During Term 3 of last year the HBHS School Rowing squad began training for what became a hugely successful 2021/2022 season, where the prestigious Maadi Cup returned home to HBHS.

The year would also be known for being full of highs and lows; frustrations with cancelled trainings and competitions, due to COVID-19 and its traffic light restrictions. These restrictions would see you sitting next to a crew member in a classroom but not in a boat which was infuriating. All the while the South Island crews trained unrestricted at full capacity, stacking the odds against us.

This meant Mr Ross had us approach the year differently with flexible training plans and more time stuck on ergs. The turbulent and unpredictable Waikato River became our home, instead of our precious weekly training camps on the lake at Mangakino with near perfect rowing conditions.

Over the weeks the squad of 70 boys split into various mixed crews that were treated as COVID-19 bubbles within their age groups. Training continued despite having no racing in sight. It wasn't until December when restrictions eased that we were able to come together as a squad for a week long training camp. Disappointingly, every regatta competition at Lake Karapiro was cancelled in Term 4 of 2021.

After a tough crew selection process during the summer break, the Senior Squad crews were joined by the remainder of the team at Mangakino for more training, where everyone was pushed to their limits, before heading into the major regattas of the season.

Again, COVID-19 intervened. The January and February regattas in the North Island were cancelled due to tight rules and restrictions at Lake Karapiro. However, Lake Ruataniwha in the South Island adapted, allowing racing for South Island teams to continue.

In desperation we looked for ways to get onto the water. With the movement of the New Zealand Club Championships from the North Island to the South Island, we decided to send our Under 18 and Novice crews to the South Island to race. This additional trip provided us with the experience and opportunity to compete against not only schoolboy rowers but also fully grown men. We left this competition with our heads held high having gathered a medal tally of two gold, three silver and two bronze medals. A huge debt of gratitude is owed to the school, parents, sponsors and rowing administration for agreeing to send us to Twizel to compete in this event. It was a major confidence booster and confirmed that we had some very special crews. Now all we had to do was beat COVID-19.

Coming off this exceptional performance at the New Zealand Club Championships, the HBHS squad returned to the North Island. Fueled by our success we continued training in preparation for the North Island Secondary Schools Regatta on Lake Karapiro. Before we knew it, it was time to race once again. Unfortunately before the start of the regatta, COVID-19 found a way in and took out a couple of our best men, meaning a few of our other crews had to step up. And boy did they ever. With a total medal tally of two bronze, two silver and eight gold medals, HBHS showed that they were a force to be reckoned with.

The famous Maadi Cup regatta was now only a few weeks away. We trained harder than before, keeping our team goals firmly in sight. It had now become a race, not on the water but to keep our crew together and COVID-19 free. With the backing and approval of Mrs Hassall, and support from our teachers, the Under18 Eight was able to continue our studies from home as COVID-19 ripped through the school, only ever leaving the house to attend training. Family members moved out of their houses, boys lived in caravans and huts, Hostel boys moved in with crew mates, all in an attempt to minimise the possibility of catching COVID-19 before the Maadi Cup Regatta.

The weeks flew by and we soon found ourselves in Twizel once again, only this time it was do or die. Unfortunately COVID-19 issues arose once more. In addition, NZSS Rowing made the decision that junior rowers would not be able to compete at Twizel. This was extremely disappointing as our Under 15 Eight and Octuple won the North Island Championships and we had high expectations of winning the National title as well. Even during the week down south, a number of our boys tested positive for COVID-19, sadly ending the season for them. Mr and Mrs Ross were also placed in isolation for the remainder of the week.

It was a tough week filled with close and intense races. We were blessed by near perfect conditions, our crews performed expertly, and produced some superb results on finals day. We were rewarded with one bronze, one silver and four gold medals, including the Maadi Cup, where we absolutely blitzed the competition by a boat length.

I congratulate the entire squad for their incredible work ethic and dedication. The season was one of the most successful HBHS has had, despite all the challenges COVID-19 threw at us. I would like to sincerely thank Mr and Mrs Ross, Katrina and Marty Lowry, and Mrs Hassall for ensuring we were able to navigate COVID-19, and successfully manage our Twizel campaign. Thank you as well to the team of coaches, especially Mr Shepherd and Bruce Holden, coaches of the Maadi Eight.

Thank you to the school for the continuous support, and to our parents for taking us to trainings, regattas and keeping us fed. Thank you to our sponsors, as without your generous support our season with all the amazing results would not have been possible.

By Ethan Johnson (Maadi Eight)

Maadi Cup Results:

Novice Under 18 Double Sculls: Sixth

Sam Gordon and Alex Cooper.

🥈 Under 17 Eight: Silver

Josh Syme, William Milne, Tyrone Urbancic, Dylan Worthington, Matthew Le Gallais, Jameel Khan, Johno O'Brien, Dylan McConnell, and Cameron Natta (coxswain).

Under 18 Four (Springbok Shield): Fourth

William Mackintosh, Ethan Johnson, Adam Wilson, Daniel Humphrey, and Oliver Duncan (coxswain).

🥉 Novice Four Crew 1: Bronze

Nik Wilson, Wills Leyland, Ethan Steyn, Zach Brownlee, and Oliver Duncan (coxswain).

🥇 Novice Four Crew 2: Gold

Ben Parker, Charlie Moon, Sam Gordon, Oliver O'Connor, and Ryan Ollington (coxswain).

🥇 Under 16 Eight Crew 1: Gold

Jonty MacKintosh, Dylan Worthington, Fynley Berkers, Caydin Kirkham, Matthew Le Gallais, Dylan McConnell, Joshua Wickers, Kellan Fleming, and Cameron Natta (coxswain).

🥇 Under 18 Novice Quad: Gold

Ben Parker, Oliver O'Connor, Alex Cooper, Sam Gordon, and Cameron Natta (coxswain).

🥇 Under 18 Eight Crew 1 (Maadi Cup): Gold

William Mackintosh, Ethan Johnson, William Milne, Adam Wilson, Josh Syme, Daniel Humphrey, Logan Jenner, Toby Smith, and Oliver Duncan (coxswain).

North Island Secondary Schools Championships Results:

🥇 Under 8 Novice Double Sculls: Gold

Sam Gordon and Alex Cooper.

🥇 Under 17 Coxed Eight: Gold

Johno O'Brien, Lucas Cooke, Josh Syme, William Milne, Matthew LeGallais, Dylan Worthington, Tyrone Urbancic, Jameel Khan, and Cameron Natta (coxswain).

🥇 Under 15 Coxed Octuple Sculls: Gold

Lachlan Douglas, Seth Davis, Jesse Humberstone-Kara, Finn Kempster, Shae Asiata, Carl Murray, Josh Wasley, Alex Lord, and Oliver Duncan (coxswain).

🥉 Under 16 Coxed Four: Bronze

Fynley Berkers, Dylan McConnell, Caleb Valler, Kellan Fleming, and Jake White (coxswain).

🥇 Under 18 Novice Coxed Eight: Gold

Nikolas Wilson, Oliver O'Connor, Ethan Steyn, Charlie Moon, Nathan Feyter, Wills Leyland, Ben Parker, Zachary Brownlee, and Darcy Boys (coxswain).

🥇 Under 15 Coxed Eight: Gold

Lachlan Douglas, Seth Davis, Jesse Humberstone-Kara, Finn Kempster, Shae Asiata, Carl Murray, Josh Wasley, Alex Lord, and Cameron Natta (coxswain).

🥈 Under 18 Coxed Four: Silver

William Mackintosh, Ethan Johnson, Adam Wilson, Daniel Humphrey, and Oliver Duncan (coxswain).

🥇 Under 18 Novice Coxed Four: Gold

Nikolas Wilson, Wills Leyland, Ethan Steyn, Zachary Brownlee, and Jake White (coxswain).

🥈 Under 18 Novice Coxed Four: Silver

Ben Parker, Charlie Moon, Nathan Feyter, Oliver O'Connor, and Darcy Boys (coxswain).

🥉 Under 16 Coxed Eight: Bronze

Jonty MacKintosh, Kellan Fleming, Jack Paterson, Caydin Kirkham, Caleb Valler, Dylan McConnell, Fynley Berkers, Ryan Pamment, and Oliver Duncan (coxswain).

🥇 Under 18 Novice Coxed Quad Sculls: Gold

Ben Parker, Oliver O'Connor, Alex Cooper, Sam Gordon, and Jake White (coxswain).

🥇 Under 18 Coxed Eight: Gold

William Mackintosh, Ethan Johnson, William Milne, Adam Wilson, Josh Syme, Daniel Humphrey, Logan Jenner, Johno O'Brien, and Oliver Duncan (coxswain). 

Photography supplied by Mrs Lynnette Ross.