Kelsi Walters

Kelsi Walters started rowing at Counties Manukau Rowing Club and Rosehill College in 2007 at the age of 12.

She made her first New Zealand team in 2012 as part of the junior women’s coxless four that won a bronze medal at the World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. After joining Auckland Rowing Performance Centre she was selected into the U23 women’s coxless four and picked up another bronze, this time at the 2013 World Rowing U23 Championships in Linz, Austria. In 2014 she gained selection in the same boat class, and this time the crew earned a silver at the World Rowing U23 Championships in Varese, Italy. In 2016 Kelsi was selected in the U23 women’s eight and the crew placed 4th in an extremely close race, finishing just 0.03s behind the medals. After many successes at age-group level, Kelsi moved into the elite women’s eight for 2017. The crew had an outstanding season, winning gold and silver at World Rowing Cups II and III along with a win at the Henley Royal Regatta. They finished with a bronze medal from the World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, Florida, after an extremely close race in a very competitive field. Kelsi was also in the 2018 elite women’s eight that picked up multiple World Rowing Cup medals and finished 7th at the World Rowing Championships.

A change in 2019 saw Kelsi move into the women’s four as part of the new-look crew with a range of experience. The four finished in 11th place at the 2019 World Rowing Championships.