Terms 1 and 4 (Summer)
Rowing is one of the premier summer sports at College. The boys train at various locations across Canterbury and, when in Christchurch, are expected to bike to Kerr’s Reach from College each training day.
College competes in several club, inter-school and national rowing regattas throughout the year. The highlight is the Maadi Cup, the pinnacle of secondary school rowing.
There is an expectation that parents of rowers will get involved in the day-to-day organisation of the club, including helping with transporting equipment, preparing meals, supervising the boys at camp, and more.
Rowing is an option for Year 9 students during Term 4, NOT Term 1.
Rowing Convenor: Sophie Strachan – Venue: Kerrs Reach, Selwyn River, Lake Hood and Twizel
Training: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday
Uniform: White rowing vest, black rugby shorts and socks
Recent Success
2026
- Novice U18 Eight and Novice U18 Four both won 1st place (Gold) at NZSS AON Maadi Regatta
- Novice U18 Four (2nd crew) claimed 2nd place (Silver); U18 Coxless Pair & U15 Octuple won 3rd place (Bronze)
2025
- Record 15 crews made A or B finals at Maadi Regatta
- Won 1 gold and 4 bronze at Maadi Regatta
- U15 Octuple – 1st at NZ Secondary Schools Rowing Championships
2024
- U16 Eight – 1st at NZ Secondary Schools Rowing Championships
- U17 Eight – 2nd at NZ Secondary Schools Rowing Championships
- U15 Octuple – 3rd at NZ Secondary Schools Rowing Championships
Rowing Coaching Staff
Henry Smith
Rowing Coach
Henry Smith
Rowing Coach
Physical Education teacher Henry Smith is head coach for College’s rowing programme. As a former New Zealand rower, from 2003–2008, Henry achieved a world university rowing medal. He has coached three winning Maadi crews, including a historic Springbok U18 four and a record-breaking U17 eight, at the New Zealand schools' regatta.
Tony O’Connor
Rowing Coach
Tony O’Connor
Rowing Coach
Mathematics teacher and rowing coach Tony O’Connor emigrated to New Zealand in 2004 and is now enjoying his third stint at Christ’s College.
From Dublin, Tony is a former world champion and Olympic finalist. He was on the Irish national team for nine years and spent two years coaching the national team. Last year he coached Old Boy Sam Bosworth (coxswain) and the New Zealand’s men’s eight to gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
Tony says rowing requires total commitment – “you learn a lot in the classroom, but you learn a lot on the river, too. You learn how to lose, and that can teach you more than winning.”
Dr Andrew Taylor
Rowing Coach
Dr Andrew Taylor
Rowing Coach
Andrew Taylor took up rowing with the Union Rowing Club while studying in Christchurch for his PhD. He was swiftly drafted to coach the new rowing team from Avonside Girls' High School, taking them to their first Maadi Cup regatta in 1988 – coincidentally the first year that Christ's College won the event. Andrew continued to row and coach, both school and university crews, as his life journeyed around the world: Canterbury (UK), Adelaide (Australia), Durham (UK), Canterbury (again in the UK) and eventually back to New Zealand initially with St Margaret's College and, for the last decade, at Christ's College.
His more diverse rowing background includes meeting his wife while undertaking sea trials on the Hellenic Navy warship, Olympias; a 170 oared, 40 tonne, 42 m long replica of an ancient warship with a ram on the front. Honeymooning up the Thames River on a Victoria camping skiff was a highlight, something his Durham School Boat Club boys readily adopted as a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expedition option.