Two new single scull national champions were crowned on the final day of racing at the national championships at Lake Ruataniwha on Saturday.
Former Otago rower Zoe McBride became only the second New Zealand female to claim both the premier lightweight and premier open singles sculls titles, after Philippa Baker-Hogan first completed the feat in 1987-88.
The 21-year-old (Nelson Rowing Club) has two lightweight single sculls world titles to her name but had never won a national open title.
She clocked 7min 55.03sec.
"I’m super stoked about the red coat. It’s something I’ve wanted to win for so long — so to win it, and to win it in one of the most competitive events is pretty special."
The men’s premier single sculls event featured another first-time winner, Robbie Manson, of Central RPC-Wairau Rowing Club, winning in emphatic style in 6min 59.57sec.
Silver medallist John Storey (Southern RPC-Avon Rowing Club) was a boat-length behind, while the winner’s younger brother, Karl (Central RPC/Blenheim RC), claimed third.
Robbie Manson has won 11 red coats during his career but had never won the elusive singles sculls title until this year.
Otago crews enjoyed plenty of success on the final day, grabbing two gold medals and three silvers.
The University of Otago Rowing Club won gold in the women’s senior coxed eight. Its women’s premier lightweight double sculls crew of Sydney Telfer and Hannah Duggan claimed silver and Haruna Sakakibara also nabbed silver in the women’s senior single sculls.
The Columba College crew secured silver in the women’s under-19 coxed four and Oamaru pair Jared Brenssell and James Scott won the men’s under-19 double sculls.
Southern RPC claimed the premier women’s eight with Olympic cox Francie Turner at the helm. Waikato RPC flew to victory in the men’s premier eight event in 5min 32.85sec.
There was an upset in the men’s under-22 double sculls with junior double sculls world champion Jack Lopas and Southern RPC crewmate James Walker forced to settle for silver behind Jordan Parry and Ben van Dalen of Waikato RPC.
The field was tight in the women’s under-19 double sculls with 500m to go. A final charge enabled Nelson Rowing Club to take gold.
The men’s under-20 double sculls was won by Auckland RPC’s Oliver Maclean and Jonathan Kumarich after a classy display of sculling. Ashburton sculler Veronica Wall was untouchable in the women’s senior single sculls. The 16-year-old was 10sec ahead of Sakakibara.
It was anyone’s race with 250m remaining in the women’s under-19 coxed four race, with four boats bow to bow across the course. Canterbury won the sprint and Columba College had to settle for second, just 1sec behind.
