Waikato schools stamp early mark in Cup

MARK TAYLOR/ Waikato Times

RACING: Teams compete in the under-15 eights heats.

MARK TAYLOR/ Waikato Times

READY TO GO: Hillcrest High rowers prepare to race.

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Waikato crews staked early claims for some of the silverware on offer at the Maadi Cup rowing regatta yesterday.

The Hamilton Boys' High School's under-18 coxed four of Andrew Annear, Nick Ross, Jason Stroud, Shaun Kirkham and cox Taylor Bond won their heat to signify they were primed to defend their title in the Springbok Shield final on Friday.

St Paul's Collegiate were second in their heat through Blair Patterson, David Morgan, David Kingham, Troy Mahon and cox Ivan Pavich but the major title challenge for the champs looks likely to come from Westlake BHS, who won their heat in slightly quicker time and were almost five seconds ahead of St Paul's.

St Peter's School scored two heat wins in the girls u17 single sculls through Ashleigh Hodge and Megan Vaughan, with Claire Jordan (Wanganui HS) recording the quickest time narrowly ahead of Hodge. The school also scored a victory through Elizabeth McLean and Georgia Perry in their girls' u16 double sculls heat.

Cambridge HS were another Waikato school to succeed on the opening day of the national secondary schools rowing champs as their boys' u18 coxed quad scull team of Jarrod Saxton, Jake Martin, Ryan Goodson, Stefan Morrison and cox Meredith Graham were heat winners.

In excellent conditions at Lake Karapiro, Hamilton BHS continued where they left off as the dominant boys' school at the recent North Island champs at the same venue.

Their u17 coxed four of Tayler Jacobs, Sven Schubert, Mackenzie Macky, Shaun Kirkham and cox Tayler Bond won their heat, as did Waikato rivals St Paul's Collegiate (Zack Oliver, Luc Rodwell, Troy Mahon, Alex Mason and cox Ivan Pavich) but both crews will have to be at their best to overcome top qualifiers Westlake BHS.

The HBHS u15 coxed quad sculls looked potential title winners in heading their heat while the school's u18 pair (Jason Stroud and Nick Ross) were heat winners with Rangiora HS the quickest combination.

Further heat victories for HBHS came in the u18 novice coxed four through Kenyon Marais, Shay Austin, Michael Rasmussen, Logan Rodger and cox Matt Cameron in convincing fashion, along with the u15 eight of Carl Glyde, Joel Claydon, Kody Knight, Blair Brown, Alex Bardoul, Blair Pointon, Nicholas Anselmi, Scott Cameron and cox Caleb Shepherd.

Waikato Diocesan were the standout school among the girls at the North Island champs and had a profitable opening day.

Their u16 coxed four (Sarah Allen, Lucy Wilshier, Miriam Morgan, Abby Gatland and cox Natalie Turton) were comfortable heat winners while their u18 lightweight coxed four (Olivia Donaldson, Renee Letcher, Allie Cameron, Tierney Baron and cox Laura Campbell) were top qualifiers.

In the fiercely fought girls' u15 eight heats, Dio had heat winners in the crew of Kate Nicol-Williams, Laura Jeffries, Lucy Clapcott, Jessica Wooller, Bayly Camp, Silvana Krielen, Becky Tushingham, Anna Reddish and cox Elsie Tischler but will face stiff competition later in the week from the South Island crews from Rangi Ruru and St Kevin's College.

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