The Queenstown Lakes rowers cleaned up at the recent South Island secondary schools championships, winning six golds, three silvers and five bronze medals.
They could be in store for more as they make the journey to the Maadi Cup at Lake Karāpiro, which begins on Monday.
The elite national schools rowing event has had some normality restored after Covid-19 forced last year’s pinnacle event to be restricted to year 11-13 pupils.
Wakatipu’s Marley King-Smith and Xavier Small were a cut above at the secondary school events, winning the boys under-18 double sculls together, while King-Smith went on to win the boys under-17 and under-18 single sculls.
They will again join Toby Rorrison, Ashton White, Emily Howick in the under-18 coxed quadruple sculls.
Small and White will combine for the under-17 double sculls, and join Rorrison, Howick and Keegan Green for the under-17 coxed quadruple sculls.
There are also high hopes for the novice boys doubles and the girls under-18 quad.
"We’re really excited," president Amy Wilson-White said.
"Last year’s Maadi was the best result our school’s ever had — we were second-equal on the points tally for Maadi last year.
"We’d really like to be right up there again last year.
"They’ve had a really big season with a lot of regattas and they’ve performed really well.
"There’s lots of interest in our senior boys and senior girls and we’re hoping that they’ll get some representative honours "
Dunstan, as strong as ever, also holds high medal hopes after winning two golds, two silvers and a bronze at the South Island event.
Tahlia Nelson will want to replicate her under-16 single sculls title, as will Phoebe Harrex, Bella Breen, Poppy Tuffin, Sophie Tait and Emer Bryant in the under-18 novice coxed quadruple sculls.
Otago Girls’ rower Harriet Thompson will be wanting to make it a three-peat in the under-18 single sculls, after winning the South Island rowing championship and secondary school titles.
Dunedin’s Columba College, Otago Boys’ and John McGlashan College also have medal hopes, while Oamaru’s St Kevin’s College and Waitaki Boys’ and Girls’ crews should be in the mix, too.
