At Otago Girls' High School, we've always celebrated the dedication and talent of our students, and Juliette Lequeux (Class of 2015) is a shining example of both. Many of our current rowers and their families will know Juliette as an incredible mentor, often seen tirelessly supporting our girls at local regattas, offering advice, encouragement, and sharing her wealth of experience. It's with pride that we share the latest achievements of this remarkable alumna, whose relentless hard work and determination have culminated in a dream come true: representing New Zealand on the elite world stage.

Juliette's rowing journey began right here at Otago Girls' High School in 2012. She quickly demonstrated her potential, earning a silver medal at the South Island School Championships in her early years and competing at the Maadi Cup regatta in 2015.

After graduating, Juliette continued to hone her craft while studying at the University of Otago. Her commitment didn't go unnoticed, earning her the distinguished title of Otago Rower of the Year in 2024. Domestically, she's been a force to be reckoned with at the New Zealand Rowing National Championships, collecting multiple medals over the years. A particular highlight was 2018, when she famously won five medals for the Auckland Regional Performance Team. Her versatility and consistency in women's sweep events have seen her secure multiple gold medals in subsequent years. She also represented Otago at National Championships, winning silver in 2016, and consistently performed at University Championship regattas, with impressive hauls of two golds, two silvers, and a bronze in 2017, and one gold, three silvers, and a bronze in 2022. In 2017, she was also selected for the University Trans-Tasman Series, competing in the Women's Eight against top Australian crews.

Juliette's talent quickly caught international attention. She proudly represented France at the U23 World Championships in both 2018 and 2019. In 2018, she raced in the Women's Eight, finishing 8th overall, and then showcased her individual prowess by placing an impressive 6th in the world in the Women's Single Scull in 2019.

Her exceptional performances at the 2022 National Championships solidified her status as a premier-level competitor, leading to her selection for the Elite Summer Squad in 2023. Though she narrowly missed national team selection in 2024, Juliette’s unwavering dedication saw her train through winter with pair partner Isla Blake under the legendary coach Dick Tonks. Their hard work paid dividends, dominating both the Christmas Regatta and the North Island Club Championships in the 2024–2025 season.

This consistency and relentless development led to a highly anticipated trial for the New Zealand Elite Team in 2025. Rising to the challenge, Juliette secured her well-deserved selection to the New Zealand Elite World Cup Team for the very first time! She will now race in the Women's Coxless Four at the World Cup regattas in Varese and Lucerne – the ultimate culmination of years of tireless effort.

Latest Results: World Rowing Cup - Lucerne

We are thrilled to report on Juliette's recent outstanding performance at the 2025 World Rowing Cup in Lucerne, where she competed as part of the New Zealand Women's Coxless Four:

• Women's Four (Heat 2): 2nd place with a time of 06:31.00

• Women's Four (Final A): An incredible 3rd place with a time of 06:24.56!

Securing a podium finish at a World Rowing Cup is a monumental achievement, and we couldn't be prouder of Juliette and her crew!

Beyond the water, Juliette is a compassionate individual, having studied speech and language therapy and working as a support worker for those in need. Her journey is a true inspiration, demonstrating that with unwavering commitment and a relentless work ethic, dreams can indeed become reality. The Otago Girls' High School community congratulates Juliette on these incredible achievements and wishes her the very best as she continues to make her mark on the national and international rowing stage!