This article was written before the release of the entry draw due to the late release of supplementary entries.
The first ‘official’ regatta and one that usually persists with volatile wind conditions, typically upending the Open eights race come the end of the day. Similar to many other regions, it is also a signifier of starting the season strong, as it leads into the last two months of the season before the National Championships. As with many South Island regattas, the powerhouse that is Avon Rowing Club is likely to dominate, with some disturbance likely to be put forward by Dunstan Rowing Club. This differs from the diversity in the North Island, where the club scene in the southern half of the country is much more concentrated. Most athletes base themselves out of the ‘development’ clubs, such as Avon and Dunstan. This ultimately impedes the case of smaller clubs with strong athletes, as these densely competitive squads encumber them.
Avon Rowing Club
This may be slightly unorthodox, and not to discount any other clubs, but being one of the strongest clubs in the country, let alone the South Island, Avon Rowing Club will be largely uncontested. In typical fashion, the club will dispense several ‘mixed’ crews across the open categories of Otago Champs to use racing as an opportunity to test combinations and diversify competition. Avon will mostly be racing themselves, proving their own squad strength. Likely outcomes will be produced in sweep boats, where many races, Avon may be the only contenders. The question of the Open Men’s Pair, four and eight will be, what Avon combination will win?
Many of the oarsmen at the club are recently familiar with the Rowing New Zealand system, with rowers returning from a season of Juniors (U19s). This includes Luke Tompkins, Payo O’Sullivan, Ben Allan and Bede Giera. The calibre of athletes is much younger than that of other clubs in the country, and that in international racing areas like the UK and America. However, with strength to strength, some other successful athletes include recent Silver medallist in the Men’s U23 eight, Henry Kirk, and other familiar rowers such as Harry Galvan, Josh Syme, and Matt Glen, all members of last year’s national-winning Premier Men’s Eight. This will be another asset they’ll want to defend.
While the squad has depth up top, the numbers in the Club group help generate persistence in quality. This group is expected to be mixed amongst the Avon mixed eights. It should also not be overlooked, given the strength in this group. Their club group will be responsible for rounding out their several Premier eights come national time.
Dunstan Arms Rowing Club
The sculling steamrollers from the central South Island are likely to have a good tussle in the Open Single, Double and Quad, with many familiar scullers returning to the squad. This is difficult to determine, given the lack of a released draw, but the club has seen some uptake in numbers, offering a shift in focus from sculling to sweeping. Lewis Meates recently joined from the successful Cure Boating Club. He managed a silver in the men’s Senior pair with a bronze in the Quad, offering some sweeping flavour to the squad of scullers. With a successful 2025 season at nationals, winning the Men’s Senior Double with Matt O’Meara and Henry Clatworthy, who Matt King and Sam Barnett joined to win the Senior Men’s Coxless Quad, the question that will be posed is: Will Dunstan focus on the sweep events?
Schools
As the club competition is small, Open events can often be contested by top schoolboys. Many schools will be wildcard picks in the Open category. This includes the big rowing schools such as Christchurch Boys’ High School, Christ College, and St Bede’s. Christchurch Boys’ High School is a school that has the numbers and managed a fourth place in last year’s Maadi. With the disappointment, the determination may be helping, as they recently raced in the Aoraki 1km regatta, where their U18 eight was faster than the Dunstan Open men’s eight crew. Christ College, another prestigious school, consistently places in the top three each year of the Maadi Cup race. With many of their U17 boys eight returning from their bronze finish in the boys eight at last year’s nationals, they will bring some experience to the big eights racing. St Bedes, similar to the previous squads, has produced strong recent results in the previous Maadi cups. Last year, under the lead of Dale Maher, the Junior 18 boys eight should have their eyes set on competition in the senior events amongst the Avon and Dunstan rowers.
