Youngsters show their mettle at SA Schools Rowing Championships

Roodeplaat Dam was the host of the 2023 SA Schools Rowing Championships, in partnership with Rand Merchant Bank. This year’s event saw hundreds of athletes from 25 schools and clubs across South Africa gather for the year’s top event for young rowers. The competition took place from 3 to 5 March.

Roodeplaat Dam has been tidied up in preparation for the 2023 World Masters Rowing Regatta, which takes place there in September.

The weekend saw a number of exciting races, with St Benedict’s and St Mary’s successfully defending their titles to remain the top SA boys’ and girls’ rowing schools respectively. The biggest highlight of the weekend was when Holy Rosary won the ladies’ first quad ahead of St Mary’s, and St Stithians surprised by winning the junior men’s coxed 8 event for the first time since 1994.

“We have an incredibly strong pipeline of young talent in our country,” says RMB Head of Brand, Lucy Lightfoot. “Sporting events like the SA Schools Rowing Championships help to create a platform for talented athletes to get recognised, get scholarships, travel, and possibly make the RMB National Squad and represent South Africa on the international stage.”

The 2023 SA Schools Rowing Championships was an exciting event that showcased the skill and athleticism of the country’s best young rowers. The competition was made possible through the partnership between Rand Merchant Bank and the schools and clubs that participated.

Get the regatta results here.

Blake brings a lot of energy, passion and heart into everything he does. He is extremely passionate about our country, it’s people and the environment. He is based in Cape Town and is happiest when he is running around exploring the beauty of the mountains.