By Jonathan Leask  March 10 2010

The Ashburton College rowing teams have continued a rich vein of form as they build towards the Maadi Cup with some excellent results at the South Island Championships recently.

With the Maadi Cup beginning in 12 days the crews have continued to improve in the lead up to the pinnacle event of the season with all the crews qualifying for finals.

The Ashburton crew's achievements turned a few heads as the squad raced in five A finals and three B finals.

In the under 17 single scull, Olivia Bain finished second in her heat but due to the number of entrants only qualified for the B final where she finished third.

The under 18 pair of Harriet Wilson and Shannon Brawley produced a superb race to come third in the A final and receive a bronze medal.

The under 15 double of Amy Cullimore and Emma Jary won their heat to progress into the A final in what was a large field of 38 crews, with only 16 places available for the eight lane A and B finals. In a strong A final they managed to come sixth.

In the under 17 fours Ashburton had two boats in action and both made the A Final. Carrot one containing Wilson, Brawley Nicole Hazelhurst, Rebecca French and cox Georgie Aitken flew home to claim third place while the younger Carrot Two of Cullimore, Jary, Bain, Emma Mears and Adam Hodge at cox were hot on the pace coming in a highly creditable fifth.

The two crews were then in action in the quads with Carrot Two taking a third in the B final while Carrot One made the A final, coming in eighth.

The results show the development and improvements the crews have made over the season and it seems they are peaking at the right time.

"There was a definite buzz about Ashburton being more prominent," coach Steve Beveridge.

"It's been quite a hard season with back to back regattas. It meant there's not a lot of time for speed work."

The crews have been competitive and have hit form at the right time and will hit the lake over the next week with the focus fully on the Maadi Cup.

"We have a fortnight to tweak bits and pieces.

"Then it will be first things first with the heats and hopefully be there come mid week," Beveridge said.