World Champion Zoë McBride announces retirement
After an incredible career, current World Champion in the lightweight women’s double Zoë McBride has announced her retirement.
Zoë started rowing at Kavanagh College and Otago Rowing Club in 2009. She represented New Zealand for the first time at the 2012 World Rowing Junior Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where she picked up a bronze medal in the women’s quadruple sculls. Zoë shifted to Nelson Rowing Club and Central Rowing Performance Centre in 2014 and pursued a rowing career as a lightweight, a move that would prove successful. She linked up with Sophie Mackenzie and won gold in the lightweight women’s double at the 2014 World Rowing U23 Championships. Zoë repeated her U23 gold-medal performance a year later in 2015, this time with Jackie Kiddle. She was then asked to join the New Zealand elite team after the U23 worlds and became the elite world champion in the lightweight women’s single sculls. She repeated this exceptional performance a year later after narrowly missing out on Olympic selection. After Rio, Zoë and Jackie were back together in the lightweight double and enjoyed a successful international campaign, picking up a gold at World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne and backing that up with a silver at the 2017 World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, Florida.
Unable to build on their spectacular silver in 2017, a sixth place finish was a great result at the 2018 World Rowing Championships in an extremely slick field. The true character of Zoë and Jackie was shown, however, when they returned in the double in 2019 and were undefeated at the World Rowing Cups and then continued that winning streak all the way through the World Rowing Championships, where the duo also clocked a World Rowing Championships best time in the process.
Rowing NZ High Performance Coach James Coote praised Zoë’s nine year international career. “Zoë has had an outstanding career at all levels in our sport, and she has made a courageous decision to retire as a world champion. Jackie Kiddle (fellow World Champion in the lightweight women’s double) and I support her decision and look forward to seeing her succeed in her future endeavours.”
“Zoë has been a considerably driven and resilient athlete, and it has been a privilege and pleasure to coach her at both an U23 and elite level. Seeing Zoë and Jackie cross the line in Linz 2019 will remain a personal highlight for me. While injuries and postponements have played their part in her career, Zoë has continued to overcome obstacles, and her determination and competitive spirit will always serve her well.”
Speaking of her retirement, Zoë acknowledged her team and many supporters. ‘’Jackie Kiddle is an incredible athlete and it was a privilege to row with her, particularly with the support of our wonderful coach, James. I’m also grateful for the amazing support received throughout my career from fellow teammates, support staff, friends and family.''
‘’Sport at an elite level can be very challenging, and my own mental well-being, and the mental wellbeing of others will remain a focus of mine. I hope to offer support and guidance in this area to younger athletes in the near future.
‘’Representing New Zealand has been an absolute honour, and whilst the decision to retire was difficult, it has given me an opportunity to reflect on all that rowing has provided me with. I am very proud of what I have achieved in sport, and I look forward to the next stage of my life.’’
Throughout her rowing career Zoë has completed a degree in marketing, and also completed qualifications in yoga training, nutrition. Zoë will remain based in Cambridge to pursue her career in marketing with a focus on women’s health.
Zoë’s lightweight women’s double partner Jackie Kiddle will continue training at Lake Karapiro as part of Rowing NZ’s High Performance Programme.
Between now and 6 April, all media enquiries and interview requests relating to High Performance should be directed to jan@rowingnz.kiwi or 021 808 132.