Maadi Cup race squads all set for showdown
It’s down to the final races of the Maadi Regatta and crowds are gathering.
Photo: Melissa Wishart
Photo: Isabella Stern
Tension is slowly building now the eight squads to compete for the historic Maadi Cup have been announced.
The Maadi Cup itself goes back to World War II in Egypt, 1943.
Seventy years, the trophy is awarded annually to the winners of the boys’ U18 eights and is the last race of the Maadi Regatta.
This year St Bede’s College, Auckland Grammar School, Christ’s College, Hamilton Boys’ High School, Napier Boys’ High School, Westlake Boys High School, Tauranga Boys’ College and St Kentigern College have all qualified to race tomorrow.
Cameron Webster, 18-year-old student from Westlake Boys High School, is ready to compete in his third Maadi Cup race. “It’s pretty exciting.”
Although he has been rowing for five years, this is the most intense season to date. “The last six months have been intense,” he said. “We’ve been doing about 13 trainings a week.”
Last year the 2km race was taken out in 5:57:41minutes by Christ’s College who have in total won the cup 10 times, coming second to Wanganui Collegiate who have won it 17 times.
Hamilton Boys’ High School are a strong contender for the cup after winning their heat for the qualifying race. If they win it will be the eighth time they claim the championship.
The two other major cups from the regatta are the Star Trophy, which is awarded to the overall champion of regatta and the Levin Jubilee Cup, awarded the girls under 18 eight-oared race winners.
