Remarkable performances by young Wanaka rowers generated a medal winning haul of two golds, one silver and two bronze at the New Zealand National Championship Regatta held last week at Twizel.

Competing at a national level, Wanaka Rowing club’s intermediate women dominated the doubles and quads in the heats and semis and in the finals crossed the finish line many seconds ahead of their nearest rivals.

The regatta, which was held in calm and sunny conditions on Lake Ruataniwha, was delayed two days by government-imposed alert level two Covid-19 restrictions which meant almost 1,000 competitors gathered from all over the country in Twizel for the national champs had to wait for the alert level to drop to one before racing could start.

NZ Rowing had to condense the five day regatta into just three days. 

Women’s intermediate double sculls A Final winners Pipi Horan and Emily Findlay.

Pipi Horan, who has had an impressive season in singles, doubles and quads, once again commanded attention at the regatta winning silver in the single sculls and golds in the doubles and quads.

In the single sculls she won her heat and semifinal to get into the A-Finals but despite an immaculate 100m had to settle for second.

Pipi then combined with Emily Findlay in the double sculls and together with fellow club members Neve Faed and Bella Sarginson each succeeded in their respective heats to get them through to the semi finals.

Men’s intermediate single sculls bronze medalist Aaron Maxwell.

After very convincing wins in their heat and semis, Pipi and Emily stormed home in the A-Final to take gold leaving the second-place getter in their wake a full six seconds behind.

Neve and Bella missed out on the A-Final but a strong showing in the B-final netted the pair second place in a very tough, competitive race.

The four rowers then combined with coxswain Thomas Mitchell for the women’s intermediate coxed quad and “completely blitzed their opposition” in the heat, according to fellow club rower Aaron Maxwell.

It meant the quad skipped the repechages and went straight through to the A-final where the crew “commanded the race from start to finish”, earning the gold medal an astounding 10 seconds ahead of the second placed crew, he said. 

Aaron also enjoyed success at the regatta, competing in the men’s club single sculls, the men’s intermediate single sculls and joined a composite men’s club coxed eight to earn medals. 

In the men’s intermediate single sculls, Aaron won his heat easily but had to settle for second in his semis against the North Island intermediate single sculls champion. Competition in the A-final was fierce but Aaron battled and came away with a bronze medal.

In the men’s club single sculls, he was placed second in his heat but missed out on the A-final after placing seventh in his semi-final. 

Aaron jumped at the opportunity to compete in a composite crew with the Gisborne Rowing Club men’s club coxed eight and a strong performance in the A-final won the crew a bronze medal. 

PHOTOS: Supplied