The 63-strong squad — up from 40-odd over the past two years — will next week be defending the ‘President’s Scull’, awarded to the top sculling school, for the fifth time running.
Crews at last year’s Maadi, at Cambridge’s Lake Karapiro, brought home three golds, two silvers and two bronzes.
On Ruataniwha just two weeks ago, Wakatipu High defended the Bell Trophy at the South Island secondary schools regatta for the fourth year in a row.
Helped by eight golds, five silvers and two bronzes, they registered 104 points with Christchurch’s Rangi Ruru next on 70.
Amy Wilson-White, president of the Whakatipu Rowing Club which runs the school’s rowing programme, says the enlarged Maadi squad reflects their extra-strong coach team.
Ex-Waihopai rower Annabel Ronald, a health and fitness trainer at Queenstown’s The Mill, who’d coached the novice girls, had been a ‘‘brilliant’’ addition, as had Brent Jarvis who’s taken the novice boys.
They joined established coaches Jimmy Cavanagh, Shane Muir and John Morrison.
Wilson-White says the club’s new Lake Hayes facilities had also helped.
The Impact100 training room had provided safe indoor training during a rough-weather summer, and students could now shower and have breakfast on-site before going to school.
She adds rowers to watch are ‘‘lightning-fast’’ novice boys Angus Brown and Oliver Glover who nabbed three golds and a silver at the South Islands, and second-year rowers Liberty Hide, Evie Clark and Keira Lightfoot.
Next week’s Maadi Cup runs from Monday till Saturday.
