Otago University dominate Aon Uni Champs
Otago University stamped their mark on the 2016 Aon New Zealand University Rowing Championships held in Twizel over the weekend winning with a huge 139 points while Waikato University finished in second place with 54 points and Auckland were third with 34 points.
Lake Ruataniwha delivered chilly temperatures with conditions that were satisfactory for racing right up until the last two events at the regatta that were not able to be completed due to high winds.
Otago were victorious in both the men’s and women’s championships eights with the women winning the Tamaki Cup for the 10 th year in a row and the men also scooping the Hebbley Shield in the men’s championship eight. The championship eights faced the challenge of a 3.2km or traditional two mile course, longer than the standard two kilometre course raced by the other classes.
In the women’s championship single Samantha Voss of Massey University (Wanganui/Manawatu) won ahead of Luka Ellery from Waikato University while Kelsi Parker from Otago University finished in third place. Waikato sculler Joshua Earl won the men’s championship single chased hard by Lewis Hollows of Massey University (Albany) who claimed second while Bryce Abernethy of Otago University finished third.
The men’s intermediate double saw some extremely close racing and an exciting photo finish with the Auckland University crew just pipping the Waikato University crew and the Otago University crew on the line.
A total of 367 athletes from eight universities and nine campuses from around New Zealand entered in the weekend festival of rowing, considered the most fiercely contested regatta in the university rowing calendar. The number is an increase on last year’s event, continuing the growth trend of university rowing.
Heats at the Aon New Zealand University Rowing Championships were held on Saturday 23 April while finals were held on Sunday 24 April.
Results from the 2016 Aon New Zealand University Rowing Championships can be viewed online www.rowit.co.nz