New Zealand National Rowing Championships

By Kirsty Dunhill | Posted: Monday February 22, 2021

Over the past week the NZ Rowing Club National Championships were held at Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel.

2 rowers from Otago Boys' were selected to attend. After a 2 day stand off with Alert Level 2 putting the regatta on hold the program was reduced to a 3 day event, making qualification much tougher through the heats.

Otago Boys' entered 2 events - the Mens Club Double Sculls and the Mens Club Singles Sculls.

The Mens Club Double Sculls event had 38 entries from around the country and Otago Boys' (Reuben Cook and Will Haley) won their heat and semi final to advance to a centre lane in Saturdays A final.

The Mens Club Single Sculls had 38 entries from around the country. Once again Reuben showed true class to win both his heat and semi final and secured another centre lane in Saturdays A final.

With only 2 rowers in attendance at the Championships Otago Boys' secured 2 medals. 

Gold - NZ National Champions 2021 - Mens Club Double Sculls Reuben Cook and William Haley.

Silver - Mens Club Single Sculls Reuben Cook.

This is an outstanding achievement from these 2 athletes and bodes well heading into the last 4 weeks of our season. 

We now put our heads down and focus on speed work ahead of the South Island Secondary School Championships in early March and then the Aon Maadi Cup in the North Island in late March. 

After both A finals had been completed the boys managed to catch up with previous Head boy and international rowing star, Hamish Bond.

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