Overcoming Rivals – Jack Lopas

Jack Lopas from Christchurch Boys’ High School won a bronze medal in his debut Maadi Cup regatta. He admits he became “addicted” to rowing from that point on.


At last year’s event he won three silver medals, but a gold medal remained elusive. Whakatane High School’s Lenny Jenkins had proved a particularly difficult opponent to conquer.

“Lenny beat me three times at Maadi Cup last year. I had got it into my mind he was unbeatable, but I worked really hard over the summer and beating him was always in the back of my mind,” Lopas reveals.

Lopas was a victorious member of the under-18 coxed sculls crew on Friday, but his showdown with Jenkins on Saturday for the prestigious Charlie Stapp Cup would be one of the showpiece events of the weekend.

Jenkins led at 500m, but Lopas refused to panic and by halfway he had established a clear lead. From this point on Lopas gave a demonstration of his outstanding quality as he flashed by the finish line in a slick 7:15.05. Jenkins finished with a time of 7:19.20.

“Once I passed him I got a lot of confidence. It hadn’t really happened before. I haven’t had a real break for more than a year now, but I feel like I am in good shape,” Lopas says.
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Later, Lopas alongside Angus Foster, landed the double sculls crown in similarly impressive fashion. Holding a marginal advantage from the Jenkins siblings – Elliot and Lenny – of Whakatane Boys’ at halfway the Christchurch Boys’ pairing simply powered ahead over the second half of the course to strike gold by a margin of exactly two seconds in a time of 6:40.76. Whakatane clinched a comfortable silver medal clear of Mt Aspiring College, who took bronze in 6:49.96.

Lopas also won a bronze medal as a member of the Christchurch eight that finished behind Christ’s College and Hamilton Boys’ High School in the marquee event.

Lopas is almost a dead certainty to be selected for the New Zealand Junior rowing team for the World Championships. He attended the event last year and won a silver medal in the B final.

“Getting back to World’s has been a major focus of my season. In club meets I have been competing up a year to get harder competition. That’s been really helpful,” Lopas reveals.

The support of coach and former National under-23 rep Logan Keys has been pivotal to.

“Logan is young enough to be your mate, but he is still the boss. He has really helped improve rowing at Christchurch Boys’ and helps me out outside of school which I really appreciate.”
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Lopas also appreciates the support and pedigree of his family. Mum and Dad were avid rowers and  his grandfather Jeff represented New Zealand at the World Championships.

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