We were fortunate to be blessed with the most outstanding weather during the Maadi Regatta held at Lake Ruataniwha in the deep South.  It was evident from the very brown hills around Dunstan and Omarama, that the area is suffering from drought which meant that the usual barbeques at Maadi were banned.  The rugged landscape and turquoise waters of the McKenzie Country never cease to amaze us, creating a magnificent backdrop to the regatta.

The rowers were brilliant, successfully competing over the first four days achieving eight A finals and 15 B finals.  All girls in the Maadi squad got into a final which was a great outcome.  The Christchurch Schools showed yet again their dominance in the girls’ Levin Cup competition winning all three medals in the Under 18 coxed eight final – Christchurch Girls High School winning the gold.  The boys’ competition was dominated by Hamilton Boys High School who regained the gold medal and the Maadi Cup, after being pipped at the post last year in Cambridge.

Special thanks to our coaches Caspar Hammond and Franklin Hamilton.  They have brought a high level of expertise to our rowers, and like many Auckland schools after Covid and lockdowns, we have struggled with gaps in our rowing squads.  We are slowly re-building and we have been delighted to have the support of the Rowing Club parents, very ably led by Rachel Stotter.  Rachel provided outstanding leadership after the Auckland Rowing Club fire that caused significant damage to many of our boats in November 2023.  We have also appreciated the oversight offered by Murdoch Dryden who has provided a strategic overview for the rowers and coaches throughout the season.  Getting the boats all the way to the deep South is a challenge, and we couldn’t have competed without all the support.

Congratulations to our rowers on their outstanding achievements throughout the year. We fully acknowledge the hard work, courage, and effort you made to get to the Maadi Regatta – well done Rowing Team Dio!