2018 Rowing NZ Elite Team Announcement
Each year Rowing NZ selects teams to represent New Zealand at Rowing World Cup and World Championship regattas, and the 2018 Rowing NZ Elite team was named today at an announcement at Lake Karapiro. These athletes have been selected to represent New Zealand following a five day trial including gruelling seat racing.
The main international competitions for the Rowing NZ High Performance programme are the Olympic Games (held every 4 years with the next Olympic Games held in Tokyo, 2020), the Rowing World Cup series, and the annual World Rowing Championships. The Rowing World Cup series comprises of three regattas held each year with overall winners being determined by points that are awarded to the top finishing boats at each event. New Zealand routinely attends Rowing World Cup II and Rowing World Cup III.
The 45 strong team will remain at Lake Karapiro to train before departing overseas to contest the 2018 World Rowing Cup II in Linz-Ottensheim, Austria in June and World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland in July. A final trial will take place from 27 – 29 July to select crews to contest to the 2018 World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
High Performance Director Alan Cotter was today very proud of the team selected. “It’s our ambition to become the best rowing nation in the world, and this team is the next step towards that goal. We have some of the best rowing facilities and coaching staff in the world, and with such a strong team we have every opportunity to thrive on the international scene.”
Twelve Olympic boat classes have been selected, a strong foundation for international success says Cotter. “2017 saw a very strong performance from the New Zealand team. Despite only attending two of the three Rowing World Cup regattas, we placed second on the overall points table, followed by another strong performance at the Rowing World Championships, again placing second on the points table. We’re training for the 2018 international regatta series but our strategy is focused around the 2020 Olympics.”
The 2018 team sees some new talent join the elite squad with Ben van Dalen (Waikato RPC, Cambridge RC) entering the lightweight men’s double sculls, Jordan Parry (Waikato RPC, Tauranga RC) joining the men’s quad, Martyn O’Leary (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC) in the men’s reserve coxless pair, Phoebe Spoors (Southern RPC, Canterbury RC) in the women’s coxless four, and Kelsi Parker (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC) joining the women’s eight.
New Zealand champion Robbie Manson was no surprise in the announcement, having proven his sculling ability across numerous victories in the men’s double sculls class at a national and international level. Manson, coached by Noel Donaldson, last year set a world record in the men’s single sculls in Poznan and recently took home three gold medals and a silver in the men’s premier eight at the 2018 Rocket Foods New Zealand Rowing Championships.
Eight-time former national single sculls champion and two time Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale, currently recovering from a neck injury, will also compete in the World Cup series later this year to determine which Kiwi will represent New Zealand in the men’s single sculls at the World Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in September.
The men’s coxless pair seats have been claimed by current World Championships bronze medallists Tom Murray, and Michael Brake - members of the men's eight that claimed sixth place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Murray and Brake will be coached by Noel Donaldson.
New Zealand’s reigning world champion combination Chris Harris and John Storey will join forces again in the men’s double sculls under coach Calvin Ferguson. Their individual rowing careers include world cup medals as well as competing in two Olympic Games each. Harris competed in the men’s double at the Rio Olympic Games with crewmate Robbie Manson in 2016.
Coached by Gary Roberts, the men’s eight includes Brook Robertson, Anthony Allen, Cameron Webster, Stephen Jones, Joe Wright, Isaac Grainger, Shaun Kirkham, Phillip Wilson and coxswain Caleb Shepherd. Caleb coxed the men's eight that claimed sixth place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Hannah Osborne continues her steady rise from the 2016 U23 team and a strong debut in the women’s singles sculls in 2017 - selected again in the elite women’s single sculls. Hannah will be coached by James Coote.
Two-time lightweight single sculls world champion Zoe McBride, together with former teammate Jackie Kiddle, join the 2018 team coached by Gary Hay after gaining a silver medal in the 2017 World Championships.
The women’s coxless pair seats were secured by powerful duo and current world champions and world best time holders in the women’s pair and four, Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast. Prendergast was also part of the New Zealand women’s four that won gold and set a world best time at the 2014 World Rowing Championships. The pair will be coached by Gary Hay.
World champions Olivia Loe and Brooke Donoghue, coached by James Coote will compete in the women’s double sculls.
The 2016 Rio Olympic Games was the first time New Zealand had competed in the women's eight event. The crew finished in fourth place, just one second outside of the medals. The 2017 crew saw a far stronger performance, taking home a bronze medal. Coached by Dan Kelly, coxswain Sam Bosworth again takes the helm of the 2018 women’s eight following a recent FISA rule change allowing males or females to serve as coxswains regardless of crew’s gender. The remaining eight seats will be occupied by Kelsey Bevan, Kelsi Walters, Emma Dyke, Beth Ross, Jackie Gowler, Lucy Spoors, Kelsi Parker and Ella Greenslade.
Rowing NZ Elite Team 2018
To contest 2018 World Rowing Cup II in Linz-Ottensheim, Austria in June and World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland in July.
Men’s Single Scull
Mahe Drysdale (Auckland RPC, West End RC)
Calvin Ferguson (coach)
Men’s Single Scull
Robbie Manson (Central RPC, Wairau RC)
Noel Donaldson (coach)
Men’s Coxless Pair
Tom Murray (Central RPC, Blenheim RC)
Michael Brake (Auckland RPC, North Shore RC)
Noel Donaldson (coach)
Men’s Double Scull
Chris Harris (Central RPC, Aramoho Whanganui RC)
John Storey (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Calvin Ferguson (coach)
Lightweight Men’s Double Scull
Ben van Dalen (Waikato RPC, Cambridge RC)
Matthew Dunham (Waikato RPC, Cambridge RC)
Calvin Ferguson (coach)
Men’s Quad
Lewis Hollows (Auckland RPC, West End RC)
Cameron Crampton (Timaru RC, Southern RPC)
Jordan Parry (Waikato RPC, Tauranga RC)
Nathan Flannery (Union Christchurch RC, Southern RPC)
Mike Rodger (coach)
Men’s Eight
Brook Robertson (Central RPC, Nelson RC)
Anthony Allen (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
Cameron Webster (Auckland RPC, North Shore RC)
Stephen Jones (Auckland RPC, West End RC)
Joe Wright (Central RPC, Wellington RC)
Isaac Grainger (Auckland RPC, Auckland RC)
Shaun Kirkham (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
Phillip Wilson (Central RPC, Petone RC)
Caleb Shepherd (cox) (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
Gary Roberts (coach)
Men’s Reserve Single Scull
Giacomo Thomas (Auckland RPC, Hawkes Bay RC)
Mike Rodger (coach)
Men’s Reserve Coxless Pair
Martyn O’Leary (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
Charlie Rogerson (Waikato RPC, Tauranga RC)
Noel Donaldson (coach)
Women’s Single Scull
Hannah Osborne (Waikato RPC, Te Awamutu RC)
James Coote (coach)
Women’s Coxless Pair
Kerri Gowler (Central RPC, Aramoho Whanganui)
Grace Prendergast (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Gary Hay (coach)
Women’s Double Scull
Olivia Loe (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Brooke Donoghue (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
James Coote (coach)
Women’s Lightweight Double Scull
Jackie Kiddle (Central RPC, Star BC)
Zoe McBride (Central RPC, Nelson RC )
Gary Hay (coach)
Women’s Coxless Four
Ellie Jeurissen (Auckland RPC, West End RC)
Ruby Tew (Central RPC, Star BC)
Georgia Perry (Waikato RPC, Cambridge RC)
Phoebe Spoors (Southern RPC, Canterbury RC)
Mark Stallard (coach)
Women’s Eight
Kelsey Bevan (Auckland RPC, Counties-Manukau RC)
Kelsi Walters (Auckland RPC, Auckland Grammar RC)
Emma Dyke (Southern RPC, Timaru RC)
Beth Ross (Central RPC, Petone RC)
Jackie Gowler (Central RPC, Aramoho Whanganui RC)
Lucy Spoors (Southern RPC, Canterbury RC)
Kelsi Parker (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
Ella Greenslade (Central RPC, Wairau RC)
Sam Bosworth (cox) (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Dan Kelly (coach)
Women’s Reserve Single Scull
Kirstyn Goodger (Central RPC, Wairau RC)
James Coote (coach)
Team Managers
Jan Taylor
Sonya Walker