Maadi Cup
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 New Zealand and is held alternatively at Lake Karapiro in the Waikato region, and Lake Ruataniwha, near Twizel.
The top prizes at the regatta are the Maadi Cup, Springbok Shield, Levin Jubilee Cup, Dawn Cup and Star Trophy
Location
The Maadi cup is held on either Lake Ruataniwha or Lake Karapiro, swapping each year. In 2007 the Aon Maadi was held on Lake Karapiro from the 31st of March to the 6th of April.
Maadi Cup
The cup was originally the gift of Dr Youssef Bahgat of the Cairo Rowing Club, Egypt, who presented it to the Maadi Camp Rowing Club as a token of friendship between members of the Cairo Rowing Club and "Kiwi" oarsmen of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force following a race with members of the Cairo Rowing Club at a regatta on the Nile on the 20th November, 1943.
The Maadi Cup was instituted in its current form in 1947 and first won by Mt Albert Grammar School. Only 14 schools have ever won the cup, with Wanganui Collegiate School the most successful, having won it 17 times.
Schools that have won the Maadi Cup:
- 1:Wanganui Collegiate School (17)
- 2:Christ's College (9)
- 3:Mount Albert Grammar School (8)
- 4:Hamilton Boys' High School (5)
- 5:Tauranga Boys' College (5)
- 5:Westlake Boys High School (3)
- 7:St Paul's Collegiate School (2)
- 7:Wanganui Technical College (2)
- 9:Auckland Grammar School (1)
- 9:Fraser High School (1)
- 9:King's College (1)
- 9:New Plymouth Boys' High School (1)
- 9:Sacred Heart College (1)
- 9:St Bede's College (1)
- 9:Wanganui High School (1)
Springbok Shield
The Springbok Shield is the prize for the boys' under 18 coxed fours. It was instigated in 1964 by Mr Cecil Purvis who was visiting South Africa at the time and met with members of the Johannesburg youth rowing community. After much discussion the Springbok Shield eventuated. The Shield is made from segments of all the woods from South Africa and was first rowed for in 1965 when it was won by Hamilton Boys' High School.
Star Trophy
The Star Trophy is the prize awarded to the top overall school at the Regatta. It has therefore come to denote the top rowing school in New Zealand. Only three schools have ever won the trophy.