Southern rowers have golden touch at cup

Columba’s (from left) Bridgette Sutton, Millie Scott, Isabella Davey, Briar Duncan and Jendi Minty won gold in the under-18 coxed quad sculls at Maadi Cup. PHOTOS: SHARRON BENNETT

Wakatipu High School has capped off a stunning season on the water.

The Queenstown crew added a further three medals to its tally on the final day of Maadi Cup at Lake Karapiro on Saturday.

Star of the sculls was Marley King-Smith who won gold in the boys under-18 single sculls.

King-Smith led from the start and held off challenges from Justin Smyth (Hillcrest High School) and Maxim Ericson (Wellington College) to take the title, finishing in 7min 09.34sec.

His beaming smile stole the show as he received his cup and medal, backing up his under-17 title from last year.

He then teamed up with Xavier Small to win the boys under-18 double sculls, finishing in 6min 39.89sec.

Marley King-Smith won gold in the boys under-18 singles.

Small also joined Toby Rorrison, Keegan Green, Ashton White and Emily Howick (6min 39.51sec) to win silver in the boys under-17 coxed quadruple sculls. They were followed by John McGlashan’s Angus Loe, Matthew O'Meara, Oliver Hamilton, Charlie Carran and Aidan Seyb (6min 40.39sec) who won bronze.

Wakatipu also won the President Scull for best sculling school, ahead of Cashmere and Timaru Boys’.

Columba College added another national title to its books.

Briar Duncan, Millie Scott, Jendi Minty, Bridgette Sutton and Isabella Davey won the girls under-18 coxed quadruple sculls with their time of 7min 08.97sec.

Otago Girls’ Harriet Thompson (8min 02.62sec) won silver in the girls under-18 single sculls and Otago Boys’ Harrison Thode (7min 24.51sec) won silver in the boys under-16 single sculls.

St Hilda’s also picked up two bronze medals in the double sculls.

Honor Garden and Georgia Graham (7min 50.70sec) came third in the girls under-15 double sculls and Olivia Ollerenshaw and Perri Hore (7min 50.94sec) followed in the girls under-17 double sculls.