New Zealand's U19 development rowers returned from the inaugural International Rowing Challenge (IRC) in Ypsilanti, Michigan with three medals, including two golds, competing against junior athletes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The IRC was raced over 1500 metres with an emphasis on small boat events. WinTech Racing and King Racing boats were used across multiple events throughout the competition.
The men's double sculls produced one of the tighter finishes of the regatta, with South Island pair Harrison Thode (Dunstan Arm Rowing Club) and Seb Watson (Wakatipu High School) taking gold by 0.51 seconds over Mexico, racing in a WinTech Competitor 2x.
Thode and Watson then joined teammates in the men's coxed four, where New Zealand claimed bronze in a final decided by just 1.61 seconds across the top three boats. The crew raced in a King SE 4+, the same boat class used by the gold medallists. The full lineup was George Langley (Westlake Boys High School), George Young (Christs College), Harrison Thode (Dunstan Arm Rowing Club), Seb Watson (Wakatipu High School), and cox Flynn Wigglesworth (WestLake Boys High School). The crew included athletes from both the North and South Island.
The New Zealand women's four rounded out the medal haul with a convincing win over the United States, crossing the line 3.32 seconds clear in a WinTech International 4+. The North Island crew comprised Charlotte Mawston (WestLake Girls High School), Maeve Lockett (WestLake Girls High School), Eva van der Zouwe (Whanganui Collegiate), Georgia Kendrick (Sacred Heart Girls School), and cox Flynn Wigglesworth (WestLake Boys High School).
