Full squad heads to Twizel

To give everyone a memorable experience, Wanganui High School is sending their entire complement of rowers to the 2014 Maadi Cup Regatta on Monday. Photo/Stuart Munro

Wanganui High School's entire rowing squad of 41 juniors and seniors will be among the 2108 students from 125 schools taking part in this year's massive Maadi Cup regatta on Lake Ruataniwha, near Twizel in the South Island.

Alongside them will be seven girls from Nga Tawa Diocesan School and around 18-20 students from Wanganui Collegiate, the latter receiving the rousing send-off of a giant haka from their schoolmates outside the Collegiate chapel yesterday morning.

Ian Weenink, who coaches both the WHS and Nga Tawa squads, said it was a big expense on parents to send such a large WHS contingent.

However, with the Maadi Cup held in the South Island every second year, for many of them it would be their only chance to compete down there.

"I guess I weakened," Weenink said.

"It's an encouragement to the younger ones. A lot get to 17, and if they're not going fast enough they don't go, so they don't actually get to Twizel."

Making sure each student was entered in at least three to four events to justify their trip, many would have to row above themselves to make an A final while the rest would be encouraged if they could make a top 16.

"It's a huge regatta this year, there's 50-60 to every race, it's an achievement to get to an A final," said Weenink.

"It would be the biggest [school] regatta in the world.

"It's just a reward for the kids with their training and dedication.

"They've all trained well, as coach I can't ask for more. There's been a lot of progress in the last 12 months."

At Lake Ruataniwha there will be 614 races across 50 events, including two exhibitions, of which 1633 crews are entered. Collegiate will be entering boys teams in the Under 18 and Under 17 eight, the U18 heavyweight and lightweight fours, and the U18 pairs.

Collegiate's best hope for success will be the pair of Jack Hughes and Jamie Clark, both 17, who will also be part of the U18 eight the other medal hopefuls.

"It's a year of rebuilding for us, after losing signature oarsmen this year," said Barry Touzel, director of sport and special character.

The Collegiate girls will enter the U18 and U17 quad, the doubles for U18 to U16, and the U17 single.

The U18 quad and the U17 double of Beth Norman and Jenna van Dort are the best contenders, along with Norman also in the singles.

But on form it is the Nga Tawa girls who have the best prospects.

At the North Island secondary schools championships a fortnight ago, Georgia Nugent-O'Leary and Jackie Gowler won the U18 doubles, while a third was claimed in the U18 pairs.

"They would be the most likely school in Wanganui to medal," Weenink said.

At the North Island, WHS earned third placings in the U16 quad, doubles and singles with singles competitor Kayla Spencer, niece of former All Black Carlos, another potential top performer after a solid summer.

Wanganui High School has hired six houses as well as a lodge in Twizel to billet to keep their large squad, while the Nga Tawa girls will stay at a motorcamp south of the lake.

The Maadi Cup events start on Monday 24th and continue through until next Saturday, the 29th, with Sunday (March 30) serving as the reserve day.