A wintry blast had coated the surrounding hills in the white stuff and made for some stiff fingers wrapping around oars.
Otago finished second overall of the 10 associations contesting the Wairoa District Council Shield.
The men’s open eight won the Edmond Shield against Southland, and the under-20/open squad were second in the Mainland Ruataniwha Trophy.
Otago’s senior rowers beat Canterbury by seven race wins in the South Island Masters Oar.
Among the most promising Otago performers were Madison Neale and Messina Su’a, who won the women’s under-20 coxless pair final by nearly 3sec.
Neale and Su’a then joined the women’s open eight to win silver in a highly competitive final.
Both the men’s and mixed eights also won silver, while the other open silver medallists were Jack Pearson and Angus Kenny in the men’s double sculls.
Otago’s masters rowers won no fewer than 11 gold medals from A finals.
Greg McLaughlin won the masters men’s single sculls, and added gold in the double sculls (with Simon Smith), coxless four, quad and eight.
