The 17-year-old John McGlashan College pupil took home a new skiff for the school after winning the under-17 single sculls at last week’s Maadi Cup at Lake Ruataniwha.
A quality boat, McLaughlan had taken it out for a quick row before leaving Twizel and said it "pretty nice".
He put in an impressive performance to take the title, edging in front late to win by a quarter of a second in 7min 57.66sec.
That turned around last year’s result, beating St Peter’s (Cambridge) Jason Nel after being pipped by him last year.
It was not lost on him either."Last year was pretty tight and this year I turned it around," he said.
"I had a yarn to the fellow I beat and he made the comment I didn’t leave it as late as last year.
"So we had a good joke about it, but it is pretty satisfying to win it and turn around from last year’s result."
Indeed it did make for an exciting finish, and he joked that his parents had given him a "rark up" for leaving his run so late.
However, he remained composed throughout and backed his ability to finish strongly.
"It was sort of don’t panic," he said of the way the race went.
"I thought I knew what the others may try and do, which was get out in front.
"I was just trying to stick with them enough to be able to reel them in, which I hoped I could do.
"I managed to, so it was good."
He also won the double sculls alongside Nic Chamberlain, a win he said was special as he did it with a team mate.
The duo were among those selected for the under-18 South Island trials, for which they were now building.
Having just completed his fourth season of rowing, McLaughlan rated his Maadi Cup success as highly as anything he has done in the sport.
There was plenty of work that went into getting there though, with six morning sessions and four afternoons a week, since returning from a training camp in January.
While in his final year of school, he was not looking too far ahead.
He thought he might move to Christchurch to trial for the Southern RPC, although as far as higher honours went, he would take things as they came.
Having the boat as a prize was an initiative this year from Laszlo Boats, Concept 2 Blades and Aon Insurance.
