host numerous sporting facilities, including the Izard Gymnasium, High Performance Cricket Centre, a water surface hockey turf, a full-sized Cross Country Course and many team sports fields. The nearby Whanganui River is used by students for rowing training and competitions; rowing being one of the sports in which Collegiate has traditionally excelled, having won the Maadi Cup 17 times, a national record. The Collegiate women's squad had a particularly strong year in 2006 when it won the most prestigious women's race in the lower north Island, the Levin Jubilee Trophy, for the first time. Unfortunately, such success could not be replicated on the national stage, with the u18 girls eight only managing bronze in the penultimate race of the 2007 Maadi Cup. The School also hosts the nationally popular Whanganui Cricket Festival each year which sees over 1000 cricketers display their skills throughout the month of January. Since 1925, the school's 'First XV' rugby team has played Christ's College, Wellington College and Nelson College in an annual quadrangular rugby tournament, this Tournament is played at a different school every year playing at Collegiate once every four years. In recent times, this tournament has been dominated by Wellington College. Whanganui Collegiate last won in 1991. Since 1994, The New Zealand Opera School has been hosted at Collegiate by Donald Trott. Notable alumni Brigadier Leslie Andrew, WW1 Victoria Cross & DSO recipient Chris Amon, Formula One racing driver, 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans champion Harriet Austin, rower Earl Bamber, professional racing driver, 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans and 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans champion Andrew Bayly, National Party MP Cameron Brewer, Auckland Councillor Tom Bruce, New Zealand international cricketer Robin Cooke, Baron Cooke of Thorndon, Law Lord Mark Cooper, President of New Zealand Court of Appeal Professor Michael Corballis, professor of psychology Wyatt Creech, Deputy Prime Minister Simon Dickie, Olympic gold medalist in rowing Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex Sir Harold Gillies, father of plastic surgery Leon Götz, National Party MP Sir Richard Harrison, National Party MP and Speaker of the House Volker Heine, physicist Joline Henry, Silver Fern netballer Nichkhun Horvejkul, Thai-American singer and actor based in South Korea, member of South Korean boy band 2PM Jimmy Hunter, member of The Original All Blacks Sir Roy Jack, National Party MP, Speaker of the House and Cabinet Minister Shehan Karunatilaka, Booker Prize winner David Kirk, All Black World Cup