Timaru Boys’ High School ended the 2021 Rocket Foods New Zealand Rowing Championships at Lake Ruataniwha with an impressive five national titles and two bronze medals.

Our TBHS crews had made eleven A finals and three B finals. This provided a rewarding end to a week that started with the nervous reality that the event may not be able to go ahead because of the need for Covid 19 restrictions. By Thursday, racing could proceed.

The men's novice coxed four (Josh Bartlett, Ben Williamson, Ben Allan, Blake Parker, coxed by Tim Bartlett) started the medal haul off by winning Bronze.

Sam Wilson and William Talbot won Gold in the men’s intermediate double sculls.

In an exciting string of races, Timaru Boys’ High School raced in three final events in a row that resulted in three podium finishes.

Our Men;s novice double sculls of Josh Bartlett and Blake Parker won Bronze.

This was followed by Billy McCully, Will Davidson, William Light, Sam Wilson and cox Tim Bartlett win the National title for the Men's Intermediate Coxed Four.

Then came the Men's Club Single Sculls in which Hamish Yeatman won a well deserved Gold medal.

Sam Wilson, William Talbot, Will Davidson, Billy McCully and coxswain Ty Bishop won the national title for Men's Intermediate Coxed Quad Sculls.

The final Gold won for TBHS was in the Men's Novice Coxed Quad, in which Josh Bartlett, Ben Allen, Mac Brown, Blake Parker and cox Ty Bishop raced.

Timaru Club rowers (ex TBHS rowers) Hooper Kelly-Smith, Liam Parker and Seb Van den Bosch, along with Cam Moffat, won Bronze in the Mens Club Coxless Quad Sculls.

Head Coach Brian Smith, and Hooper Kelly-Smith along with coaches Jaimee Harrison and Andy Walton-Woodings, have continued to prepare our boys for the South Island Secondary Schools event to be held at Lake Ruataniwha (now cancelled) and Maadi at Lake Karapiro in March (dependent upon Covid restrictions!)

We wish our boys all the very best at Maadi.