Rags to riches story for Wentworth College
Wentworth College have a not-so-secret weapon for this year’s Maadi Cup – an ex-Olympian assistant coach who knows Karapiro well.
It is a rags-to-riches story for Wentworth College rowing – but at least they have had an Olympian to help them through.
Olympian and original Maadi Cup finalist, assistant coach Allan Tong, assistant coach, said the school started with “virtually no boats, and borrowed boats”.
This year the school aims to enter rowers in the singles, doubles and quads.
Boat man and rower-parent David White is the man everyone goes to with boat problems.
He says the boats weigh as little as 15kg and their newest boat cost $38,000. The school has had to do a lot of fundraising and win charity sponsorships to get as far as they have, he said.
The team has also been given three coaching boats, which allows head coach, Robert Ansell, to be on the water during training.
Allan’s son Bruce, is Wentworth College principal, and he coaches the novice rowers.
“Bruce is often out there with the kids, training. He coaches the novices and if there is no coxswain around he’s in the coxswain seat.”
The school had a successful North Island Champs and, of the 20 rowers who participated, 14 made the A and B finals.
They train on the Weiti river that boarders the Whangaparaoa Peninsula.
The school is bringing 20 rowers, and a big supoport crew of parents, to this year’s Maadi Cup.
