In typical fashion, the Canterbury Championships will be another testament to Avon Rowing Club’s victory lap in the sweep races and Dunstan Arms Rowing Club in the sculling categories. The segregation of the two clubs’ composition of strengths is logical, considering the composition of the surrounding regions. Dunstan, made up of several smaller schools in the Otago area, absorbs many sculling athletes, whereas Avon, a club betwixt by the most dominant rowing sweep schools in the country. A tale as old as time (Well…. the previous five or so seasons). Whilst this bolsters confidence, strength and inner competition, does it pose a disillusion to the North Island Clubs?
Predictions for this regatta lie heavily within the previous South Island regatta at the Otago Champs. The events to be contested will yet again be the Men’s Open Single, Pair, Double, Four, Quad and Eights.
Dunstan Arms Rowing Club
Proven from last regatta, Dunstan have come with smoke in the Sculling events. The club formulated fourteen entries in the Men’s Open Singles last regatta and nine in the Doubles. The Open Single Sculls, on par for expectations, was dominated by Dunstan, ousting all Avon singles from the A-final in December. The event was won by Mathew King, a U23 New Zealand athlete in 2025, and closely followed by Fynn Allison, another sculler who is familiar with the Rowing New Zealand circuit. Overall, seven of the ten A-final placements were held by Dunstan Athletes. Newcomer Charlie Manser was one of these rowers, finishing third. Manser, a dominant name in last year’s Maadi cup, brings along fellow Wakatipu High School rower, Harry Lightfoot, who competed at the U19 Champs last season. The two rehashed school performances to take the win in the Double and will no doubt be the hot favourites coming into Canterbury Champs. With so many competitive Single scullers, upcoming results in both the Double and Quad will be unquestioned for the club. Matt O’Meara and Henry Clatworthy, very familiar names, deserve a spotlight, even amongst the rest of the club’s strong rowers, being the combo who won the Senior Men’s double at last year’s New Zealand Rowing Champs. Whilst untypical in Dunstan’s fashion, the club may be able to compose themselves a competitive eight. Results from December indicated Avon dominance, but Dunstan parked up three seconds behind the Avon crew who placed third in the event, finishing fourth and fifth.
Avon Rowing Club
Talking about eights, naturally, we shift our focus to Avon. Here, this event is typically just Avon competing against themselves. Last regatta, the club logged three mixed eights, which all finished three seconds apart from each other – an impressive 24 athletes at a competitive level. The club also entered 11 of the 16 entries in the Open Pair at the Otago Champs. The most interesting headliners from the club to discuss are the duo of Sam Wilson and Scott Shackleton, who will surely be interested in continuing this success. The duo raced the pair, beating imminent New Zealand athletes, Matthew Glen and Henry Kirk, pushing the contingent to second place by a whopping six seconds. Despite this, Kirk’s return to Avon this season will be reassuring to the club, being hot off a U23 World Rowing Championships silver medal.
Despite Avon’s sweep pedigree, the club have been defiant in making a play in the Men’s Open Coxless Quad this season. The pair of Scott and Sam was tagged along by Payo O’Sullivan and Jimmy Middleditch at the last regatta to place four seconds away from Dunstan’s number one crew. All four of these athletes are accomplished scullers in their school careers and ex-U19 World Championship sculling representatives. The Men’s Open Four, much less contested, was comprised of only five Avon crews. The combo of Henry and Matthew was joined by Ben Allan and Josh Syme, who went on to win. However, possibly a surprise to the club, this four put less than half a second on Avon’s ‘B’ four in both the heat and final. With all the competition within the club, results are promised come the early 2026 racing.
Notable Mentions
Logan Docherty from Oamaru Rowing Club, ex-U23 New Zealand rower in the Lightweight Men’s Double, will undoubtedly be one to look out for. While many a Dunstan Sculler swarmed the Single at last regatta, this time around could be where Docherty shows his potential.
Another eye should be kept on the squad of Christchurch Boys High School. The school will look for the continuation of their successful 2018/19 rowing season, with early indications showing some promise. They finished as the fastest school in the Men’s Open eight last regatta and won the Boys U18 four. While this may be a hard reach from the Open athletes, the school rowers may come to contest here too.
