After a long summer of training, the Westlake Girls Rowing Squad has finally had the chance to put practice into action.

Head of the Harbour

On Saturday 12 February, our Senior Squad competed at the Head of the Harbour on Lake Pupuke (Auckland Championships). Our squad produced a strong set of results, coming away with three gold, one silver and three bronze medals. Due to inclement weather, our Junior U15/16 squad had their racing delayed until Saturday 19 February.

Our three Auckland champion crews were the GU18 Pair, GU18 Novice four and GU18 Eight. The GU18 Pair of Scarlett Kerse and Sofia Greenhalgh dominated the pairs field to secure Westlake Girls first title in this event since 2014.

Our GU18 Novice four of Neva Currie, Payton Perry, Jasmyne Howker, Jenna Zaher and coxswain Tayla Coplestone executed a wonderful race to secure a Gold medal in their first-ever race for Westlake Girls (pictured at left).

Undeniably the highlight of the day was the convincing win delivered by the GU18 Eight. Our eight, expertly coxed by Tessa Guthrie, was made up of Scarlett Kerse, Eva Dykgraaf, Sophie Dykgraaf (co-captain), Sofia Greenhalgh (co-captain), Phoebe Dobson, Caitlin Naude, Taylor Penberthy and Steph Severin. Westlake Girls last lifted the title when the crew’s coach Ella Campbell was racing in the event for Westlake Girls in 2013.

The team is pictured at top.

New Zealand National Club Championships

Following our strong showing at the Auckland Champs, 17 of our senior squad travelled to the South Island to compete in the New Zealand National Club Championships during mid February. The squad has secured a national title in the Women’s Intermediate Four.

The crew, made up of Steph Severin, Carla Pethers-Boak, Caitlin Naude, Phoebe Dobson and Tayla Coplestone, finished a full five seconds ahead of their nearest competitor from the Dunstan Arm’s Rowing Club. Sofia Greenhalgh and Scarlett Kerse have also continued to impress in their pairs combination picking up a silver medal in the WU22 Pair (pictured left).

Full results were:

New Zealand National Championship results 
Gold: Women’s Intermediate Four -Steph Severin, Carla Pethers-Boak, Caitlin Naude, Phoebe Dobson and Coxswain Tayla Coplestone
Silver: Women’s U22 Pair – Sofia Greenhalgh and Scarlett Kerse

Exhibition events

Gold: GU18 8+ – Scarlett Kerse, Eva Dykgraaf, Sophie Dykgraaf, Sofia Greenhalgh, Phoebe Dobson, Caitlin Naude, Carla Pethers-Boak, Steph Severin and Coxswain Tessa Guthrie

Gold: GU184+ Gold GU18 8+ – Scarlett Kerse, Eva Dykgraaf, Sophie Dykgraaf, Sofia Greenhalgh and Coxswain Tessa Guthrie

Bronze: GU184+ – Steph Severin, Taylor Penberthy, Caitlin Naude, Phoebe Dobson and Coxswain Tayla Coplestone

Today our rowers head to Lake Karapiro for Junior Regatta. Good luck!