It might have been a scaled back event due to the Omicron outbreak, but just making it to the Maadi Cup was a win for New Zealand's top secondary school rowers.
In the marquee eights event, Hamilton Boys High School took out the boy's competition, while Christchurch's Rangi Ruru won the women's title Lake Ruataniwha on Saturday.
Some schools' Maadi hopes capsized, as COVID-19 arrived during the regatta. One school lost three coxswains and didn't make it to finals day.
Hamilton Boys High ensured coach Bruce Holden's birthday was one to remember, eventually winning by a length in 6m 04.01s. Christ's College came in second with 6m 07.22s, while Christchurch Boys High School took third in 6m 08.10s.
"We had one of our better starts and that helped us get into the race," HBHS' Will Mackintosh told the competition's website.
"We are big believers that once we hit the front, we can do it. Once we did, we just knew we had it. We've fought from the front all season."
Rangi Ruru won their final in 6m 54.19s against long-standing rivals St Margaret’s College (6m 56.63s) with the Rangi Ruru No. 2 boat securing third in 6m 58.88s.
"We had to trust ourselves, go back to basics," said Rangi Ruru's Georgie Bethell. "Once we got out in front, we had to just hold it there.
"In the last 100m it was just keeping on going and we knew we could do it, but St Margaret's chased us hard at the end."
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