Wednesday 1 April 2026
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Southern Alps near Twizel, Lake Ruataniwha provided the setting for a historic week for King’s College Rowing the 2026 Maadi Regatta. Widely regarded as one of the great rowing venues of the world, Lake Ruataniwha offered fantastic conditions throughout the regatta and created the ideal stage for the pinnacle event of the school rowing season.
On Saturday 28 March, King’s College won the Maadi Cup for the first time since 1960, taking out the Boys Under 18 Coxed Eight in a time of 6:11.26. Auckland Grammar School finished second crossing the line at 6:14.82, with St Bede’s College coming third in 6:16.36. This meant that King’s had a winning margin of 3.56 seconds in the regatta’s premier event.
The race followed a pattern that had become a feature of the crew’s season, a blistering start, early control of the field and then the strength and fitness to hold that advantage all the way through the body of the race and down the closing stages.
Just 24 hours earlier, King’s had also won the Springbok Shield in the Boys Under 18 Coxed Four, again leading from start to finish and crossing in 6:38.89, ahead of Hamilton Boys’ High School in 6:40.66.
Captain of Rowing Marcus Macleod (Year 13, Selwyn) stroked both the Maadi Cup-winning Eight and the Springbok Shield-winning four, while Ayden Miller (Year 13, School) coxed both crews.
Taking home the Maadi Cup - the most coveted prize at the regatta that bears its name - is something truly special. The wider squad also played a major role in the week’s success, especially the King’s Second Under 18 Eight who qualified for the Maadi Cup A Final and placed sixth in 6:30.09, an exceptional achievement only managed by a handful of schools. Their standard helped drive the number one crew forward through the season, and they share in the success of the campaign.
The Girls Coxed Four also won their heat before impressively achieving a silver medal in their final with an even quicker time of 7:53.14. Another highlight was Frances Ogilvie (Year 13, Middlemore) winning her first heat, placing third in both her quarter and semi-final races before coming 6th in the final, showcasing some fantastic rowing prowess.
Across the regatta, King’s achieved the following medals:
A huge congratulations to all our rowers, coxswains, coaches, managers and supporters on an incredible regatta and a season of exceptional quality. You can see more photos courtesy of pictureshow.co.nz/rowing here.