2018 Aon Maadi Cup - Day Two Results

Moderate head winds delayed afternoon racing at the second day of the 2018 Aon Maadi Cup, but the first part of the day allowed for heats to be completed.

Takapuna Grammar School’s Evan Williams made a standout performance winning his heat in the boy’s under 16 single sculls in 7:38.23, 10 seconds quicker than any other heat winner. Williams also won his heat in the boy’s under 16 double sculls and placed second in the boy’s under 17 double sculls.

A new event this year saw the under 18 novices take to the water in quadruple sculls. Listed on the programme as exhibition events, the first heat of the girl’s event saw Dunstan High School, John Paul College, Roncalli College and St Peter’s School (Cambridge) all take first place and progress to the semi-final. St Peter’s School (Cambridge) and St Peter’s College (Auckland) took the win in the boy’s heats and will progress straight to the final held on Saturday.

Clocking the fastest time in the girl’s under 16 coxed four was Waikato Diocesan School in the first heat. Epsom Girls’ Grammar School also won their heat, joined by southern schools Rangi Ruru Girls’ School and St Margaret’s College, also taking first place in their respective heats.

The boy’s under 18 double sculls took to the water across five heats with recent winners at the Aon North Island Secondary School Championships William Thompson and Luke Taylor of Hamilton Boys’ High School securing the fastest time in 6:54.15. Thompson and Taylor were also part of the Hamilton Boys’ High School under 18 eight who won their heat.

St Peter’s School (Cambridge) performed well in the girl’s under 18 eight winning their heat and moving forward to the A final on Saturday. Waikato Diocesan School also move through to the A final after winning their heat by 7 seconds, with all other crews moving to repechages. Saturday’s A final will determine the winner of the famous Levin Jubilee Cup, historically dominated by schools from the Canterbury region despite its North Island origins. The 1981 regatta was held at Lake Horowhenua and Levin’s then Mayor Jack Bolderson contributed an award to celebrate the Levin Borough Council’s 75th Jubilee, which fell on the same year as Levin-hosted Maadi regatta. First won by Whanganui Girls’ College, Rangi Ruru Girls’ School have since won it 15 times.

Hamilton Boy’s High School had another strong day winning their heat in the boy’s under 18 eight, with their second crew taking third in the same heat. Christ’s College showed strength in the second heat crossing the line 8 seconds before second place Westlake Boys’ High School. With 14 entries this year, 12 other crews must now move into repechages. Saturday’s final will determine the winner of the Maadi Cup. The Maadi Cup hails from WWII, where two second NZEF members based at Maadi Camp in Egypt raced in regattas on the Nile against the Egyptians. The Kiwi Oarsmen beat the Cairo River Club in 1943 to win the Freyburg Cup, which was then gifted back to Cairo River Club. In return, Youssef Baghat also presented the Kiwi crew with a cup. At the end of that year the cup was offered to the New Zealand Rowing Association as a trophy for an annual boy’s eight-oared race between secondary schools, and it was then that it was renamed the Maadi Cup.

Racing continues tomorrow with repechages, quarter finals and petite finals.

Full event schedule, entries and live results will be available on rowit.nz

A live webcast of finals will be available from Thursday onward via the Aon Maadi Cup website maadi.co.nz