Sweet victory for Aramoho

They were chasing a slice of history and the Aramoho Wanganui Rowing Club members served it up sweet at the New Zealand Club Championships this week.

Taking an elite 20-person squad, the Ian Weenink-coached club members all made the A finals in their various classes down in Twizel in very warm conditions.

On Thursday, gold was struck by the novice quad team of Rayelynn Brackett, Georgia Nugent-O'Leary, Sammy Murphy, Riley Wyeth and cox Savanna Gaskell. They also won bronze in the novice four yesterday.

Also yesterday, Nugent-O'Leary and Murphy teamed to win gold in the novice double.

With two crews making the final of the under-20 fours, Aramoho were well placed to medal and did so through a bronze from Jackie Gowler, Kaela Janiten, Sarah-Jane Back and Ella Cvitanovich.

"It's five years since the club has won a national title, so these gold medallists are pretty special," said manager Anne Pawson.

She was even checking last night that it may have been up to 40 years since an Aramoho novice crew won a title.

The team consisted of regular members, Wanganui High School students and four from Nga Tawa who trained together over the summer. With more teams in finals today, including three in one race, Pawson said the selections were meeting the club's expectations.

"We hope to get more [medals].

"They were all definitely expected to be in the A finals.

"Those were the ones we took. There was a lot left at home."

The club is following up from its success the previous week at the North Island Club Championships on Lake Karapiro.