Charlotte Spence

Charlotte began her rowing career at Epsom Girls Grammar School in 2011. She had great school level success and in her final year won a silver medal in the coveted Levin Jubilee Cup U18 eight, the most successful eight’s result in the school’s history. While she was at high school, Charlotte was also selected into the Auckland Regional Light Blues squad which competed at the Queensland State Championships in 2014, and North Island U18 Team which raced in the NZ North vs South regatta in 2015.

Charlotte joined Auckland RPC at the end of 2015. She experienced success competing for Auckland, earning bronze in the U20 pair and the premier eight at her first New Zealand Rowing Championships. She was subsequently selected into her first New Zealand team in the Junior Women’s Coxless Four which went on to compete at the 2016 World Junior Championships in Rotterdam and place 6th.

In the following years, Charlotte experienced national success and gained a number of national age group titles. She stepped it up a level in 2017 with her selection into the New Zealand Under 23 Rowing Team in the Women’s Coxless Four, and competed at the U23 World Championships in Plovdiv, placing 9th. Upon returning to New Zealand, Charlotte was then selected into the Elite Team to compete at World Championships in Sarasota. At the age of 19, she placed 10th in her international elite debut, and on the back of this success was included in the New Zealand Summer Squad for the domestic season.

Charlotte was selected into her 2nd New Zealand U23 team in 2018, once again in the Women’s Coxless Four. The crew placed 5th in the A final at the U23 World Championships in Poznan. In 2019, Charlotte had great national success in the U22 Women’s Pair with Catherine Layburn, and together the pair were selected into the 2019 New Zealand U23 Coxless Four alongside two new crew mates. The new combination placed 8th at U23 World Championships in Sarasota.

In 2020, Charlotte was selected into the New Zealand U23 team for the fourth year, however was unable to compete internationally due to the cancellation of the regatta. This lead to Charlotte’s selection into the New Zealand Elite Development Squad, and her switch from sweeping to sculling. Charlotte experienced success in sculling in 2021, and travelled to the Tokyo Olympics as a reserve for the NZ Team.

In 2022, Charlotte competed internationally for the first time in 3 years, this time at Elite level. She placed 5th in the B Final in the Women’s Single at World Cup II in Poznan, and 1st in the B Final in the Women’s Quad at World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne. She also competed in the Princess Grace Challenge Women’s Quadruple Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta, where her crew was knocked out in the semi finals after facing the reigning Olympic champions.

Outside the boat, Charlotte is studying towards a Bachelor of Health Science at Massey University, is learning French, and is a food lover.