Third Maadi Cup medal in 15 years for Gisborne Boys' High

SILVER CELEBRATION: Cody Wright (left) and Oscar Ruston with their silver medals from the boys’ under-16 double sculls. Picture by Steve McArthur, Rowing Celebration

ROWING

CODY Wright and Oscar Ruston struck silver for Gisborne Boys’ High School at the Maadi Cup rowing regatta.

And their second placing in the boys’ under-16 double sculls was all the more precious because of its rarity.

It was only the third medal Gisborne Boys’ High had won at the Maadi Cup in the past 15 years.

In 2004, Dan O’Connor and David Headley won gold in the same event and, in 2014, James Brott won bronze in the u16 single sculls.

Wright and Ruston recorded a time of 6 minutes 50.61 seconds in the A Final of their event last Saturday.

They were less than two seconds behind winners Nelson College (6:48.87) and more than 2.5s ahead of third-placed Wakatipu High School (6:53.14).

The New Zealand Secondary Schools Rowing Regatta — commonly known as the Maadi Cup after the trophy for the premier event, the u18 boys’ eights — is reputed to be the largest school sporting event in the Southern Hemisphere, and is New Zealand’s largest rowing regatta.

The medal win was the highlight of many strong performances from Gisborne Boys’ High.

The boys’ u16 coxed quad sculls (Wright, Ruston, Sacha Dewancker, Eliarn Destounis and coxswain Harry Naske), the u17 coxed quad sculls (Isaac Kinder, Ruston, Sebastian Solomann, Wright and cox Naske) and Sacha Dewancker in the u16 single sculls all won their B Final events at the regatta.

Boys’ High rowing coach Luke Jenkins praised the discipline and work ethic of his squad.

“ This year was amazing,” he said.

“The whole squad lifted. We have always been aiming for the 2020 Maadi Cup podium and to get here a year early is pretty gratifying.”

For Gisborne Girls’ High School, this year’s Maadi Cup was the one that got away.

The two crews who made it through to semifinals, the u18 novice coxed quad (Leah Scholefield, Caitlin Bregmen, Sabine Lapointe, Jemma Honey and cox Jessica Wright) and the u16 double sculls (Phoebe Naske and Hannah Veitch) both missed out on A Final berths by less than 0.3 of a second.

However, the regatta provided valuable experience for the Gisborne Girls’ High squad, the majority of whom were only in their novice year and new to the intensity of Maadi Cup competition.

For the first time, Campion College fielded a Maadi Cup contingent, a slimline squad of two novice rowers.

Maadi Cup 2019 finalists from Gisborne —

Gisborne Boys’ High SchoolBoys’ u16 double sculls (C Wright, O Ruston): 2nd in A Final.

Boys’ u16 coxed quad sculls (C Wright, O Ruston, S Dewancker, E Destounis and cox H Naske): 1st in B Final.

Boys’ u17 coxed quad sculls (I Kinder, O Ruston, S Solomann, C Wright and cox H Naske): 1st in B Final.

Boys’ u16 single sculls (S Dewancker): 1st in B Final.

Boys’ u17 coxed four (I Kinder, S Solomann, B McCosh, J Kelly and cox H Naske): 4th in B Final.

Boys’ u17 double sculls (I Kinder, S Solomann): 7th in C Final.

Boys’ u16 single sculls (E Destounis): 5th in E Final.

Campion CollegeBoys’ u18 novice double sculls (D Levy, B Blakeman): 6th in B Final.

Boys’ u16 single sculls (B Blakeman): 2nd in F Final.

Boys’ u16 single sculls (D Levy): 4th in F Final.

Gisborne Girls' High SchoolGirls’ u18 novice coxed quad sculls (L Scholefield, C Bregmen, S Lapointe, J Honey and cox J Wright): 1st in B Final.

Girls’ u16 double sculls (P Naske, H Veitch): 4th in B Final.

Girls’ u18 novice double sculls (L Scholefield, C Bregmen) 7th in C Final.

Girls’ u17 single sculls (V Anderson): 6th in F Final.

Girls’ u17 single sculls (P Gibson): 4th in E Final.