Christchurch Boys' High School has finally claimed what is arguably the most sought-after trophy in New Zealand Secondary School sport, the Maadi Cup.
The Christchurch Boys' High School Under-18 Coxed Eight won the cup, which has existed for 72 years, at Lake Karapiro near Cambridge on Saturday.
Defending champions, Christ's College led for the majority of the race, however a well-timed move by Christchurch Boys' High in the last 500m, earned the win by just over a second. Auckland Grammar School claimed the bronze medal, crossing the finish line eight seconds later.
At the conclusion of the qualifying stages, Christchurch Boys' High School had finished with the fastest time.
Christchurch Boys' High School rowing captain Cameron Henderson said the school had already won six gold medals by the end of Friday, which gave his crew plenty of motivation and confidence heading into the next day.
Henderson said the "vibe throughout the week was surprisingly relaxed". The school's rowers had a good amount of "confidence".
He said staying half an hour away in Hamilton had helped as it did not feel like they were at Maadi Cup. It relaxed everyone.
The win still hadn't sunk in, Henderson said, adding it was a "pretty surreal feeling".
The best thing for him was seeing how much the win meant to the "old boys", who had narrowly missed out so many times before.
Boys' High finished its 2019 Maadi Cup campaign with 10 Medals – eight gold and two bronze. The school also claimed the awards for the overall points trophy and best coach.