As the school year winds down, the rowing year is only just beginning to hit its stride. The first of the major regattas of the season sees Lake Karapiro get into the festive spirit with the Christmas Regatta. After the first few months of the season have passed, this weekend’s racing will mark the start of our road to Lake Ruataniwha for the Girls’ U18 Single Sculls. How will the season unfold for one of the most coveted events? Who will walk away as the finest schoolgirl sculler in the country?
Frances Ogilvie – King’s College Rowing Club
The first lady I would keep an eye on during this weekend’s racing hones her craft on the Tamaki River in Auckland: Frances Ogilvie of King’s College Rowing Club. Mark Clemo has been transforming the boys’ program at King’s over the past few seasons, and under the watchful eyes of Natalie Welch and Jane Schellekens, I believe Ogilvie could have a campaign to elevate the girls’ program to the same level. A prodigious sculler, Ogilvie will look to transfer her success in larger boats last season to the single scull this year. A strong start at the recent Club Regatta saw her claim third in this same event, and I believe she could well be towards the front of the A-Final come Sunday. King’s have always produced technically gifted scullers, and I can see another one ready to prove her talent this season and beyond.
Ayla Klein – Waikato Club / Hamilton Girls High School
We travel down State Highway 1 to find our next lady to keep an eye on, Ayla Klein, competing for Hamilton Girls High School, donning the Waikato Club colours. Klein is coached by a man who knows how to medal in the U18 Single Scull, with Ben Kirsop manning the coach boat and guiding her towards Ruataniwha later in the season. In only her second season of rowing, Klein will be looking to continue her success from last season as a novice into the heights of U18 sculling. A very successful novice season saw her take out silver in both of the novice sculling events at last season’s Maadi Regatta. Klein has seemingly put in all the required work to transition to age-group sculling, as evidenced by her very successful Club Regatta a few weeks prior, where she led throughout in the U18 single and delivered a strong performance in the U18 quad. Klein finished her Club Regatta with a dominating win in the Intermediate single – true poetry in the motion for a second-year sculler. I would be surprised not to see her in a similar position come finals day.
Keana MacCallum – St George’s Rowing Club / Glendowie College
We return to the Tamaki River, but this time to St George’s Rowing Club / Glendowie College to find Keana MacCallum. As another school that knows how to breed single scullers, MacCallum will be looking to build on a promising Club Regatta. Strong results in all three of the U18 sculling events, MacCallum will definitely be in and amongst the pointy end of things come Sunday’s final. Coaches Kieran Smith and Charlotte Bray believe MacCallum can build from a strong season as a U17 sculler and come into her own for the season of 2025/2026. A club which is built on the fitness of its athletes, with many an afternoon spent up Mt Taylor or Saturday mornings spent at Rangitoto, MacCallum will be looking to upset a few at the Christmas Regatta and beyond this season in the U18 Single Scull.
Notable Mentions
Alongside those mentioned in more detail, do not be surprised if you see the blue and yellow of Mercer Rowing Club’s Katie Chamberlain or the stripes of St Paul’s Collegiate Rowing Club’s Olivia Waddell amongst the challengers over the weekend’s racing.
Predictions
It is early in the season, and there is a long way to go before we reach our conclusion in March at Lake Ruataniwha, but everyone wants to start the season well and build momentum leading into the Christmas break. I can see Ayla Klein leading the pack to continue where she left off at Club Regatta. Whatever happens, the U18 single will provide some scintillating racing to kick off the road to Ruataniwha.
