One of the St Paul’s most successful rowing seasons in more than a decade wrapped-up at the national rowing regatta, the Aon Maadi Cup, held at Twizel in March. St Paul’s rowers secured one gold, one silver and two bronze medals – an impressive medal collection from a school of only 670 students.
A total of eight A finals and four B finals were made at the regatta, which attracts more than two-thousand competitors each year. In the A finals, the boys’ under-17 four (Charles Christy, Ben Dobbe, Jack Schicker, Henry Wills and cox Logan Birt) took home the gold; the boys’ under-17 eight secured silver; and the girls under-17 double and boys’ under-17 novice eight both took home bronze.
Coach Graham Oberlin-Brown describes as the boys under-17 four win as monumental: “The boys under-17 four win was a great way to finish off an outstanding season for those boys.”
“They were capable of gold at the North Islands but only managed to secure bronze after a clear water victory in the eight, it was great for them to be so clinical in securing gold to finish the season off,” Coach Oberlin-Brown said.
The School’s success during the 2013/14 season follows an intense training regime with professional mentorship from a new coaching team of New Zealand rowers and experienced coaches: Coach Graham Oberlin-Brown, world champion and world record holder in the under-23 mens’ lightweight double; and Assistant Coach Tim Wilson, who coached New Zealand university crews during the Trans-Tasman test series against Australian in 2012 and 2013.
In addition to St Paul’s success at Maadi Cup, the School secured four medals at an earlier competition in 2014, the North Island Secondary School rowing regatta. At the regatta, the boys under-17 eight (Henry Wills, Jack Schnicker, Ben Dobbe, Lachlan Lee, Tim Husband-Dravitzki, Charles Christy, Connor Gordon, Sal M’Boge and cox Logan Birt) won gold against rival’s Hamilton Boys’ High School; a season highlight for the team.
Coach Oberlin-Brown says the success gained in the 2013/14 season is only set to improve as talented junior rowers move up the ranks over the next few years: “We have some talented rowers coming up the ranks. Over the next few years I can see the School performing better and better at Maadi and North Island regattas, particularly in the senior competitions as our juniors move up the ladder.”
Coach Oberlin-Brown will continue to coach St Paul’s rowers during the 2014/15 season, with Assistant Coach Tim Wilson by his side.
