Rigour, Rowing, Rugby, Rainbows

The winning Christchurch Boys' High School Maadi Cup team.

​Christchurch Boys’ High School are Maadi Cup champions for the first time and their plan for the U18 coxed eight was simple, explains crew member Cameron Henderson.

“The plan for the prestigious final race was to get ahead of the other crews from the outset. We managed to do this in the four and the quad. We felt over the last 1900m we were the fastest crew so if we were first off the start, we had a good shot,” he said.

Of course in the heat of battle the plan didn’t quite materialise as intended with reigning champions Christ’s College shooting ahead.

“The start didn’t go according to plan, but at least we were within striking distance and managed to move through College with about 500 meters to go. From there I can’t say I remember much,” Henderson reflects.

It’s no fluke Christchurch was in a position to usurp Christ’s as the top rowing school in the country. Henderson provides an insight into the arduous training.

“We’ve been training since the end of September, but our final crew was never really cemented until a few weeks out from Maadi. We were really lucky this year to have a big group of U18’s along with some younger boys pushing for the top eight.”

“Our training over a week would generally involve eight sessions. Most of the sessions were on water of which three would be at maximum intensity.”

Henderson is an intense sportsman. He’s also a No.8 forward for the First XV who last year won the UC Championship and reached the National Top Four finals. Henderson is unsure as to his preference at this stage, but shares a theory on the difference between rugby and rowing.

“I think the main difference between rugby and rowing is that in rowing we spend the entire season training to perform in one big race at the end. In rugby you have to reset the focus weekly. Rowing training involves a lot more volume, but with rugby there are more breaks because of the explosive nature of the sport.”

Christchurch was in explosive form throughout the whole meeting winning the most gold medals of any school with eight. The boy’s U17 single sculls was the first race of the day and Scott Shackleton claimed the first of his personal haul of four titles in that decider.

Made from segments of South African wood, the Springbok Shield is awarded to the winners of the boy’s U18 coxed four and replicates a shield in South Africa called the Kiwi Shield. Won in 2018 by Hamilton Boys’ High School, the trophy has been won eight times by Tauranga Boys’ College, six times by Christ’s College and four times by Westlake Boys’ High School.

This year’s final was taken out by Christchurch Boys’ High School ahead of Westlake Boys’ High School and Christ’s College.

Henderson, Shackleton, Timmy Heritage, Tom Fraser, Cameron Long, Ethan Alderlieste, Angus Templeton, James Glover and Ben Brown were the Maddi Cup winning eight.
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Each of the eight rowers had taped their oars with 'rainbow' tape, and had successfully messaged all seven other crews competing in the final to do likewise, in a statement against homophobic bullying that Heritage had endured earlier this season. The gesture made nationwide headlines.

Christchurch Boys' High School Maadi Cup success 2019:

GOLD
Boys u17 single sculls - Scott Shackleton
Boys u18 coxless pair - James Glover and Tom Fraser
Boys u17 coxed eight - Scott Shackleton, Liam Behrnes, Will Bentley, Henry Woelders, Oli Taylor, Angus Lill, Jose de Sousa, Liam Bunting, Tim Heritage
Boys u18 coxed quad -  Angus Templeton, Cameron Long, Ben Brown, Sam Wield, Tim Heritage
Boys u17 double sculls - Scott Shackleton and Liam Behrnes
Boys u18 coxed four - James Glover, Tom Fraser, Cameron Henderson,  Ethan Alderlieste,
Boys u17 coxed quad - Liam Behrnes, Sam Wield, Angus Lill, Liam Bunting, Caleb Fitzsimmons
Boys u18 coxed eight - Scott Shackleton, Tom Fraser, Cameron Long, Ethan Alderlieste, Cameron Henderson, Angus Templeton, James Glover, Ben Brown,  Tim Heritage

BRONZE
Boys u17 single sculls - Sam Wield
Boys u16 coxed eight - Charlie Baker, Ben Zino, Will Bentley, George Pirie, Archie Pascoe, Ed Lopas, Will Lindsay, Harry Medlicott, Tim Heritage