Day Four 2018 Rocket Foods New Zealand Rowing Championships

Manson, who last year set a world record in the men’s single sculls in Poznan, opened his account with the win in the quadruple sculls alongside Chris Harris, Brook Robertson and Joe Wright before later in the day cruising to victory in the double alongside Harris, one half of New Zealand’s reigning world double sculls combination.

In the men’s premier coxless quad sculls Central RPC held off the challenge of the Southern RPC to triumph by a little over two seconds in a slick 5:45.62. For Central is was a particularly special moment for the other two crew members – Brook Robertson and Joe Wright – who claimed their maiden red coats as part of the triumphant crew. Robertson, a regular member of the New Zealand eight, said “It’s awesome to win my first red coat after four or five years of trying. I’ve won a lot of silver and bronze and it is quite funny I had to jump into a sculling event to achieve it. Today made it a lot easier because we had Robbie and Chris basically toeing us down. It was awesome to achieve this with Joe – who is a good sculler himself – because we’ve been part of the eight together for a few years.” Southern RPC, with Harris’ fellow world champion winning double sculler John Storey in the stroke seat, had to settle for silver (5:47.84) with Auckland RPC in bronze (5:57.92).

Grace Prendergast and Emma Dyke (Southern RPC) clinched a hat-trick of Patterson Cup titles with a masterful display in the final of the women’s pair. “The Red Express” slowly cranked up the pressure to complete the distance in 7:16.05 some 4.85secs clear of Prendergast’s fellow World pairs champion Kerri Gowler, who teamed up with Ella Greenslade for the Central RPC. Gowler’s younger sister, Jackie, was one half of the bronze medal winning crew alongside Beth Ross (Central RPC) in bronze 7:30.24. For Prendergast, it was her fifth national pairs title in total and she said of her victory today, “I’m really happy, this was a tough one this year because I was racing Kerri (Gowler) who I race with all year around. Kerri and I are both racing for the bragging rights, but deep down I think we both know the quicker we row here the faster we will go in the end.”

Central RPC retained their stranglehold on the men’s premier coxless pair title as Tom Murray and Phillip Wilson, a 2016 World U23 gold medallist in the coxed four, controlled the race from the front with an assured display. In the first half of the race the pair came under strong pressure from the Auckland RPC combination of two-time Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale and Stephen Jones. However, Murray, who secured a third successive red coat in this event, alongside Wilson, his younger crew member, repelled the challenge to stop the clock in 6:36.14. Finishing powerfully, the Waikato RPC combination of Anthony Allen and Shaun Kirkham grabbed silver in 6:38.22 – 0.61secs clear of Auckland, who had to settle for bronze.

Murray, who bagged this title alongside James Hunter in 2016 and 2017 as well as World Championship bronze in Florida last September, said “The feeling at the moment is more one of relief. I was probably the favourite coming in and there is a little bit of pressure associated with that. Phil and I had a good couple of rows leading into nationals, so I was quietly confident that we could do it. We had a few set pieces we wanted to execute and I feel we did that.” Wilson, the 2016 World U23 gold medallist in the coxed four, was elated to land his maiden red coat. “It is a great feeling to get across the line first and I did a big celebration to signify that,” says Wilson.

Matt Dunham successfully retained his men’s premier lightweight single sculls title in a terrific race with James Lassche (Southern RPC). The Waikato RPC athlete edged a tight tussle, registering 7:09.88 to clinch a 2.60sec victory. Ben van Dalen (Waikato RPC) completed the podium in bronze in 7:24.07.

Taryn Abel and Bethany Glenn romped to an emphatic gold medal victory in the women’s lightweight double sculls final. Abel and Glenn (8:02.60) finished some 25 seconds clear of their North Shore Rowing club-mates Holly Gray and Mica Erdmann with Sarah Bagley and Ashley Manson of the Petone Club rounding out the podium.

Auckland Rowing Club, comprising of the Epsom Girls Grammar School rowing crew, secured the highly-sought women’s club coxed eight title in imperious fashion. The young group claimed a comfortable win in 6:45.90 – a little over seven seconds clear of Nelson Rowing Club with local favourites Cambridge Rowing Club (6:54.84) rounding out the podium. Epsom Girls’ Grammar coach Nadia Bleaken said it was mission accomplished for the crew, who posted their fastest ever time in idyllic conditions at Lake Karapiro. “I couldn’t be happier with the performance,” says Nadia. “Our girls are strong racing from the front and they managed to pull off the plan.”

Cambridge Rowing Club completed a memorable club single sculls double on home waters as Grace Lewis and Jason Nel triumphed in their respective events. In the women’s final, Lewis shaded a titanic tussle with Scarlet Billingham (Counties Manakau) to prevail by a winning margin of 1.83 (8:17.88). Taking up the lead at the 1km mark, Lewis, 19, a former adventure racer, who is only in her second season in the sport, was “stoked” with her success which she believes could be attributed to several factors. “It is the result of great coaching, hard work and also being based at Karapiro, I’m in the prime spot,” she says. Nel also faced fierce competition but resisted the challenge of Jacob Flanagan of the Dunstan Arm Rowing Club, winning by a margin of 2.75secs in a time of 7:45.89.

Waikato Rowing Club enjoyed a successful day on the opening finals day scooping a gold medal double. The men in red, yellow and green resisted a strong challenge from North Shore Rowing Club to prevail in the men’s club coxed four by 2.42secs in 6:31.08. Then later in the morning Waikato romped to victory by more than six-and-a-half seconds from Aramoho Whanganui Club in the men’s club coxless quad sculls event, recording a time of 6:17.09.

One of the more eye-catching victories of the day belonged to the Aramoho Whanganui Club duo of Luke Watts and Nathan Luff, who stormed to a commanding victory in the men’s senior double sculls final. Watts and Luff cruised to a comprehensive win in 6:29.58 to comfortably defeat their nearest pursuers Waikato Rowing Club (6:33.52), which contained former New Zealand World Championship sculler Karl Manson alongside Edward Baddeley.

In a repeat of the finishing positions from 12 months ago, Avon Rowing Club proved too strong for Waikato Rowing Club prevailing by a length in a time of 6:44.70 in a competitive final of the women’s senior quad sculls.

Other notable successes saw the Avon Rowing Club combination of stroke Timothy Osmers and Hamish Maxwell claim a decisive gold medal success in the men’s senior coxless pairs event by a victory margin of more than seven-and-a-half seconds in 6:51.86 from the two Waikato Rowing Club boats that filled out the dais.

Meanwhile, in the women’s senior double sculls final, Madison Brooke and Shannon Cox of the Whangarei Rowing Club claimed a victory for the north with an accomplished piece of sculling to stop the clock in 7:39:10. Some 2.10secs further back in silver were Judikje Scheffer and Megan Smylie (Waikato) who edged out Mollie and Olivia Gibson of Ashburton Rowing Club.

The morning also saw the Para Singles battle it out over the 1000m distance. Gavin Foulsham from Hawkes Bay crossed the line to take the win in 4:58.27, ahead of Anthony Spijkerman of Rotorua, and Ashburton’s Terry O’Neill who placed third.

Another hot day at Lake Karapiro is expected for the last day of finals tomorrow, with the men’s premier single sculls scheduled to race at 1.45pm, and the women’s premier single sculls scheduled for 2.00pm.