Tauranga Girls’ College overcomes loss of injured rower

Tauranga Girls’ College rowing has overcome the loss of a key squad member.

They have rowed their way into several semi-finals, despite a strong quad member, Petra Ririnui, being unable to row.

The 14-year-old novice  had to pull out with a stress fracture in her leg.

Belinda Ketel, 17, said “I think she thought it wasn’t too serious. It was only a few days ago that she realised she can’t row anymore for this week.”

Ketel, who is the rowing captain and social prefect of Tauranga Girls’, said Ririnui had to be replaced by Chloe Fettes, who was “coping really well with it”.

Meanwhile, the lightweight double, Laura Perry and Huia Ackerman, are powering ahead.

“They got a silver in [the] North Islands’ and they’re doing really well,” said Ketel. “So far they got first in their heat.”

Ketel herself rows in the under 18 single and has gone on to the semi-final.

“I think that this season we’ve grown a lot and become a more competitive school,” she said. “You find that a lot of the time private schools do really well. I think we’re really coming out and showing that we can do it as well.”