ROWING: Trautvetter emulates Twigg | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

SHANE HURNDELL

Hastings Girls' High School year 12 pupil Julia Trautvetter was the toast of the Hawke's Bay contingent at the North Island Secondary Schools rowing championships at the weekend.

The Rohan Condon-coached Trautvetter won gold in the under-17 single scull final of the Lake Karapiro-hosted champs with a commanding performance which saw here lead from start to finish. She is the first Bay rower to win the title since former junior world champion Emma Twigg won it in 2004.

Trautvetter also finished fifth in the A final of the under-18 single scull.

Taikura Rudolf Steiner School's Evona Lee continued her superb season by collecting bronze in the under-18 single scull. Lee turned her hand to single sculling after last month's national champs where she rowed a pair and double scull.

It was her first attempt at 2000m in a single scull and her confidence grew after she won her heat. Coach Dick Tripp is amazed at how fast Lee has adapted to single sculling - one of the more difficult boats to master.

The Cedric Bayly-coached Napier Boys' High School crew also continued their recent top form. The coxed four of Richard Harrison, Ben Bullock, Jason Kitchin and Todd Hale with coxswain Jake Weeks won bronze. Kitchin and Bullock also won another bronze in the under-18 pair A final where Harrison and Hale were fifth.

St John's College's under-18 novice coxed four of Sam Howat, James Crisp, Sam Talbot, Trent Hulena and coxswain Hamish Trautvetter also travelled home with a bronze. Napier Girls' High School's under-15 coxed four of Abbie Green, Emily Findlay, Hollie McGovern, Louise Heath-Anderson and coxswain Lily Brownlie were sixth in their A final.

St John's College's Jacob Laird won his under-18 single scull B final. Kelsie Tripp and Olivia Maxwell of Hastings Girls' High School were sixth in their under-16 double scull B final.

Napier Girls' High School's Lucy Edwards was fourth in her under-17 single scull B final.

Several Hawke's Bay schools will be represented at the March 24-31 Maadi Cup regatta at Lake Karapiro.