2021 Aon Maadi Cup kicks off at Lake Karapiro


Racing began this morning on the first day of the 2021 Aon Maadi Cup at Lake Karapiro. Across six days of racing over 2,623 competitors from 123 schools will compete in what is the event’s biggest in history.

The Aon Maadi Cup regatta is the National Championships for secondary school rowing in New Zealand. The regatta is a New Zealand Secondary School Rowing Association (NZSSRA) and Rowing NZ event and remains New Zealand's largest rowing regatta. It is hosted by Karapiro Rowing and South Island Rowing on alternative years.

Today’s racing schedule included 115 races between 8:00am to 5:30pm with Karapiro Rowing’s team of 180 volunteers working hard behind the scenes.

Girls’ U17 Coxed Quad

Five heats were contested in the girls’ U17 coxed quad. Coached by Matt Rickard and David Ayres, Mount Aspiring College’s Pipi Horan, Emily Findlay, Bella Sarginson, Neve Faed and Thomas Mitchell (cox) finished with the fastest time across all five races in 7:23.10. The top two placing crews across all heats move through to the Semi-Final, with 3rd - 5th placing crews challenging a Repechage.

Boys’ U16 Coxed Quad

Whakatane High School’s Ryan Calder, Shaun Snow, Luke Berquist, Zakary Boonen and Conrad Hopkins (cox) recorded the fastest heat time in the boys’ U16 coxed quad heats (6:37.28). The crew are coached by Graham Watt. The top four placing crews across all heats move to Semi-Finals, with 5th and 6th placed crews moving to a Repechage.

Girls’ U18 Double

The girls’ U18 double event had the largest number of entries in today’s racing with seven heats hosted to accommodate 54 crews competing. Coached by Simon Smith, Dunstan High School’s MacKenzie Ealson and Paige Furrie finished with the fastest time across all heats in 7:24.04. The next fastest time recorded was Madeleine Parker and Libby Stewart of Napier Girls’ High School who finished in 7:37.12. Parker and Stewart are coached by Dave Williamson and Nick Sye. The first four placing crews progress to Semi-Finals, with 5th and 6th placing crews moving to a Repechage.

Boys’ Novice Double

Four heats were contested in the boys’ novice double with Whakatane High School’s Luke Berquist and Zakary Boonen taking the quickest time in 7:03.90. Berquist and Boonen are coached by Graham Watt. Coached by Matt Mannington, Levi Robinson and Calvin O'Rourke of Napier Boys’ High School took the next fastest time in 7:09.45. First placing crews across four heats move through to the A Final, with 2nd - 5th placing crews moving to Repechages.

Girls’ U15 Octuple

Dunstan High School’s Marzella Debeer, Maycee Williams, Caitlyn Alley, Ellie King, Arlia Murphy, Emer Bryant, Chloe Robertson, Libby Handford and Tessa Handford (cox) recorded the fastest heat time (7:11.93) in the girls’ U15 Octuple. Takapuna Grammar School’s Kira Sharrock, Lauren Dwyer, Nia Shipkov, Rea Kearns, Neave McConnachie, Lizzie Jeffrey, Isla Waterworth, Teagan Lang and Hannah Williamson (cox) took the second fastest time. All first and second placing crews move to the event’s A Final, with 3rd to 7th placing crews contesting Repechages.

Boys’ U17 Eight

William Mackintosh, Ethan Johnson, Adam Wilson, Daniel Humphrey, Toby Smith, Logan Jenner, Josh Syme, Lucas Cooke and Oliver Duncan (cox) of Hamilton Boys’ High School recorded the fastest time (5:58.18) across two heats in the boys’ U17 eight and move straight to the A Final. St Andrew’s Colleges’ Sam Long, Fergus Rutledge, Henry Farrell, James McLaren, Angus Hill, Toby Middleton, Oliver McDonald, Tom Rutherford and Alex Carrodus (cox) won heat two in a time of 6:04.35 and also moved straight to the A Final. 2nd - 5th placing crews progress to Repechages.

How to follow all the action

  • A full event schedule, entries and live results is available on rowit.nz
  • An event programme is available online at rowingnz.kiwi. The event programme contains Finals race schedules, competing club codes and colours, full 2021 entries, and details of all trophies and all historic results.
  • A live stream of racing will be available on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 March at maadi.co.nz
  • Photos, videos and updates will be posted regularly on the Aon Maadi Cup's Instagram and Facebook platforms
  • SKY Sports will screen a highlights package on the 2021 Aon Maadi Cup from 1 April

Principal Sponsor

Fostering secondary school rowing is incredibly important – it generates talent for future New Zealand representatives, but more importantly it helps grow New Zealand’s youth into great people. Aon New Zealand has a strong record of supporting young New Zealanders, assisting them to achieve their potential in the sports of their choosing.

In recent years their support has stretched to working with secondary schools directly and providing much needed equipment. The Aon Maadi Cup remains one of the biggest secondary school sporting events in New Zealand and we’re proud to work alongside Aon to bring it to life each year.