Fierce competition during the first day of finals at the 2020 Rocket Foods New Zealand Rowing Championships
The third day of racing at the 2020 Rocket Foods New Zealand Rowing Championships saw new national championship titles awarded to clubs from across the country. Foggy conditions on Lake Karapiro saw a slightly delayed start to racing this morning with the first race starting at 9.30am.
Women’s Club Single (W Club 1x) - Semi-Finals
Eight crews progressed from heats and repechages to two semi-finals in the women’s club single, with the top four in each securing a lane in the A Final. Holly Chaafe from West End Rowing Club took first in semi-final one, followed by Tegan Fookes of Rotorua Rowing Club. Semi-final two saw Otago University Rowing Club’s Hannah Coulter in first, with Mackenzie Tuffin of Petone Rowing Club in second. Hawkes Bay, Hauraki Plains, Tauranga and Clifton Rowing Club also move to the A Final.
Women’s Intermediate Double (W Int 2x) - Semi-Finals
Eight crews progressed from heats and repechages to two semi-finals in the women’s intermediate double, with the top four in each securing a lane in the A Final. Star Boating Club’s Lucy Travis (stroke) and Nicole Olivecrona took the win in semi-final one, with Orla Cuffe (stroke) and Zoe Corboy of North Shore Rowing Club placing first in semi-final two. Auckland, Takapuna Grammar 2, Tauranga 1, Tauranga 2, Petone and Dunstan Arm also progress to the A Final.
Women’s Novice Eight (W Nov 8+) - Final
Four crews contested the women’s novice eight event, with all four progressing to the Final from their heat race. Hamilton Rowing Club’s Katie Perano (stroke), Arianna Robinson, Sara Kane, Madaline Stephens, Rachel Gleeson, Georgia Hallifax, Amara Casey, Natasha Jacob and Annika Mills (coxswain) took a comfortable gold in 7:31.72, with Hawkes Bay Rowing Club taking silver and North Shore Rowing Club taking bronze.
Men’s Premier Lightweight Pair (Prem LM 2-) - Final
Waikato Rowing Club took an easy gold in the men’s premier lightweight pair with Samuel Zimbel (stroke) and Logan Docherty crossing the line in 7:07.98, well ahead of Nelson’s silver medalling crew finishing in 7:22.67. Right on the heels of Nelson were Auckland Rowing Club who took bronze after crossing the line in 7:23.56.
Men’s U20 Pair (M U20 2-) - Final
Auckland RPC took gold in the men’s U20 pair with Jack Ready (stroke) and Blake Bradshaw crossing the line in 6:51.76, ahead of Southern RPC’s Jack Chapman (stroke) and Will Gilbert who took silver in a time of 7:01.19. North Shore’s Thomas Barrell (stroke), Samuel Shotter took bronze in 7:03.72.
Men’s Premier Quad (M Prem 4x) - Final
Wairau Rowing Club’s Jordon Gasson (stroke), Sebastian Krappe, Rhys Krappe and Harrison Somerville won gold in the men’s premier quad event (6:05.06) two seconds ahead of Waikato Rowing Club’s Jack O'Leary (stroke), Karl Manson, Giacomo Thomas and Josh Toa who took silver in 6:07.92. Aramoho Whanganui took bronze in 6:27.20.
Brothers in Wairau’s gold medaling crew Sebastian and Rhys Krappe hail from San Francisco will soon return to the US to target Olympic qualification in April. In 2019, crewmate Harrison Somerville represented New Zealand in the men’s lightweight double.
Women’s Senior Quad (W Sen 4x) - A Final
The New York Athletic Club women’s senior quad crew of Charlotte Buck (stroke), Madeleine Ashby, Mallory Hunter and Amy Robson take home a gold medal after Avon Rowing Club in silver and Clifton Rowing Club in bronze. Being a non-New Zealand club, the winning crew were presented with medals this afternoon, but did not acquire a New Zealand national championship title, instead this went to the Avon crew.
Mixed Senior Eight (Mixed Sen 8+) - Final
2020 saw the first time a mixed senior eight event was contested at the Rocket Foods New Zealand Championships. An exhibition event raced over a 500m course, seven crews contested the final with North Shore’s Baxter Holgate-Simpson (stroke), Hugo Verdonk, Jayden Tabani-Ivi, James Brake, Jade Raby, Olivia Hay, Claudia Waite, Charlotte Bray and Liam Avery (coxswain) taking gold in 1:25.05, just ahead of Avon taking silver in 1:25.96. Auckland Rowing Club took bronze in a time of 1:27.88.
Hugo Verdonk of North Shore’s winning crew is the son of Eric Verdonk, who tonight was celebrated at a function hosted at the conclusion of racing for his own achievements in international rowing, and winning a bronze medal in the single scull at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
New Zealand Rowing Foundation
This evening the New Zealand Rowing Foundation hosted a Legacy Medal function. Legacy Medals were presented to nine New Zealand representative rowers in celebration of their contribution to the history of New Zealand’s rowing.
The Legacy Programme initiative was created to acknowledge and honour New Zealand’s elite rowers who have competed at major international regattas.
Receiving medals this evening were Peter Delaney, Tania Delaney, Marion Horwell, Robyn Mathieson, Elizabeth Cato, Lesley Keys, Vicki Colville, Eric Verdonk and Fiona Bourke.
The 1974 coxed four of Marion Horwell, Robyn Mathieson, Elizabeth Cato, Lesley Keys and coxswain Vicki Colville were the first women to represent New Zealand at a World Rowing Championships event.
Peter Delaney was a member of the men’s eight that raced at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, and his daughter Tania Delaney also represented New Zealand in the women’s eight in 1991.
Eric Verdonk is most well-known for winning a bronze medal in the single scull at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
Fiona Bourke represented New Zealand in the women’s quad, double and single between 2010 and 2015. Most notably, she was crowned a world champion in the double in 2014.
Coinciding with this evening’s medal presentations, the New Zealand Rowing Foundation have launched a new website profiling their initiatives, including working to establish a capital fund to support New Zealand’s developing rowers and funding the highly prestigious Legacy Programme.
Principal Sponsor
Rocket Foods are Rowing NZ’s principal partners and naming rights sponsor to the Rocket Foods New Zealand Rowing Championships. Rocket Foods strives to provide the best wholesale bakery products to New Zealand. Their products are sold at cafes, supermarkets and other eateries nationwide. All their baked products have been designed by chefs and skilled bakers, and they’ve refined our recipes over 20 years, so you can trust us that they are good!