Bridgette Sutton
Sutton concedes she was not the best rower when she first picked up the oars.
After watching old videos of when she started in year 9, the Columba rower described her technique as "shocking".
"Don’t really know how the coaches let me come back," she said, laughing.
But the now 17-year-old worked hard that first summer, pushing herself to find her rhythm and witnessed a big improvement in her stroke.
"I just realised then it was the sport for me."
All that hard work has paid off for Sutton, who has been awarded a scholarship to Indiana University next year.
She is excited about the opportunity to fully immerse herself in rowing and the new challenges — including the transition from sculling to mainly sweeping in the United States — awaiting her.
Indiana mainly rowed eights and quads, competing at conference and national regattas in big crews, and Sutton recently moved to Christchurch to row for Avon in preparation.
"I just thought that would be a bit of a good way to get sort of an intro into what it’s going to be like rowing in a bigger squad over there."
Sutton has had a standout couple of seasons rowing for Columba.
She was part of the girls under-17 coxed quad scull that won gold at the South Island secondary school championships, and the under-18 coxed quad scull that won gold at the same event and at Maadi Cup.
She was also named in the under-18 South Island pair and double earlier this year.
Sutton hopes to row for New Zealand under-19 in May before heading to Indiana in July or August.
She plans to study subjects that would set her up for veterinary school when she returns to New Zealand.
Thompson never considered jetting off to the United States after school.
But at the end of her third rowing season at Otago Girls’, she was offered a scholarship by different universities, eventually settling on Washington State University.
"I’m really, really excited to go," Thompson said.
"It is a little bit nerve-racking because it is a whole new country, and so many new things to get used to, but I am really, really excited to go."
Thompson, 18, has made a name for herself in the single and quad in recent years, but will be in for a new challenge in the United States, racing in a four or eight.
She is looking forward to that and the switch to sweeping.
"I’ve had a few opportunities to row in a good eight down at the University rowing club.
"It was really good experience to be in a really good, fast boat."
She started rowing at 13 in her first year at Otago Girls’. Her father, Matthew, coached the team in those early years, supporting her throughout her career.
Starting off rowing in a novice double, Thompson soon moved into the quad and single, taking any opportunity that came her way.
Earlier this year, she won silver in the girls under-18 single at the Maadi Cup, backing up her silver at the event last year in the under-17 single.
She also won bronze in the under-18 coxed quad last year.
She won gold in the women’s senior single sculls at the South Island championships, and again at the South Island secondary school championships, and was named Otago’s female school rower of the year. She also earned a national under-19 trial.
While she would not leave for Washington until August, Thompson, who is still deciding what to study, plans to row for North End at South Island and national club regattas.
She will also compete at the Otago championships at Lake Ruataniwha starting tomorrow.
