after about a lap we came in to the pontoon.
"Alex was like, 'What are you doing.'
"I said, 'I'm just going to come in and do the workout on the erg.'
"And Alex turned around, walked back up the pontoon without looking at us and said, 'Oh that's all good Scott, not everyone was meant to go to the Olympics anyway.'"
Ouch.
So, I AM?
Scott: "Not everyone's meant to be here and doing this but I am."
And thanks AM - Alex Meates.
Avon's Senior Pair Scott Shackleton (stroke) and Sam Wilson after their win. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
Tale of a trophy
Going back to the Michael Rozijn Memorial Cup, incredible coincidences can happen in these four days of rowing.
You can't not know Rob McCarthy, the oarthenticoars man up on the shopping strip below Podium café. Rob's a big believer in the power of re-connective energy for healing, as some athletes have experienced chatting to him over the past few days.
Just 20 minutes after talking to Scott and Sam about winning the Michael Rozijn Memorial Cup, I bump into Marty O'Brien, who's coaching at St George's and Macleans College.
He mentioned being at funeral with his wife in 2009, where Rob was present. Marty's wife Nadine is a health professional and was mentioning a troublesome elbow to Rob.
"He put the healing hands up to Nadine's elbow," says Marty, "and starts doing this connective healing. Without a word of a lie, that was 17 years ago, and Nadine's never had trouble with that elbow again."
That funeral was for former Sacred Heart College and Auckland RC rower Michael Joseph Rozijn, who died in a 60m fall from a tree.
Today, he was well-remembered.
"We still miss him, we still miss him," says Marty. "Every time you'd coach him, he'd come up afterwards and shake your hand. He was just that guy."
The kids are coming - Part Two
Scott Shackleton mentioned how the competition in the Senior class is just getting younger after that early dog fight with North Shore's George (17) and Jack (18).
He isn't wrong.
Just look at the thriller in the A Final of the Women's event.
It was won by Avon's Phoebe Collier and Coco Flood in 7.58.25, but they had a fight on their hands to the very end against Epsom Girls' Grammar pair Jess Walkinshaw and Imogen Wallis, who finished second in 7.59.96.
They're coached by Brendan Boreham and Pete Mills.
Pete's been in the game since the mid-1980s.
With Jess and Imogen's permission he passed this text they sent to the coaches early this morning about their plan for the race.
So how well did they execute?
Jess: "We felt quite relaxed and then you start the race and there's a lot going on, there's kids that are up on you, there's things happening, but Imogen in particular, she did such a good job, she called, 'Keep it internal.'"
Pete's seen lots of rowers over the years. The Epsom girls' mindset is beyond intuitive he reckons. It's everything you want from a rower.
Jess Walkinshaw (stroke) and Imogen Wallis, finished second in 7.59.96. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
Avon dominated the Senior sweep events on day three.
Men's Senior Pair: 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th 7th.
Women's Senior Pair: 1st, 4th, 7th, 8th.
Men's Senior Eight: 1st, 6th, 9th.
Women's Senior Eight: 1st, 5th, 6th.
Phoebe's no stranger to winning Senior titles – by her count there are four in the pair, three in the eight and two in the four.
She reckons she's second or third oldest in the women's squad.
What keeps her coming back?
"Honestly, it's the people, I love being around the people. [Avon legend] Kevin Meates would always say to me, 'Good people make good rowers, and I enjoy being around good people.'"
Para power
Blind Petone athlete Toby Ireland is pretty confident in the water. He’s a strong swimmer and a more than capable oarsman.
Both abilities were tested in the final of the Open Para Single.
Toby capsized up at the start. It didn’t faze him at all. With the help of an umpire boat he was able to climb back in his single and prepare for the race.
It was a six-boat field, combining Inclusion and open para athletes.
Toby’s blindness means he’s allowed radio contact with his coach Jan Maureschat during the race. Jan can only give position, distance and steering instructions though. The motivation has to come from within.
Toby took out the Inclusion gold over Takapuna Grammar’s Zoe Penny. New Cambridge rower Naomi Carter won the Open Para segment.
Toby Ireland took out the open single PARA inclusion gold at NZ Rowing Championships. Photo: Picture Show Ltd
Star power
Two examples of star power in the double sculls today.
The final event reminded everyone just how good Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis are, and could well be again, as they aim for the next Olympics. After very little time in the boat together since winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics they held off the Summer Squad challengers to win the Premier Double.
It was tight at the end, Lucy and Brooke crossing in 7.45.43 ahead of Hauraki composite Stella Clayton-Greene and Kathryn Glen (7.46.05).
And rewind right to the start of the day and Event Two, where Star Boating Club's Olivia Martin and Tessa Thomson rowed superbly to claim gold in the Women's Club Double.
They were well tested by Counties Manukau's Paige Tevita-Williams and Zara Blackie, who came at them big-time in the last 500m. The Star rowers just got better, crossing in 7.43.20, nearly five seconds up on Paige and Zara.
Incredibly they've put together a winning season on the back of very few on-water sessions a week.
"Once every week," says Tessa, as if it's normal. (It is in Wellington). "Sometimes you get a good spell of weather and get out three times a week!"
So to the ergs they go.
From the first events to the last, it was a day of PBs in all sorts of ways.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and Maadi Cup-winning coach. He was cox of the world champion New Zealand eight of 1982 and '83. He is NZ Olympian #446.
