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A team from Wentworth College was among more than 2100 rowers from 130 schools who took part in the Aon Maadi Cup (secondary school national championships) last month.
The annual event was held at Lake Karapiro in Cambridge, March 25-30.
It is the country’s largest rowing regatta, drawing thousands of spectators. The event is also livestreamed with people from more than 50 countries logged in to watch.
The Wentworth team of nine rowers trains hard – five days a week, including two in the school gym and three on the Weiti River, including Saturday mornings.
The team includes novice and senior rowers. Among the most experienced is Year 13 student Parekura Kellow. In February, she competed for North Shore Rowing Club at the NZ Rowing Championships, winning gold in the Women’s Club Double Sculls, and silver in the Women’s Club Coxless Pair. She also made it into the A Final of the Women’s Club Single Sculls.
Her fitness was demonstrated when Parekura represented Wentworth at the North Island Secondary Schools rowing regatta in March. After winning silver in the U17 Single 2km race and receiving her medal, she got straight back into the boat, rowed the 2km back to the start line, and then rowed another 2km in the U18 Singles final, taking another silver medal. In total this meant rowing 6km within an hour.
At the Maadi Cup, Parekura placed third in the A final, U17 Single Sculls.
Among those watching the livestream were ‘spotters’ from universities overseas. To date, Parakura has been offered two full rowing scholarships in America as well as invitations from others – including Harvard – to apply.
She also wants to qualify for the trials for the NZ Rowing team.
