Rowing

Rowing is a fantastic team sport that will help boys develop fitness, strength, and time management skills. During the season we travel away for camps and regattas at Lake Karapiro, near Cambridge. 

We train out of the Auckland Rowing Club located at Ian Shaw Park in Mt Wellington. This also provides a good chance to mix with other schools at the Club  including Epsom Girls, Auckland Diocesan, Kings College, and Howick College.

The Sacred Heart Rowing Club is looking to recruit Years 9 - 12 rowers and coxswains for the 2022 - 2023 season. View our Novice Eight - National Champions 2019


History of Rowing at Sacred Heart College

Rowing at Sacred Heart College has had three distinct periods since the College embraced the sport in 1936. The first period was 1936 to 1954 when the College was located on the Richmond Rd site. After the move to the Glen Innes site, rowing went into abeyance from 1955 till the second period which lasted from 1970 till 1978. It then went into abeyance again until 1995 – a period that has endured till the present day.

The standard of rowing at New Zealand secondary school level continues to rise and the College has adopted two initiatives to reach those standards. The College has endeavoured to have the boys compete in high class boats and the original four boats of the 1930s have now become 8 eights; 8 fours; 5 doubles. The College also adopted the policy that boats would be named after an aspect of the College’s Catholic Marist Character and, in alternate years, in honour of a person who has given many years of service to Sacred Heart Rowing. Thus the newer boats have been named: Cecilia Fitz-Gerald, Esto Vir and Jim Dale.

The second initiative was to have the College employ a professional coach as Head of Rowing in line with similar positions in the College’s other major sports. Since this policy was adopted Mike Whittaker, Kirsty Dunhill, Mike O'Brien, Greg Reid and Ian Bright have been employed. These two initiatives have allowed the College to be more competitive in regattas throughout the season.

Our connection to Sacred Heart Old Boy rowers is growing, and in the near future a Sacred Oarsman project will see all of our rowers, all the way back to the 1936/37 season issued with a number that will identify them as a Sacred Heart Rower.


Our Boats

Sacred Heart Rowing has the following boats:

Tom Flood - member of the only SHC crew to win Maadi Cup in 1948;  past president of Auckland Rowing Association and NZ Rowing Association, also involved in World Rowing Administration and the development of Lake Karapiro as a rowing venue

Al Dryden - rowed with Dudley Storey in the Prince Phillip Challenge Cup in Henley in 1963 which they won.  Member of NZ men's eight which came 4th in 1968 Olympics.  Past President of Auckland Rowing Club.

Dudley Storey - SHC Old Boy; 1968 Olympic gold medalist coxed four; 1972 Olympic silver medalist coxless four; coached Baradene rowing and often helped coach SHC rowing.

John (Red) Williamson - former Club Captain of Auckland Rowing Club and NZ rowing coach, member of 1978 Karapiro World Rowing Committee; coached SHC teams late 1990s - 2008.

Peter Jansen - member of NZ eight who won silver medal in 1979 World Rowing Championship; SHC Old Boy, 2 sons rowed for SHC; coached for a few years and responsible for the reintroduction of rowing at SHC in the late 1990s

Alex Hos - sons Anthony and Joseph are Old Boys and both rowed; Anthony was Head Prefect and Rowing Captain in 2008; Alex worked tirelessly at maintaining the boats, making sure boat equipment was set correctly for each crew.

Recent History and Results

Rowing Captains
2019 - Hamish McKay
2020 - Adam Clark
2021 - Blake Chamberlain and Robson Wallace
2022 - Oliver Leach and Thomas Dufty

New Zealand Representatives
2020 - Robson Wallace 
2021 - Luca Kirwan
2022 - Oliver Leach

Auckland Secondary Schools Championship (Head of Harbour) 2021
Gold - U17 Coxed Quad Sculls -  B Chamberlain, M Ward, O Leach, T Dufty + J Reelick
Gold - U16 Coxed Four - O Leach, K Field-Crafar, J Slyfield, T Dufty + J Gilligan
Gold - U18 Novice Coxed Eight - J Ashby, I Helu, T Helu, E Taito, H Madarasz-Holm, E Wood, T Oti, S Ware + J Reelick
Silver -  U16 Double Sculls
Silver - U18 Double Sculls
Silver - U18 Coxed Eight
Silver - U18 Coxed Quad Sculls
Bronze - U18 Novice Coxed Four
Bronze - U15 Coxed Four
Bronze - U18 Coxless Pair 

North Island Secondary Schools 2021
Silver - U16 Coxed Four
Silver - U18 Novice Coxed Eight
Bronze - U18 Coxed Eight 

Maadi Cup 2022
Gold - U17 2x - Oliver Leach and Sam Sturgess
Gold -  U17 Coxed Four - Oliver Leach, Kayden Field-Crafer, James Slyfield, Sam Sturgess + Jacob Avery
Silver - U17 1x - Oliver Leach

Sacred Heart College Rowing Club Awards 2021/2022
Most Improved U17 RowerJoel Marshall
Most Improved U18 RowerTalisman Lloyd
Best Rower U15Jacob Fairweather
Best Rower U16Henry O'Neill
Best Rower U17Oliver Leach
Best CoxswainJacob Avery
Tom Polo Cup - Best Erg TimeOliver Leach
Best Over All 4 CupJacob Avery
Attitude and CommitmentThomas Dufty
Best Crew SpiritHenry O'Neill
Exceptional PerformanceJames Slyfield
Most Improved RowerSamuel Sturgess
Best RowerOliver Leach