Camryn Collison and Tiia Cooke with their Under-16 double Maadi gold. Photo / RowingPictureShow
Camryn Collison and Tiia Cooke with their Under-16 double Maadi gold. Photo / RowingPictureShow
A year after Whangārei’s historic Maadi Regatta Octuple sculls victory, Northland’s young rowers have returned to the national stage with their most successful campaign yet.
The 2026 Maadi Regatta, held in Twizel from March 23-26, had 127 schools and 2287 athletes from around the country competing for medals.
Among themwere rowers from Whangārei Girls’ High School, Huanui College, Pompallier Catholic College and Whangārei Boys’ High School, who produced an impressive haul of results, qualifying four crews for A finals, eight for B finals, two for C finals and one for a D final.
Standout performances came from Huanui College, where Dovey Mabey and Anna Barradel claimed silver in the Under-17 girls double sculls.
Teammates Camryn Collison and Tiia Cooke, representing Whangārei Girls’ High School, went one better, winning gold in the Under-16 girls double sculls to secure a national title for Whangārei.
Whangārei Rowing Club president Chris Williams said the results reflected the continued momentum of the region’s rowing programme, following last year’s breakthrough success.
Anna Barradell and Dovey Mabey claimed silver in the Under-17 double. Photo / Dave Mills
In 2025, Whangārei Girls’ High School rowers Camryn Collinson, Bella Monteith, Pippa Ryder, Siena Southall, Molly Dennis, Billie McAsey, Tia Cooke, Sophia Candy and coxswain Sophia Paton made history as they clinched the school’s first-ever Maadi Regatta gold medal that was in the Under-15 octuple sculls.
“This year’s Maadi Regatta has been a huge success for Whangārei rowing,” Williams said.
“It shows that last year’s achievement was not a one-off, but part of something much bigger.”
Billie McAsey and Jess Taylor Under-15 double. Photo / Dave Mills
Williams said seeing crews from multiple schools performing at this level was a testament to the hard work from athletes, coaches and the wider rowing community.
The collaborative culture between the region’s schools, with athletes training together through the Whangārei Rowing Club, was touted as a key to success.
