4 April 2022 / Category : Sport

Another Fantastic Maadi for Rangi Ruru Rowers

Rangi Ruru’s rowers have a lot to celebrate after another very successful Maadi Cup campaign. The 2022 squad successfully defended their title as overall top school and even had a double podium finish in the hotly contested U18 8+ final.

The squad brought home five trophies, five golds, one silver, one bronze and a host of B Final places from the scaled-back New Zealand secondary schools’ event at Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel. On top of the outstanding race results, six students were also selected to trial for the New Zealand U19 squad and six selected for the North vs South U18 trials.

Rangi Ruru Rowing Manager Olivia Ling says the results reflect the strong culture of the squad.

“Success is not defined just by medals but the enjoyment of the students and the culture we have,”she says. “The reason Rangi rowing is the way it is today is down to the culture [Rangi Ruru teacher and rowing coach] Mark Cotham instilled into the program when he came on board ten years ago. This had girls wanting to come back and be a part of it.

“We have inherited a team that was on the up and it is now up to us to continue all of this hard work that was put in before us so Rangi Rowing continues to be successful and an environment students want to be a part of.”

With no U15 events in 2022 due to Covid-19 restrictions, and some senior rowers unable to race, Olivia says the student athletes rose to the challenges presented.

“This was certainly the most challenging season to date but to think back it has been three seasons now that have been covid-affected. It definitely added an extra strain of stress, not knowing if regattas would happen, if we would get hit with covid in our squad or if each race/training would be our last but we continued to live by the motto, ‘We will keep going until told otherwise’.

“Whilst it was disappointing the U15s didn’t get to compete at Maadi it was great they got to finish their season off properly at the South Island Secondary School Championships, they got a proper end to their season and walked away with some great seasons. It left them with a bit of fire in their belly for next season.”

Student Head of Rowing for 2022, Holly Lill, says the results were exciting after a season full of disruptions.

“We all felt a little on edge at times as we had no clue where the season would lead and whether we would even make it to Maadi so being able to get there and have such success was so awesome,” she says.

“I think I am most proud of how the squad dealt with all the bumps in the road; the uncertainty that this season held meant that it was pretty hard going at times. The continued to support one another to keep on grinding regardless of what happened.”

Rangi Ruru Girls’ School Principal Dr Sandra Hastie says the 2022 Maadi Cup was a special atmosphere and it was a privilege to witness first-hand the success of the rowers.

“To not only have so many crews on the podium, but a whole squad of young athletes who composed themselves with such grace and humility, win or lose, made me so proud.

“I would like to commend everyone involved; our rowers, coaches and management, sponsors, supporters and a special mention to the parents and caregivers who volunteered their time to help with the management of the wider event.”

The students chosen for New Zealand U19 trials are: Holly Lill (Year 13), Nicole Vance (Year 12), Georgie Bethell (Year 12), Alice Wallis (Year 12), Phoebe Wallis (Year 12) and Annabel Wynn-Williams (Year 12). This is the most students Rangi Ruru has had selected for this opportunity and, notably, five of these students are only U17.

If selected, they will compete in Italy in July.

The students chosen for the North vs South U18 trials are: Abby Reid (Year 13), Caitlin Muir (Year 12), Frankie Richards (Year 12), Alice Ferguson (Year 11), Annabel Wynn-Williams (Year 12) and Bridget Pye (Year 12). The students will trial and, if successful, compete at Lake Ruataniwha in the last two weekends of April.