Rowing: Maadi Cup has spice

Joel Bateman from Auckland Grammar School's boys under-18 eight is tossed into the water during celebrations after his crew won the Maadi Cup in 2011. Photo / Alan Gibson

Two Auckland crews are likely to lead the field when the Maadi Cup is raced at Lake Ruataniwha near Twizel today, although an Australian visitor is adding spice to the most prestigious race in school rowing.

Holders of the under-18 eights title, Auckland Grammar, will be out to avenge their loss to Westlake Boys High at the North Island championships a fortnight ago.

Grammar last year won the Maadi Cup for the first time in 19 years and won't relinquish it easily. Hamilton Boys' High will also be there and the top South Island challenger should be Marlborough Boys' College.

And all the New Zealand schools will be looking to lane nine where Brisbane's St Joseph's Nudgee College will line up amid some controversy.

The big Aussie crew powered to the final edging out Auckland Grammar in their heat.

St Joseph's have been given the spare lane and while they can't win the Maadi Cup, they'll get medals, with their equal-placed New Zealand crew if they make the podium.

The school's presence hasn't been universally welcomed, while some others believe they should be assigned the lane for which they qualified in their heat.

In the under-18 girls eight, Waikato Diocesan School is tipped to retain the Levin Jubilee Trophy. The first of the big finals was rowed yesterday, Marlborough Boys' leading from the start to win the Springbok Shield in the boys under-18 four, and the Dawn Cup for the equivalent girls crew going to St Peter's, of Waikato.