Dewar Shield Update

The Dewar Shield regatta at Rotorua’s Blue Lake, or Lake Tikitapu, has traditionally been used by the Takapuna Grammar School Rowing Club as an event to provide experience for the club’s novice crews, and their progress over the two days was a highlight.

The club had 38 athletes competing over the recent weekend, with the junior men and women and a men’s U17 quad also taking part this year.

Saturday’s first day of racing was marked by cool and drizzly conditions (and a challenging breeze at the start line) and the men and women’s novice U15 octuple sculls were straight into it in two of the first races of the morning.

Despite their nerves, the conditions, and the fact that this was their first regatta as solely novice crews, both boats safely made their way down the course and the experience would prove highly beneficial for the rest of the weekend.

A day later in sunnier conditions, the women’s novice quad sculls crew of Madeline Hilder, Akina Hooker, Poppy Hawkins, Victoria Chamberlain and coxswain Petra Wehrle placed an excellent second in the B final, with Alexa Waterworth, Zara Travers, Olivia Shen, Ava Probst and coxswain Jasper van Tonder fourth in the same race.

Another credible performance came in the men’s U15 double sculls where Ollie Moy and John An placed fifth in their A final after winning their heat a day earlier.

The next final featured Stella Bradley and Sofia Cagney Potts racing up a year in the U16 women’s double sculls and they finished a very impressive fourth in the A final after coming second in their heat a day earlier.

Two more solid performances in A finals followed, with the men’s open coxless quad sculls crew of Liam Crampsie, Tomer Hirschauge, Archer Grey and George Glass finishing sixth, and the men’s U15 coxed quad sculls crew of John An, Ollie Moy, Oliver Service, Sean Crampsie and coxswain George Cockayne following up their third place in their heat by coming sixth in their final.

It was the men’s novice double sculls crew of Jim Simpson and Aristide Touchard’s turn next, the duo finishing an excellent third in their B final.

Earlier, the women’s U15 double sculls crew of Milla McKendry and Stella Bradley had a fantastic race in winning their A final, gaining revenge on the Tauranga Rowing Club crew who had narrowly beaten them in their heat the day before. Sofia and Emily Western came fifth in the same A final.

Milla and Stella were involved in another excellent A final victory when teaming up with Sofia, Emily, and coxswain Ollie in the women’s U15 coxed quad sculls. The foursome had finished a close second in their heat the day before but were determined to go one better in the final.

Both Milla and Aleisha Patel also gained valuable experience in racing in the U16 single event, Milla finishing fourth in the A final (missing out on third by the barest of margins) and Aleisha coming sixth in the B final.

The men’s U16 coxed quad sculls crew of Oliver, Daniel Feng, Sean, Nathan Grobbelaar, and cox Petra finished fifth in their A final.

Our crews made 14 A finals in total – a fantastic performance.

A big thanks to coaches Sam, Megan, Zoe, Martin and Kira and all the parent helpers for a successful weekend.