Rowing stalwarts have hailed the Maadi Cup final as one of the greatest in history as Christchurch’s St Bede’s College pipped Hamilton Boys’ High School in a race-record photo finish.
St Bede’s started strongly but had to hold off a late surge by defending champions Hamilton at Lake Karapiro on Saturday in the under-18 boys’ eight final.
The heart-stopping finish forced officials to assess the tape before confirming St Bede’s as the winner for the first time since 1991.
St Bede’s rower Luke Hickling later told One News “most of us felt we had just lost it’’ as the two crews waited for the judges’ decision.
Conrad Blind/Show Ltd/Rowing NZ
The victorious St Bede’s College Maadi Cup eight celebrate with the trophy.
Then, “one of the boys from Avon comes out and he points at me and nods, and we all went nuts.’’
The victory confirmed St Bede’s had won by 0.06sec and set a new record of 5min 42.17 sec.
St Bedes’ stroke and rowing club captain Sam Woodgate told One News the Maadi Cup victory – only the second in the school’s history – was the culmination of four years’ hard work.
”We made a pact, eight boys, to get to Maadi Cup in 2023, and it’s been a special ride,’’ he said.
St Bede’s achieved a clean sweep in the under-18 grade, also winning the Springbok Shield coxed four final for the first time, and the pair.
Conrad Blind/Show Ltd/Rowing NZ
The winning Rangi Ruru crew show their delight at winning the Levin 75th Jubilee Cup under-18 girls rowing final for the third year in a row.
Christchurch’s Rangi Ruru High School also created history with two crews claiming gold and silver medals in the Levin 75th Jubilee Cup under-18 girls eights final.
Rangi won the title for the third successive year, with six of their crew becoming triple champions.
They celebrated a clean sweep in the under-18, coxed four and pairs events and won the Star Trophy for the top overall school for the third consecutive year.
St Bede’s were runners-up in the Star Trophy standings, with another Christchurch school, St Margaret’s College, third.
St Margaret’s had made it a Christchurch treble in the girls’ eight, taking bronze behind the two Rangi Ruru crews.
