Maadi Cup

Rowing regatta in New Zealand

The Maadi Cup is the prize for the New Zealand Secondary Schools Boys' Under 18 Rowing Eights. More colloquially, it is the name given to the New Zealand Secondary Schools Rowing Regatta, at which the Maadi Cup is raced. The regatta is the largest school sports event in the Southern Hemisphere, with over 2,087 rowers from 113 secondary schools participating in 2023 The regatta is held annually in late March, alternating between the country's two main rowing venues: Lake Karapiro near Cambridge (odd years), and Lake Ruataniwha near Twizel (even years). The top prizes at the regatta are the Maadi Cup, Springbok Shield, Levin Jubilee Cup, Dawn Cup and Star Trophy. The fastest time recorded in the Maadi Cup event was by St Bede's College in 2023 with a time of 5:42.17, which is also the overall record time for the Boys' Under 18 Eight in New Zealand. This was also the closest race for the Maadi Cup in the event's history, with St Bede's College winning by 0.06 seconds over Hamilton Boys' High School. Also in the same year was the fastest time recorded in the Levin Jubilee Cup event by Rangi Ruru Girls' School with a time of 6:27.68.

During World War II, members of the 2nd NZEF based at Maadi Camp in Egypt competed in regattas on the Nile against local Egyptian rowing clubs. At a regatta held on 20 November 1943 the Maadi Camp Rowing Club "Kiwi" oarsmen beat the Cairo River Club by 11 points to six to win the Freyberg Cup, which they then gifted to the competitors. In return, as a token of friendship, Youssef Baghat presented the Kiwis with a cup. Youssef Baghat's cup was offered to the NZARA (now NZRA) as a trophy for an annual boys' eight oared race between secondary schools and was brought to New Zealand at the end of the war. Renamed the Maadi Cup it was first raced for in 1947 at Wanganui where it was won by Mount Albert Grammar School, who beat Sacred Heart College by a half length. Four boats took part in the original race, with Allan Tong a member of Wanganui Technical College; he would later compete in the New Zealand at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, in the coxed four. The fourth boat was from St Augustine's College. The Maadi Cup gained its native timber pyramid shaped base from Mt Albert Grammar's woodwork master and first rowing coach, Jack Jenkin, in 1951. Only 17 schools have ever won the cup, with Wanganui Collegiate School the most successful, having won it 17 times. Members for the 2nd NZEF competed in rowing regattas and won races run by the Cairo River Club until they were shipped back to New Zealand at the end of the War.

Rowers and coxswains in the Maadi Cup must be full time students (at least 0.8 FTE) at a registered New Zealand school, and must be studying at secondary level (Year 9 or above). They must also have a satisfactory school attendance record, in the opinion of the school's principal, in order to participate. The regatta is split into four age classification: under 15, under 16, under 17, and under 18. Only students who are under the specified age at 1 January preceding the regatta may compete in that class. For example, a student who is aged 15 on 1 January may compete in the under 16, under 17 and under 18 classifications, but not the under 15 classification. Females may cox male boats, and vice versa. The minimum weight for coxswains is 55 kg for all events at the regatta. Lightweight events used to be part of the regatta but were banned in 2016 following health concerns of the teenage athletes. In mid 2007, the New Zealand Secondary Schools Sports Council introduced a quota system restricting the number of new to school and international students a school can field at national championships, including the Maadi Cup, in an aim to reduce top sporting schools "poaching" athletes from other schools. A new to school student is a student who has enrolled at the school in the 24 months prior to the event, excluding students who enrolled at the school in Year 9 or below. An international student is a student who is not a New Zealand or Australian citizen, or the holder of a New Zealand resident visa or domestic endorsed student visa. For eights, no more than three crew members that are classified as a new to school or international students are permitted per boat, with no more than two crew members being international students. For all other events, no more than one crew member that is classified as a new to school or international student is permitted per boat.

Year Venue Maadi Cup (B U18 8+) Springbok Shield (B U18 4+) Levin 75th Jubilee Cup (G U18 8+) Dawn Cup (G U18 4+)1947Whanganui RiverMount Albert Grammar School1948 Sacred Heart College 2nd: Mount Albert Grammar School3rd: Wanganui Collegiate School1949 Wanganui Technical School 2nd: Wanganui Collegiate School3rd: Sacred Heart College1950: Seddon Memorial Technical College3rd:1955 Mount Albert Grammar School 2nd: Whakatane High School3rd: King Edward Technical College1958Wanganui Collegiate School 2nd: Fairfield College3rd:1964Wanganui Collegiate SchoolHamilton Boys High School1974 Wanganui Collegiate School 2nd: Hamilton Boys' High School3rd: Westlake Boys High SchoolHamilton Boys High School1975 Fraser High School 2nd: Westlake Boys High School3rd: St Bede's CollegeWhanganui High School19762nd: St Bede's College3rd: Fairfield CollegeHamilton Boys High School19773rd:Wanganui Collegiate School1978 Tauranga Boys' College 2nd: Kings' College3rd: Westlake Boys High SchoolTauranga Boys' College1980 Tauranga Boys' College 2nd: Westlake Boys High School3rd:Westlake Boys' High SchoolWhanganui High SchoolWhanganui High School1983 Westlake Boys High School 2nd: Hamilton Boys' High School3rd:St Andrew's College2nd: Tauranga Boys' College3rd:Whanganui High SchoolWhanganui High School1984 Westlake Boys High School 2nd: Saint Kentigern College3rd: Kings' College Tauranga Boys' College 2nd:3rd: Westlake Boys High SchoolWhanganui Girls' CollegeNayland College1985Wanganui Collegiate School2nd: Westlake Boys High School3rd: Marlborough Boys' CollegeWanganui Collegiate School2nd: Wanganui High School3rd: Westlake Boys High SchoolWhanganui Girls' CollegeWhanganui High School1986 Tauranga Boys' College 2nd: Westlake Boys High School3rd:Marlborough Girls' CollegeWhanganui Girls' College 1987 Karapiro Hamilton Boys High School (5:51:80)2nd: Christ's College, Christchurch 3rd: St Kentigern College Tauranga Boys' CollegeMarlborough Girls' CollegeMarlborough Girls' College1988Marlborough Girls' CollegeMarlborough Girls' College19893rd:Christ's CollegeWestlake Girls' High SchoolRangi Ruru Girls' School19913rd:Rangi Ruru Girls' SchoolWestlake Girls' High School19923rd:Rangi Ruru Girls' SchoolRangi Ruru Girls' School 1995Karapiro Christ's College (6:30.82) 2nd: Tauranga Boys' College (6:36.93)3rd: Wanganui Collegiate School (6:38.02) Hamilton Boys' High School (7:06.60) 2nd: Christ's College (7:12.26)3rd: Tauranga Boys' College (7:14.24) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:18.69) 2nd: Takapuna Grammar School (7:26.76)3rd: Rangi Ruru Girls School #2 (7:27.04) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:58.13) 2nd: Rangi Ruru Girls School #2 (8:02.42)3rd: St Margaret's College (8:05.44) 1996Ruataniwha Christ's College (6:09.84) 2nd: Tauranga Boys' College (6:10.69)3rd: Auckland Grammar School (6:15.33) Christ's College (6:43.51) 2nd: Tauranga Boys' College (6:49.01)3rd: Saint Kentigern College (6:52.85) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (6:58.31) 2nd: Gisborne Girls' High School (7:01.37)3rd: St Margaret's College (7:06.42) Gisborne Girls' High School (7:28.24) 2nd: Marlborough Girls' College(7:29.89)3rd: Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:34.73) 1997Karapiro Tauranga Boys' College (6:15.66) 2nd: King's College, Auckland (6:18.41)3rd: St Paul's Collegiate School (6:20.60) Tauranga Boys' College (6:57.80) 2nd: Saint Kentigern College (7:03.57)3rd: St Paul's Collegiate School (7:11.59) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:12.14) 2nd: St Margaret's College (7:23.74)3rd: Wanganui Collegiate School (7:29.34) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (8:10.80) 2nd: Wanganui Collegiate School (8:19.45)3rd: Karamu High School (8:22.47) 1998 Ruataniwha Christ's College (6:00.14) 2nd: Christchurch Boys' High School (6:06.08)3rd: Tauranga Boys' College (6:08.22) Christ's College (6:37.78) 2nd: Tauranga Boys' College (6:42.39)3rd: Christchurch Boys' High School (6:46.34) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (6:52) 2nd: St Margaret's College (7:02)3rd: Wanganui Collegiate School (7:04) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:32.26) 2nd: St Margaret's College (7:40.11)3rd: Rangi Ruru Girls School #2 (7:44.73) 1999 Karapiro Christ's College (6:03.71) 2nd: Christchurch Boys' High School (6:04.70)3rd: Wanganui Collegiate School (6:08.60) Christchurch Boys' High School (6:45.14) 2nd: St Paul's Collegiate School(6:47.94)3rd: Westlake Boys High School (6:52.45) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (6:49.80) 2nd: Gisborne Girls' High School (6:50.90)3rd: Rangi Ruru Girls School #2 (6:53.15) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:43.52) 2nd: Rangi Ruru Girls School #2 (7:46.10)3rd: Columba College (7:48.24) 2000 Ruataniwha Wanganui Collegiate School (6:24.86) 2nd: Christ's College (6:26.73)3rd: St Paul's Collegiate School (6:30.03) St Paul's Collegiate School (6:40.79) 2nd: Wanganui Collegiate School (6:45.90)3rd: Auckland Grammar School (6:50.18) Rangi Ruru Girls' School 1 (7:17.32) 2nd: St Margaret's College (7:22.98)3rd: Rangi Ruru Girls' School 2 (7:30.72) Gisborne Girls' High School (7:30.55) 2nd: St Margaret's College (7:32.09)3rd: Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:32.11) 2001 Karapiro Wanganui Collegiate School (6:00.76) 2nd: Christ's College (6:02.29)3rd: King's College (6:06.25) Wellington College (6:44.09) 2nd: Auckland Grammar School (6:46.78)3rd: Wanganui Collegiate School (6:49.03) St Margaret's College (6:47.33)2nd: Rangi Ruru Girls' School (6:50.90)3rd: Marlborough Girls' College (6:52.38) Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:37.76) 2nd: St Margaret's College (7:45.61)3rd: Marlborough Girls' College (7:49.57) 2002 Ruataniwha St Paul's Collegiate School (6:43.59) 2nd: Wanganui Collegiate School (6:54.03)3rd: Westlake Boys' High School (6:54.57) Westlake Boys' High School (8:07.24) 2nd: Christ's College (8:11.09)3rd: St Paul's Collegiate School (8:30.04) Waikato Diocesan School (7:39.07) 2nd: St Margaret's College (7:39.89)3rd: Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:46.26) Westlake Girls' High School (9:27.72) 2nd: Marlborough Girls' College (9:29.20)3rd: Diocesan School for Girls (9:43.81) 20032021KarapiroChrist's College (6:06.47)2nd: Auckland Grammar School (6:12.88)3rd: St Andrew's College (6:13.32)Auckland Grammar School (6:50.39)2nd: St Andrew's College (6:53.21)3rd: Christ's College (6:55.76)Rangi Ruru Girls' School (6:54.35)2nd: Christchurch Girls' High School (6:55.80)3rd: St Margaret's College (6:59.27)Christchurch Girls' High School (7:40.71)2nd: Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:46.44)3rd: Waikato Diocesan School (7:49.70)2022 RuataniwhaHamilton Boys' High School (6:04.01)2nd: Christ's College (6:07.22)3rd: Christchurch Boys' High School (6:08.10)Mount Albert Grammar School l (6:38.63)2nd: St Andrew's College (6:41.06)3rd: Christchurch Boys' High School (6:42.74)Rangi Ruru Girls' School (6:54.19)2nd: St Margaret's College (6:56.63)3rd: Rangi Ruru Girls School #2 (6:58.88)Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:22.23)2nd: St Margaret's College (7:23.01)3rd: Epsom Girls Grammar School (7:28.65)2023KarapiroSt Bede's College (5:42.17)2nd: Hamilton Boys' High School (5:42.23)3rd: Westlake Boys High School (5:46.51)St Bede's College (6:41.93)2nd: Sacred Heart College (Auckland) (6:42.75)3rd: Westlake Boys High School (6:49.35)Rangi Ruru Girls' School (6:27.68)2nd: Rangi Ruru Girls School #2 (6:33.54)3rd: St Margaret's College (6:35.78)Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:36.91)2nd: Waikato Diocesan School (7:45.67)3rd: Wellington Girls College (7:47.37)2024RuataniwhaHamilton Boys' High School (5:59.34)2nd: St Bede's College (6:02.34)3rd: St Peters College (6:02.49)Hamilton Boys' High School (6:32.43)2nd: St Andrews College (6:36.98)3rd: Mt Albert Grammar (6:37.18)Christchurch Girls' High School (6:45.56)2nd: St Margaret's College (6:48.54)3rd: Rangi Ruru Girls' School (6:51.83)Waikato Diocesan School (7:17.58) 2nd: Rangi Ruru Girls' School (7:21.09)3rd: Marlborough Girls' College (7:22.23)