Rowers set sights on Maadi Cup

Following their strong showing at the New Zealand club champs, a team of Nelson rowers now have the country’s most prestigious rowing cup in their sights.

After just three weeks rowing together as a quad, Macy Kappely (17), Nicole Campbell, (17), Lucy Munro (16) and Sophie Hawkins (16) took home gold in the women’s coxless sculls in Twizel last weekend.

It was by no means a leisurely row to the finish on Lake Ruataniwha, with the top three all finishing within the same second.

“We were 80 per cent sure we won.”

The young women say they were in the lead for the entirety of the race, however, their rivals kept creeping closer as the finish neared.

“It was a tight race and stressful. The last 250 metres the top three boats were neck and neck,” says Lucy.

It would not be their only trip to the podium during the regatta.

Nicole also won gold in the single sculls, Nicole and Macy won bronze in the double sculls while Sophie also won bronze in the intermediate double sculls.

There is little time to celebrate though, as the team now gets set for the coveted Maadi Cup later this month.

Head coach Tim Babbage says the team shows great promise in what is an incredibly competitive environment.

“We are the best nation in the world, we dominate women’s rowing so for them to be as fast as they are, they follow the path of the many who have come before them.”

Friends on and off the water, the Nelson rowers have been working towards the Maadi Cup since September.

This has included up to five 5am starts every week with some afternoon training sessions thrown in for good measure.

The young women say the regiment can be exhausting but they remind themselves it will pay off in the end with a Maadi Cup medal and maybe one day, a silver fern.