The senior men’s events for this year’s edition of the New Zealand Rowing Championships are stacked – the clash at the top of the pile that everyone will be eyeing up is the fight between Avon and Waikato for the men’s sweep events. Similarly, Dunstan is up for a big fight with the North Island’s preeminent sculling clubs in Aramoho Whanganui and Waikato. This preview will split each event into mini-previews to predict a top-three finish. In assessing the quality of South Island crews, I have assumed that crews with “senior” grade entering premier events in the South Island will likely enter Senior events as well. The relative lack of senior-grade racing in the South Island compared to the North Island often means many crews race up a grade.
Men’s Senior Single Scull
At the recent South Island Rowing Championships, Dunstan Arm dominated in the Senior single, with a complete podium sweep. Charlie Manser appeared well in front of the rest of the pack, leading a six-second margin over clubmate Lewis Meates. I would expect Dunstan to enter more scullers in this event at the NZ Rowing Championships, with Fynn Allison opting to enter the Premier single rather than the Senior single. The North Island has had a much more variable Club Championships; the cancellation of several finals due to weather has made it difficult to judge athletes based on their most recent performance, but times in the heats give a good indication of the ability of different crews. James Hollard, out of Tauranga, has been consistently one of the North Island’s fastest scullers in this category, if not the fastest. Posting the quickest time in the heats and supported by his respectable fifth-place finish in the premier single at the Christmas Regatta, I would back Hollard to be the biggest challenge to the South Island. Nathan Strachan, winner of the U18 Single at the 2025 Maadi Regatta, also looks to be in fine form heading into the NZ Rowing Championships; Strachan was the winner of the open single scull at the Christmas Regatta, yet posted a somewhat slower time in the heats of the North Island Championships. Often, heats don’t give a good indication of true speed, however, as athletes tend to slow down once they have established a sufficient lead. Karl Manson was absent from the senior single at the North Island Rowing Championships, opting for the premier single and finishing in a very strong fifth place. I would expect him to be entered into the senior category as well for the NZ Championships, as he is one of the North Island’s best hopes at toppling Dunstan’s dominance in sculling. I would expect Dunstan to feature prominently on the podium, with Manson and Hollard thrown into the mix as well as contenders for the overall event.
Men’s Double Scull
A similar story to the single scull, the double was predictably flooded with Dunstan entries. Allison and Brock emerged as the fastest double at the South Island Championships, winning the event with a two-and-a-half-second margin over second-placed Avon crew Middleditch and O’Sullivan. Dunstan’s crew of Clatworthy and O’Meara were not far off the pace, too – a mere one second off Avon. The Canterbury Championships, a few weeks prior, were quite one-sided as well: a triple Dunstan podium saw the Dunstan fourth crew edge out the Avon first crew. The absence of the Dunstan combination of Manser and Lightfoot raises questions, as they were the crew to beat in the early part of the season. Both accomplished U18 scullers (and Lightfoot a New Zealand U19), the combination will be the one to set the pace should they choose to enter together in the Senior double. Out of the North Island, the Tauranga combination of Berquist and Hollard has emerged as the quickest combination – a hard-fought win at the North Island Championships saw them edge out the Clifton crew of Potts and Cox, and a while ahead of a fast St George’s crew. Racing in the premier division at the Christmas Regatta, Tauranga were ahead of an impressive Waikato combination, and not too far behind the North Island RPC. I would expect Dunstan to win this event, with Tauranga pushing for second, and another Dunstan/Avon crew rounding out the podium.
Men’s Coxless Pair
The men’s pair has been a story of complete Avon dominance right from the onset of the season. The South Island Championships saw a total sweep of the podium for Avon, and every single crew in the A-final of the premier pair was from Avon (with the exception of a fast Wairau crew that placed fourth). Shackleton and Wilson have been the standout senior pair this season from Avon; second in the premier pair at the South Island Rowing Championships, and first in the open pair at the Otago Championships. Glen and Kirk will be unable to enter together as a pair for the NZ Rowing Championships, as the latter is in the premier division due to his international experience representing New Zealand at the U23 level. Mayne and Galvan aren’t slow either: seeded as the third Avon crew, the pair were less than a second away from snatching second place at the South Island Championships, and have been consistently performing well on the fringes of the podium, albeit in different pair combinations. The North Island was a similar story; North Shore dominated the podium, taking out first and second place ahead of Auckland Rowing Club‘s respectable third-place finish. Langley and Buckley have retained their successful schoolboy combination as the country’s previous fastest U18 pair combination. The pair have slowly built, and appear to be peaking at the right time, with respectable finishes in the early part of the season, and throwing themselves into the deep end at the Christmas Regatta, racing in a field of Rowing New Zealand pairings. At the North Island Club Championships, Langley and Buckley placed first, ahead of clubmates Booth and Dickens. I would expect North Shore to make a charge for the fringes of the podium, but I think they may struggle against the arsenal of combinations that Avon could put out.
Men’s Quadruple Scull
The South Island’s contest of the men’s quad has been predictable – Avon and Dunstan battling it out to hold top spot in the event, although it has been quite one-sided. A quick Dunstan crew dominated this event last season, and this season the club looks set to do the same. Dunstan’s top combination is unbeaten this season, having won all heats and finals when rowing together. This bodes a scary prospect for the North Island, with even Avon failing to crack through Dunstan’s number one combination. At the South Island Championships, Dunstan was almost five seconds ahead of second-placed Avon, an immense margin in a boat like the coxless quad. It is almost a story of stark contrasts when looking at the Quads out of the North Island: there has yet to be a single club consistently atop the podium of the Quad. At the Christmas Regatta, Waikato were the quickest club crew in the Open quad; yet only a few weeks later, Tauranga put up a five-second margin over Waikato (albeit with a crew change from their Christmas Regatta crew). While the conditions in North Island rowing this year have been far from ideal, none of the quads from the North Island has come close to the times Dunstan and Avon are posting at Ruataniwha. I would expect quite a one-sided podium for the Senior quad, with South Island crews taking all three spots.
Men’s Coxless Four
As almost expected by this point, the premier category of the coxless four was a complete Avon whitewash at the South Island Rowing Championships. Avon’s number one combination in Shackleton, Kirk, Glen, and Wilson looks like one they will keep, as the crew have been unbeatable the whole season. Avon’s number one crew have extended their lead over the rest of the field as the season has progressed; at the Canterbury Championships, there was only a five-second margin over second place (Avon), yet at the South Island Championships, there was a margin of seven seconds over second place (Avon again). With the four being comprised of two top Avon pairs, I would find it difficult to believe that any North Island crew could pose a serious challenge to this Avon four, as this season looks to be one of the most successful seasons in history in terms of men’s sweep rowing. In the North Island, North Shore and Waikato have been the two consistent club crews at the top of the open/senior category. Waikato won the event at the North Island Championships by four seconds over North Shore; by contrast, it was North Shore that had a four-second margin over Waikato at the Christmas Regatta. In addition, the North Shore crew was only seven seconds back on a Rowing New Zealand summer squad crew, a hugely impressive feat for rowers in the senior category. I think North Shore and Waikato have a way to go before they could be challenging for the overall title, but I would expect at least one of the two crews to make the podium.
Men’s Coxed Eight
An event as about one-sided as the rest of the sweep events in the South Island, it was Avon who predictably dominated the field in the premier eight at the Canterbury and South Island Rowing Championships. The number one combination that remained unchanged for Avon at Canterbury and South Island Championships looks to be the boat they will likely field in the senior category at the NZ Championships. Thus far, an unbeaten crew when rowing the same combination, I believe the top Avon senior boat is probably the quickest eight in the country right now. With a lengthy lead over a ‘second’ Avon eight that would be a fierce challenger to most eights in the country, the ‘first’ Avon eight is undoubtedly my favourite to win this event, should they choose to enter it. Out of the North Island, North Shore look to be the one to beat. They posted the fastest time out of the NZ clubs at the Christmas Regatta, and backed it up again at the North Island Championships, posting the fastest time in the heats. Pedigree in the North Shore eight includes several ex-New Zealand juniors, who are an extension of the highly successful senior four. The rest of the North Island crews are somewhat off the pace when compared to Avon and North Shore, and Waikato have been surprisingly absent from the conversation this season. Avon is my favourite to win this event, and I would not be surprised if their second crew won the silver medal. North Shore should be able to push for a bronze, or potentially silver, depending on how well the training block up to the NZ Championships has been.
