A group of Otago’s top competitors leave for Lake Ruataniwha today, as they prepare to defend their South Island interprovincial title.
The first major regatta on the South Island calendar, the event involves teams from Otago, Canterbury, Southland and Marlborough competing for points to secure the overall title.
With 18 races on the schedule — nine men’s and nine women’s — the regatta begins at 2.30pm tomorrow and wraps up just after 10.30am on Sunday.
Both open and under-20 crews will race.
Having narrowly won last year’s title, Otago manager Mitch Carroll said the team was hoping for another successful performance.
"You always can’t quite tell until you get up there,’’ she said in relation to how the team would fare.
"Our main rivals are Canterbury, so last year it was a pretty tight event and we came through with it.
"We’ve won the last few years. We do have a smaller squad this year. We hope we can retain the title, but we’ll have to see what the weekend brings."
The team had several members who had been part of the development programme for secondary school-aged rowers.
That had enabled them to gain some top-quality training over the winter with head coach Lauren Farnden and assistant coach Jamie McKenzie.
The older ones had been doing their own training and several had been involved with the Otago University club’s programme over the winter.
The team includes Bradley Leydon and Mark Taylor, both of whom have recently returned from Lithuania, where they represented New Zealand at the junior world championships.
They will be among the key rowers for Otago this weekend.
Carroll said the squad had something of a developmental look to it, with several of last year’s under-20s moving into the open grade.
However, she felt there was still plenty of talent among the newcomers.
One notable omission was Bryce Abernethy, who has become one of the team coaches after becoming unavailable through injury.
Otago interprovincial
Rowing team
Men U20 scullers: Hayden Bewley, Jack Mclaughlan, James Scott, Thomas Ryan.
Men U20 sweepers: Sam Wilkins, Jared Brenssell, Aaron Roydhouse, Kyle Hughes.
Men open: Bradley Leydon, Mark Taylor, Sam Johnston, Corey Lewis.
Men reserve: Mitchell Anderson.
Men cox: Cameron Leydon
Women: Juliette Lequeux, Clora Quinlan-Thompson, Kate Campbell, Haylee Budd, Gabrielle Hunter, Riley Homan, Hayley Kettings, Emma Wallace, Sydney Telfer.
Women’s reserve: Leah Anderson.
Women cox: Tamara Mason.
