Maadi Cup goes to Hamilton

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33803, 27 March 1975, Page 36

Maadi Cup goes to Hamilton

(By

TIM DUNBAR)

Fraser High School (Hamilton) won the Maadi Cup for the first time yesterday after a magnificently judged race by its senior eight in the national secondary school rowing championships at Kerrs Reach.

It started off at what seemed an absurdly high rating of 46 and was still rating more than 40 after 500 m, but it had sufficient reserves of strength to hold off Westlake Boys’ High School and St Bede’s College at the finish. The crew (Craig Wild, Nigel Burkhart, Harry Boerema, Chris Rockell, Glenn Potter, Neil Wise, Garry’ Taylor, Ashley Smith, and Maurice Jarrett, coxsv.’ain) led from start to finish and had obviously allowed for the fact that the race was only over 1500 m instead of the normal 2000 m. Westlake and St Bede’s

College both rowed excellent races and were unlucky that the superbly fit Fraser crew reached peak form at just the right time. The surprise of the semifinals was the elimination of Wanganui Collegiate, which had convincingly beaten Fraser in the heats on Tuesday and has for so long dominated the event. It is believed to be the first time for 25 years that Collegiate has failed to make the final of the Maadi Cup, which it had won 10 times in the previous 12 years.

Another excellent finish was provided by the three crews in the senior fours final which finished within a length of each other, Wanganui High School taking the Springbok Shield. The Wanganui crew of Peter Visser, Pau] Kitson, David Duncan, Simon Humphreys, and Paul Downing, coxswain, and the Kaikorai Valley High School (Dunedin) crew, surprised by beating the highly favoured Hamilton Boys’ High School

crew, which had won the event the previous four years. As expected after its fine performances in the heats and semi-finals, St John’s College (Hastings) won the intermediate eights quite comfortably, beating Wanganui Collegiate by one and a quarter lengths. An unfortunate aspect of the semi-finals for this event was the wind change after the first heat, won by St John’s College, and only one crew was able to qualify from the last two heats, rowed into a strong southerly. It was one of the best days

for the South Island crews at a Maadi Cup regatta, after last year’s disappointments when none won a final.

Yesterday Shirley Boys’ High School and Christ’s College both had superb wins in their divisions of the intermediate fours to add to the other creditable performances by St Bede’s College and Kaikorai Valley. Shirley finished one and a half lengths clear of King’s College (Auckland) and Christ’s College had a slightly tougher race before beating Fraser High School bv half a length. Results:— SENIOR Eights Semi-finals (three fastest to final).—Heat 1: Westlake 4:54.4, 1; Wanganui Collegiate, 4:57.4, 2; Christ’s College, 5:03.2, 3. Heat 2: Fraser H.S., 4:49.2, 1; St Bede’s College. 4:51.2, 2: Otago 8.H.5., 5:05.7, 3. Final.—Fraser H.S., 4:43.2. I; Westlake 8.H.5., 4:46.4, 2; St Bede’s College. 4:48.0. 3. Fours Semi-finals (three fastest to final).—Heat 1: Wanganui H.S.. 5:37.9, 1; Onehunga, 5:53.8. 2; Christ’s College, 5:58.0. 3 Heat 2: Kaikorai Valley H.S., 5:37.0, 1; Hamilton 8.H.5.. 5:40.7. 2: Tawa Coilege. 5:41.2, 3. Final.—Wanganui H.S., 5:33.6. 1; Kaikorai Valiev H.S.. 5:36.0. 2: Hamilton 8.H.5.. 5:37.0 3. INTERMEDIATE Eights Semi-finals (fastest three to final). —Heat 1: St John’s College, 5:08.8, 1; Wanganui Collegiate. 5:22.7, 2; Kaikorai Valley H.S., 5:24.9. 3. Heat 2: Mt Albert

Grammar, 5:28.0. 1; Wanganui Boys’ College. 5:43.0, 2; St Bede’s College, 5:47.0, 3. Heat 3: Onslow College, 5:21.6. 1; Christ’s College. 5:27.0, 2; Hastings 8.H.5.. 5:34.0, 3. Final.—St John’s College, 5:16.2, 1; Wanganui Collegiate, 5:22.0, 2; Onslow College. 5:25.2, 3. Fours Division I Semi-finals (three fastest to final).—Heat 1: Hamilton 8.H.5., 5:25.9, 1; King’s College, 5:30.2, 2; Marlborough Boys’ College. 5:32.3. 3. Heat 2: Shirley 8.H.5.. 5:29.8, 1; Fraser U.S., 5:36.6. 2: Takapuna Grammar. 5:46.1. 3. Final.—Shirley 8.H.5.. 5:36.4, 1; King’s College. 5:41.5. 2; Hamilton. 6:14.0. 3. Division 11 Semi-finals (three fastest to final.—Heat 1: Wanganui Collegiate. 5:46.4. 1: Hastings 8.H.5.. 5:59.6. 2; St Andrew’s College. 6:10.8, 3. Heat 2: Christ’s College. 5:31.2, 1; Fraser 8.H.5.. 5:34.0. 2; Shirley 8.H.5., 5:51.7. 3. Final.—Christ’s College, 5:39.6, 1; Fraser H.S., 5:42.0. 2; Wanganui Collegiate, 5:53.0. 3.