South Island and North Island schools shine as Maadi Regatta showdown looms

A Marlborough Boys’ College student looks to be one to watch at rowing’s Maadi Regatta in two weeks.

Aidan Bennett has won the boys’ Under-18 single sculls and U18 double sculls titles at the South Island Secondary Schools Championship at Ruataniwha over the weekend.

The double sculls win was alongside Hunter Marfell.

Bennett was also part of the boys’ U18 coxed quad sculls team that placed second in the A final.

Marlborough Boys’ College took home nine medals in total, also picking up gold in the U15 coxed four and U18 novice double sculls.

Scout Phiskie from St Margaret’s College won the girls’ U18 single sculls title, while Cashmere High School’s Eleri Clare and Charlotte Clatworthy took the double sculls gold.

In the North Island competition, Hamilton Girls’ High School product Ayla Klein clinched the U18 single sculls gold. She also made the girls’ U18 double sculls A final alongside Mirella Singleton, but the pair were scratched. Emily Young and Zara Blackie from St Cuthbert’s College won the title.

Ted Rattray from Mt Albert Grammar School took the boys’ U18 single sculls gold with a blistering time of 7m 43.64s. Cameron Churchill and Blake Leach from Hauraki Plains College won the boys’ U18 double sculls title.

Other schools to stand out in the South Island were Wakatipu High School, with 15 medals, including eight gold across the boys’ and girls’ divisions, Rangi Ruru Girls High School, with 10 medals, including eight gold, and Cashmere High School, which had 10 across the boys’ and girls’ divisions.

In the North Island, King’s College claimed 13 medals, seven of them gold.

Nathan Limm has been a journalist with Newstalk ZB and the NZ Herald since 2020. He covered the Netball World Cup in Cape Town in 2023, hosts The Big League Podcast and commentates rugby and netball for Gold Sport.