It was a golden week for Oamaru Rowing Club last week, with medal success at the National Rowing Championships in Cambridge.

The club sent 24 secondary school rowers from St Kevin’s College, Waitaki Girls’ and Waitaki Boys’ high schools to the Lake Karapiro regatta, which wrapped up with the final day on Saturday (February 17).

The club brought home two golds, two silver and one bronze, which head coach Ivan Docherty said is an “outstanding achievement” from the squad “who all stepped up at a national level”.

The pairing of Ned Newlands-Carter (WBHS) and Kouper Lynch (St Kevin’s) managed to nab a gold in the final of the men’s novice double, after making a move on the other crews at the 1500m mark, which Ivan describes as a “master stroke” in the 2000m race.

The two boys then joined Jakob Rohrbach and Louis Belt (both WBHS) with coxswain Payton Dickson (St Kevin’s) to also take gold in the men’s novice coxed four before combining with Petone Rowing Club to make up a novice eight, where they managed to win silver in a close-fought race, Ivan said.

Eighteen-year-old Emma Spittle (WGHS), who made the Under-18 South Island squad last season, managed to nab bronze in the women’s club single, and placed fifth in the U22 women’s single - setting her up nicely for a medal chance in her age group at the South Island and National Secondary Schools Championships (Maadi Cup) next month.

One of the two women’s novice coxed fours of Bridget Spittle (WGHS), Hanna Strachen (WGHS), Hannah Burke (St Kevin’s) and Marei Grebe (St Kevin’s) coxed by Henry Robinson (St Kevin’s) managed a “well-deserved” silver, while their squad mates Kayleigh Lucey (St Kevin’s) Indeg Jones-Hogan (St Kevin’s), Tessa Wright (WGHS) and Emily Wainwright (WGHS) with Payton as cox, placed a credible seventh in the same final.

Overall, eleven crews made A finals, and three made B finals.

“A great regatta for our young rowers,” Ivan said.

“The team now re-group as we train towards South Island Secondary Schools Championships on March 1-3 and Maadi Cup on March 18-23,” he said.

Ned Newlands-Carter, Kouper Lynch and coach Ivan Docherty celebrate gold in the men's novice double at the National Rowing Championships at the weekend. Photo: Supplied