Rowing: Kavanagh pair in dominant form

The winning King's High School crew of (background, from left) Tom Grave (14) and Ben Duyvestyne (14) overhaul the Otago Boys' High School crew of Matthew McNamara (14) and Tom Chin during the junior boys doubles race at the fourth term Otago secondary schools rowing regatta on Otago Harbour yesterday. Photo by Jane Dawber.

The two 16-year-olds dominated the senior girls small boat events at the annual fourth-term Otago secondary schools regatta.

McBride won the first division single sculls when she beat Charlotte Williams (Columba) while Duggan beat Claudia Grave (St Hilda's) in the second division.

They were unstoppable in the double sculls and won by two lengths from the Otago Girls' High School combination of Caitlin Buist and Cleo Gilmour.

It was not a stroll in the park for the Kavanagh College combination because Buist and Gilmour finished fourth in the girls under-18 lightweight double sculls at the Maadi Cup regatta on Lake Karapiro in April.

McBride and Duggan won that title and also took the gold medal in the girls under-16 double sculls.

Looking out for Queen's High School rowers are (from left) Joe Orr (15), Emma Orr (10), Christine Orr, Amberly Orr (7), Kay Crosland, Claire Brown and Heather Knox.

They have worked hard at the sport over the last 18 months under the direction of coach John Parnell.

McBride also won a gold and silver medal in single sculls at the Maadi Cup.

The performances of the super girls has rubbed off on other Kavanagh College scullers with Poly McMullen winning the novice single event yesterday and Anna O'Leary second.

O'Leary's brother, Jack, was in the composite team that won the senior boys quadruple sculls with Bryce Abernethy (Taieri), Eachann Bruce (Mount Aspiring College) and Jordan Saville (John McGlashan College).

Abernethy won the senior boys single sculls from Bruce and the double sculls with O'Leary.

The other girls school to make an impact yesterday was St Hilda's, with Claudia Diet and Grave winning their division of the senior girls double sculls by two lengths from Otago Girls'.

Grace Stumbles won the intermediate girls single sculls from school-mates Taylor McNamara and Jess Taylor.

Stumbles and Taylor were also in the winning senior girls quadruple sculls with Grave, Fran Guthrie and cox Hannah Perkins.

It was a busy day for Stumbles, Taylor Guthrie and Perkins who were also in the winning St Hilda's intermediate quadruple sculls with Annabelle Palmer.

The best Otago Boys' High School combination was the junior boys crew of Matthew McNamara, Tom Chin, Jordan Dickson, Scott Bezett and cox Hamish Sinclair that won the four and the quadruple sculls.