KWS won the award, one of the state’s most prestigious schoolboy rowing trophies, against the odds and is the only school outside the Greater Public Schools (GPS) banner to win the award since its inception.

Shore has had a mortgage on the point score shield in recent years, with Sydney Grammar School and The Kings School among previous winners.

KWS was presented with the trophy at a recent NSW Rowing presentation dinner, and director of co-curricular Charlie Rowe believes victory was an amazing achievement.

“I’m pretty much brand new here, and came from those Sydney based schools,” he said. “And the resources they have compared to Kinross is incredible. 

“They’re rowing programs are huge compared to ours, it really is an incredible achievement to have beaten all of them.”

Rowe said the typical GPS school had between 150 and 170 students in its program, more than double that of Kinross.

“That’s just the boys too,” Rowe said.

“Girls’ programs can be even bigger. We have around 40 in each I believe.

“It’s a great reward for the amount of hard work we put in,” KWS boys’ rowing captain Hugh Alston added.

“It’s always tough competing against those schools, they’re very strong rowers so it’s great to get a win over all of them.”

KWS also brought home three other club awards - the novice under 16 and 17 points score shield, the points score trophy at the NSW schoolboy Head of the River and the points score trophy from the NSW Sprint Championships, a unique award for a school rowing team at an open championship.

Two of KWS’ coaching staff were also recognised, with Crina Dihel and Adam Harrison winning respective coach of the year awards.