New Zealand Junior Rower = Nathan Flannery 2010 

Year 13, Nathan Flannery, has been selected into the New Zealand Junior Rowing Team in the Men's Quad. This team will compete at the Junior World Rowing Championships in Racice, Czech Republic in early August. Nathan will now have to relocate to Rowing New Zealand's High Performance Centre where he will train alongside NZ's Elite and Under 23 athletes in a very competitive environment living on site in Cambridge.

We will definitely watch Nathan's adventures with interest.

Gold Silver Bronze 2010

Maadi Cup (New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships) - what a regatta. The elements ruled the week with strong gusty, gale force winds and snow falling on the mountains. Racing was called off more times than it was on but still the real metal of the St Thomas' Maadi squad shone through.

The U16 Squad (Redmond McKenzie, Creighton Dawson, Thomas Bates, Daniel Ryan, Zac Thompson - Cox) competed to the top of their ability and pushed through the rough weather and trying conditions to the A - Final of the U16 Quads and the B - Final of the U16 doubles. In the A - final of the quad they placed a very strong 5th and were sitting in the leading pack coming through the thousand metre mark to finish three quarters of a length out of medal contention when they crossed the finish line.

This kind of promise shows the future of St Thomas' rowing is in strong hands and will lead us to more success in the immediate future. The U16 squad is eight strong at the moment and is looking for more recruits to push them to the next level of competition so they cannot only compete but dominate all rival New Zealand Schools.

James Smith (Old boy of the college) has led the squad well for the passed three years and is an asset to the college rowing programme, we look forward to his continued leadership in the coming years.

The U18 Squad (Nathan Flannery, Campbell Stewart, Gerard Radburnd, Joshua Tansey and Matt Radburnd - Cox) was an unknown quantity to the rest of New Zealand and was perceived to have peaked early by the South Island Schools. Little did they know what was to play out before there eyes. The boys were entered in four events so that they would have two, each day of the finals. Due to the inclement weather this was not to be. It was lucky that they had trained for four races a day, all season.

They qualified for all A - finals they were entered in First up was the prestigious U18 Quads race. St Peters Cambridge had been claiming victory all week but when the fat lady had completed her song - St Thomas' was the best in New Zealand.

Immediately after the medal ceremony the boys changed the boat to a four and rowed to the start line of the second biggest race of the year. The 'Springbok Shield' or Maadi U18 fours race. The boys placed an admirable 5th only losing 4th by half a length to Tauranga Boys. This placed them 1st in the South Island.

Joshua Tansey raced back up the bank into his U17 singles race and coming through the 1000m mark was 7th out of 9 competitors. But such is the determination and outstanding skill that he possesses, Josh pushed through the field in the last 1000m to be placed 2nd and nearly take first. A race that needs to be shown to all boys as the display of patience and determination shown by Joshua was second to none.

Out of the single and in to the U18 double. We were the only school in New Zealand to qualify both U18 doubles in to the A - Final. The boys charged out of the gates and mixed it with them all. Nathan and Campbell in the leading bunch placed third across the line in a tight finish with James Hargest and St Peters Cambridge.

Nathan Flannery had a 20min turn around and charged back to the r start of his single race to fight it out for New Zealand supremacy in the U18 singles sculls race. He showed true skill and determination throughout the race to place a very good fourth half a length short of the bronze medal.

What a day. The most successful Maadi Squad ever at St Thomas' College and the most successful group of Sporting Boys ever in New Zealand Sporting History from the College.

Maadi results:

U16 Squad

U16 4x+ (Quad) = A - Final, placed 5th in New Zealand

U16 2x (double) = B - Final

U18 Squad

U18 4x+ (Quad) = A - Final, placed 1st = Gold and Trevor Coker Sheild

U18 4+ (Four) = A - Final, placed 5th

U17 1x (single) = A - Final (Joshua Tansey), placed 2nd = Silver medal

U18 2x (double) = A - Final (Nathan Flannery and Campbell Stewart), placed 3rd Bronze Medal and 8th (Gerard Radburnd and Joshua Tansey)

U18 1x (single) = A - Final (Nathan Flannery), placed 4th and B- Final

(Campbell Stewart)

Trials for New Zealand Junior squad - Nathan Flannery and Campbell Stewart

Trials for South Island Squad - Joshua Tansey

All U18 boys also received top ten badges for all of their races as they all qualified and finished in the top ten in New Zealand in their events.

Statistics

Maadi 2010 = 1883 pupils, 114 schools, 1355 crews all across 42 events. In the overall standings, the 'Star Trophy' St Thomas' with only 10 rowers placed 15th in New Zealand and 4th in Canterbury. For the 'Presidents Scull Trophy' St Thomas' placed 6th in New Zealand and the first school in Canterbury. Thank you to all of the support throughout the year from the current parents and also those who travelled to Twizel to support our boys, along with the old boys who rowed, and to all who sent texts and made phone calls - it has been nothing less than brilliant. It is never unnoticed and always appreciated.

Without the support of our sponsors none of this would be possible. Thank you for your support this year, over the passed years and the years to come:

HUNTSMAN ROWING

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE AGENCY - florence2care.co.nz

ASMUSS STEEL

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

LYTTLETON ENGINEERING

3 WAY WELDING

LUNDS CONSTRUCTION

Definitely a year to remember but not to rest on, these great results are a continuation not an end in themselves. We need 40 new rowers for next year and are looking to clean sweep New Zealand within the next 5 years across all events. If you are keen to join and be a part of the success that is St Thomas' Rowing and be the best in New Zealand, please email me at pdowling@stc.school.nz and find out what it takes to be the best!!!! With Pride and Passion

Paddy Dowling - Master in Charge of Rowing