Wednesday 1 April 2026
King’s College has enjoyed a sensational end to the term, highlighted by stellar achievements in the Performing Arts and on the sports fields.
Most notably, our U18 Coxed Eight Boys’ Rowing crew secured a remarkable victory in the Maadi Cup at the National Championships at Lake Ruataniwha, Twizel. This historic win ends a 66-year wait for the College.
In a moving tribute to our rowing heritage, the cup was presented to the crew by two members of previous Maadi-winning boats: Alistair Dryden (School, 1956-60) and Murray McDonald (Peart, 1987-91). This moment was a wonderful testament to the enduring support of the King’s community, which has propelled our rowing programme to a ‘hatful’ of medals and trophies this season.
Our sporting success extended across several disciplines during last week’s tournaments:
- Tennis: Two teams earned bronze medals at the National Championships, marking a resurgent year for the programme.
- Golf: Our golfers secured two individual Auckland titles and a third-place finish.
- Water Polo: The team claimed a silver medal at the Auckland Championships (equal placing) ahead of their national tournament these holidays.
- Sailing: Our sailors finished 10th overall after navigating challenging conditions.
In the Performing Arts, I would like to congratulate the cast of Glee for an exceptional three-night run of Mamma Mia!, as well as our Kapa Haka group for their powerful performance at ASB Polyfest. This followed an equally impressive showing by our Tongan group at the Manukau Sports Bowl during the Pasifika section of the festival.
My sincere thanks go to the entire King’s community for making my first term so special. I wish you all a happy, healthy and restful Easter break.
Patrick Gale - Headmaster