The South Island Championships have been completed. And, unlike last year, the weather was cooperative and all racing took place as planned.
Wakatipu High School achieved a three-peat in the Points Bell for Champion School of the regatta. St Margarets College improved one place on last year's results to come second. St Bedes College rounded out the top three.
The standard of competition was high and the 12 pennant events (those with unrestricted entry i.e. U18, excl novice) were shared between 8 different schools. This year WAKA managed to win all the boys sculling events. STBD came close with boys sweep but CBHS took out the fours. STMG also came close with girls sweep but RRGS took out the eights. The other events were spread between CASH, MARN, and local favourites TWIZ.
Rangi Ruru Girls School won the Girls Under-18 Eights; begining a chance to re-establish their streak that CGHS broke last year. And this year St Bedes College won the Boys Under-18 Eights.
Next up is a chance for schools to travel up to Lake Karāpiro and compete against their North Island counterparts at the 2025 RNZ Maadi Regatta.
Live results were available during the regatta. Results can be found on the rowIT website: rowit.nz/siss2025/results
Confused by the colors or codes? There's a list of school codes and colours, as well a page with indicative images of school colours.
Reminder: a coxed crew needs to ensure its coxswain has weighed in and the boat is carrying any required cox deadweight. This is not solely the coxswain's responsibility, as it is the crew that will be given a Yellow Card, Relegated or Excluded; not just the cox.
At close of entries there are 1133 students from 49 schools entered in 3043 seats in 816 crews.
Entry fees (exclusive of GST) for the regatta were set by members at the 2024 AGM: 1X $21, 2X/2- $23, 4X+/4+ $32, 8X+/8+ $44, amenity $27 per student.
Maximum of 3 events per rower, a 4th event is allowed provided at least one event is for eights/octuples.
Maximum of 2 crews per school in each event for singles, doubles, and pairs events. That rises to 3 crews in quads and fours events. There is no limit in eights and octuples events.
School age rowers should only be racing 2 events at a Championships regatta. A few rowers could be considered for 3 events; none should be doing more.
Schools are limited to 3 "new" students in an eight and 1 "new" student in other boats ("new" students are those who've swapped schools or come from overseas and looks back over the past 2 years). There is also a limit of 2 students with a SSNZ-issued PCRE per crew (1 in singles!).
While South Island schools are competing on Lake Ruataniwha for recognition as the best the South Island has to offer their North Island counter-parts will do the same thing up at the 2025 North Island Champs regattas on Lake Karāpiro. Keep a watch on both regattas for indicators of who may claim the top spot at Maadi!
There were 1150 students from 47 schools entered in 3305 seats in 889 crews. 271 races were scheduled to complete the regatta and find the winners of all 52 events.
This New Zealand Secondary Schools Rowing Association regatta is sanctioned by School Sport New Zealand.
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