Image Credit: World Rowing
Women’s Four
Hoping to secure a spot amongst world champions is this women’s four. No strangers to success, the first two named in this boat are St Margaret’s College leavers, Aine Leeson and Coco Flood. These two made waves at the recent Maadi Regatta as part of the school’s phenomenal performance, securing the Levin Jubilee Cup for the U18 coxed eight and winning the U18 pair. The duo wasted no moment of their final school season, taking home medals in almost every event they participated in throughout the competition series. Their familiarity and race experience should be an asset to their preparation for this next step in their sure-to-be long careers representing the country internationally.
Flood and Leeson are joined by Lilly Grant of Craighead Diocesan and Waikato Diocesan’s Maclaine Stuart, who had stellar seasons in the lead-up to this event. Grant has demonstrated her strong capabilities in sculling and sweep events throughout the years, most recently securing medals in both the quad and pair at the South Island and national championships. Stuart, the sole representative of the North Island within this crew, has dominated the North Island events at both the U17 and U18 levels throughout the year. She has continued to show consistency in her performances and her ability to adapt to and contribute significantly across her various crews through her experience spread across these events, making her a powerful addition to this crew.
With a wealth of race experience amongst them and coach Matt Adam at the helm, it will be exciting to see how this team can come together amongst the world’s best in their international debut.
Women’s Quad
Following the post-Olympic year of 2025, many juniors will be looking to make a name for themselves to gain selection for U23 boats or even senior crews in three years’ time, at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. New Zealand is no exception; with no representative boat in the women’s quad at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, this fresh U19 crew will be looking to make a statement as the new generation of New Zealand scullers. The U19 New Zealand women’s quad is filled with medallists from the single scull, with the champion of the U18 Single, the champion of the U17 Single, and the silver medallist in the U18 Single.
Angalla Carney – Waikato Diocesan School
A strong sweep athlete and single sculler, Carney is a promising talent on the New Zealand rowing scene. At the 2025 Maadi Regatta, she placed first in the U18 single and was a key member of the U18 eight that took second place. A statement victory in the single saw her take the gold medal with a more than ten-second lead over second-placed Peterson. Carney has been a standout sculler in the junior sculling scene, never failing to secure a medal in the single at previous Maadi Regattas. Angalla’s impressive domestic achievements make her a critical component of this quad, providing experience in winning prestigious events and the raw power needed to succeed at this level. Angalla certainly brings something to the boat that will benefit hugely in the run-up to the beginning of her international rowing career.
Charlotte Peterson – Marian College
Charlotte Peterson has experienced success on the domestic rowing circuit, with strong performances at school and club levels. At the 2025 Maadi Regatta, she was the silver medal winner behind Carney. She followed this with a bronze medal in the U18 double, in a highly competitive field of established scullers. At the 2025 New Zealand Rowing Championships, she secured a respectable bronze medal in the women’s club double, typically one of the most over-subscribed events. Her technical ability to translate speed across the single, double and quad makes her a key component of this boat when facing up against other returning international entries in the U19 quad. Peterson was the fastest single sculler of the South Island at both the Maadi Regatta and the South Island Secondary Schools Championships, and this impressive achievement will no doubt boost the crew’s confidence as they gear up towards their first international regatta together.
Sadie Mason – Twizel Area School
Similarly, Sadie Mason has experienced vast success on the New Zealand rowing circuit at both school and club level. Her notable performance in the U18 double scull at the 2025 Maadi Regatta saw her take the silver medal in a tightly contested race. She placed fourth in the U18 quad, a mere 0.2 seconds off the podium, showing her ability to move big and small boats. At the club level, she finished in a respectable fourth place in the women’s senior double at the 2025 New Zealand Rowing Championships, a commendable performance for a school athlete in such an experienced field. Mason placed sixth in the women’s senior single among a field of highly experienced past winners of both Maadi Regattas and New Zealand Championships. A well-respected junior rower, Sadie will be looking to take her development to the next level with a strong outing at the U19 World Rowing Championships. Her domestic results speak for themselves; now it’s time to compete against the world’s best.
Eleri Clare – Cashmere High School
Despite being the youngest member of this crew, Eleri is far from being the most inexperienced. Eleri was part of a once-in-a-generation Cashmere squad, breaking the course record in the U18 quad and securing a gold medal in the U17 single. Eleri is sure to be a name to look out for in the future, as selection into the U19 team at such a young age signifies her ability to beat athletes older than her, physically and with technical prowess. Eleri’s talent in the single extended to the extent that she secured a gold medal in every single scull event she entered in the 2024/25 season, a challenging achievement. Her achievements in the quad will be pertinent to the success of this U19 crew; the A-final of the U18 quad at the 2025 Maadi Regatta saw Eleri’s crew stretch away to more than a length lead over second place in a show of absolute domination. Rowing at bow in her record-breaking quad, Eleri is sure to add technical ability to this junior quad and reaffirm the belief that they have the potential to do very well. Beyond her achievements, she would undoubtedly be an exciting rower to watch next season, with potential success in the small boat events.
Coach: Alice Denyer
Conclusion
This U19 women’s quad has all the ingredients to perform exceptionally, but whether they do depends on their execution on the day. With rumours swirling around Karapiro that this crew performed well in trials, the all-black outfit of the Women’s Quad will be a key boat to watch at this U19 World Rowing Championships. Standout single scullers and record-breaking athletes make this crew a key contender for a strong finish, and I will be excited to see their potential at this event and in the future.
