Two young New Zealand rowers had strong results at the National Invitational Secondary Schools Championships (NISSC) and the Aon Maadi Regatta this season, both competing in WinTech equipment.
Wentworth College's Ella Rogers took bronze in the G U16 1x at NISSC, racing in a WinTech single. She describes her highlight as crossing the finish line and placing against tough competition. On what she enjoys about the sport more broadly, Rogers says she loves racing and regattas and "meeting all the different people and the general vibe that surrounds the sport." On the boat itself, she says she enjoys "how light it is when going at race pace and how it feels like you're gliding across the water."
Whakatane High School's Ash Schutz had a particularly busy NISSC, claiming gold in both the B U16 1x and the B U17 4x+, winning the quad before hot-seating into his single less than an hour later. His B U16 1x final came down to a tight finish, with Schutz describing the decisive moment as "definitely the sprint at the end, with competitor Harry Kavanagh a boat length up at 250m left and it was pretty much an all out sprint to the finish line."
On backing up so quickly, Schutz said it "was tough but made the win feel more worth it and felt good to win with my quad teammates as well."
Schutz and his crew carried that form through to the Aon Maadi Regatta, where the B U17 4x+ earned bronze. Schutz again hot-seated into the B U16 1x, this time claiming silver. Whakatane High School also picked up bronze in the B U17 2x, raced in a WinTech.
On the equipment, Schutz rates WinTech for their "high quality [boats], nice and stiff to row, and have good weight ratings that fit individuals."
WinTech offers boats across a range of crew weights and price points.
