Rowing New Zealand Elite Team announcement
The 2017 Rowing New Zealand Elite team for 2017 was named at an announcement at Lake Karapiro today.
The 39 strong team will contest the 2017 World Rowing Cup II in Poznan, Poland in June and World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland in July as well as the Henley Royal Regatta in the United Kingdom. A final trial will take place in August to select crews to contest to the 2017 world Rowing Championships in Sarasota-Bradenton, USA.
With previous Olympic medallists Mahe Drysdale, Eric Murray, Hamish Bond and Genevieve Behrent all unavailable for selection, the squad sees some new faces added to the mix of already proven athletes including 19 returning Olympians.
Ten boat classes have been selected, including nine Olympic boat classes.
Selections reinforce the small boat priority, as well as further developing the progress made in the men’s and women’s eight programme over the last two years with support from philanthropic donors.
High Performance Director Alan Cotter was confident in the selections.
“It’s an exciting squad with opportunities for new athletes and crews. We’ve set ourselves a very high standard and there are some big shoes to fill but I’m confident these athletes can take up the challenge.”
Two time Olympian Robbie Manson takes charge of the men’s single scull under coach Noel Donaldson. The 27 year old made his ambition to take the seat clear following his emphatic victory at the recent 2017 New Zealand Rowing Championships and has a proven sculling ability with numerous victories in the men’s double sculls at national and international level.
The men’s pair seats have been claimed by Tom Murray and Jamie Hunter, multiple national championship title holders. Murray had previously been part of the Rio 2016 men’s eight, and Hunter a member of the lightweight men’s four who placed fifth in Rio. Murray and Hunter will be coached by Noel Donaldson.
Chris Harris, 31, and John Storey, 29, will join forces in the men’s double sculls under coach Calvin Ferguson. Their extensive rowing careers include multiple world championship and world cup medals as well as two Olympic Games.
The men’s quad will see a mix of senior rowers and fresh faces with Nathan Flannery and Giacomo Thomas returning to the fold, while under-23 world championship silver medallists Cameron Crampton and Lewis Hollows snaring the final two seats with Mike Rodger as coach.
Matt Dunham will contest the lightweight men’s single sculls. Dunham, 22, is no stranger to success having two 2016 world cup gold medals under his belt as part of the men’s lightweight four where he was a replacement for an injured Peter Taylor.
The final make-up of the men’s eight is yet to be decided, but includes previous crew members, Brook Robertson, Alex Kennedy, Isaac Grainger, Shaun Kirkham and Stephen Jones. Lightweight rower James Lassche has also forced his way into contention, as well as Paddy McInnes Anthony Allen and Drikus Conradie previously of the men’s four and under-23 coxed four world champion Cameron Webster. The men’s eight will be coxed by Caleb Shepherd, and coached by Gary Roberts.
Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast move into the women’s pair. Gowler and Prendergast were previously teammates in the women’s eight that claimed silver in the 2015 World Rowing Championships and gold in the 2014 Under 23 World Championship Pair. The women’s pair will be coached by Gary Hay.
The 2015 under-23 world champions Zoe McBride and Jackie Kiddle reunite in the lightweight women’s double sculls with coach Gary Hay. The crew are set to be a formidable force with McBride being two time senior World Champion in the lightweight women’s single sculls, and Kiddle having collected lightweight women’s double sculls silver at the 2016 under-23 world rowing championships in Rotterdam.
Three athletes are in the running for the women’s double, coached by James Coote. With only two places available the choice will be between southerner Olivia Loe, and Waikato’s Hannah Osborne and Brooke Donoghue
Another change sees cox Sam Bosworth taking the helm of the women’s eight in lieu of Francie Turner following a FISA rule change allowing males or females to serve as coxswains regardless of whether the boat is a women’s or men’s crew.
The remaining eight seats will come from ten athletes currently selected, including returning Olympic medallist Rebecca Scown, previous members Emma Dyke, Kelsey Bevan and Ruby Tew. 2016 reserve Ashlee Rowe, newcomers, Jackie Gowler, Kelsi Walters and Kirstyn Goodger and 2016 women’s quad athletes Georgia Perry and Lucy Spoors make up the remainder of the squad. The women’s eight will be coached by Dan Kelly.
Crews will remain at Lake Karapiro to train before departing for Europe on the 8 th June 2017. The team will contest the 2017 World Rowing Cup II in Poznan, Poland from 15th – 18th June before travelling to the United Kingdom for the Henley Royal Regatta taking place from 28 th June – 2 nd July and finally the World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland, from the 7 th – 9 th July.
Rowing New Zealand Elite Team 2017
To contest World Rowing Cup II, World Rowing Cup III and Henley Royal Regatta
Men’s Single Scull
Robbie Manson (Central RPC, Wairau RC)
Noel Donaldson (coach)
Men’s Lightweight Single Scull
Matthew Dunham (Waikato RPC, Cambridge RC)
Calvin Ferguson (coach)
Men’s Coxless Pair
Tom Murray (Central RPC, Blenheim RC)
James Hunter (Central RPC, Wellington RC)
Noel Donaldson (coach)
Men’s Double Scull
Chris Harris (Central RPC, Aramaho Wanganui RC)
John Storey (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Calvin Ferguson (coach)
Men’s Coxless Quad
Lewis Hollows (Auckland RPC, West End RC)
Cameron Crampton (Southern RPC, Timaru RC)
Nathan Flannery (Southern RPC, Union Christchurch RC)
Giacomo Thomas (Auckland RPC, Hawkes Bay RC)
Mike Rodger (coach)
Men’s Coxed Eight Squad (Crew TBC)
Drikus Conradie (Waikato RC, Waikato RC)
Brook Robertson (Central RPC, Nelson RC)
Alex Kennedy (Waikato RPC, Te Awamutu RC)
Cameron Webster (Auckland RPC, North Shore RC)
Isaac Grainger (Auckland RPC, Auckland RC)
Shaun Kirkham (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
Anthony Allen (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
James Lassche (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Patrick McInnes (Waikato RPC, Hawkes Bay RC)
Stephen Jones (Auckland RPC, West End RC)
Caleb Shepherd (cox) (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
Gary Roberts (coach)
Women’s Double Scull Squad (Crew TBC)
Hannah Osborne (Waikato RPC, Te Awamutu RC)
Olivia Loe (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Brooke Donoghue (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
James Coote (coach)
Women’s Coxless Pair
Kerri Gowler (Central RPC, Aramoho Wanganui RC)
Grace Prendergast (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Gary Hay (coach)
Lightweight Women’s Double Scull
Zoe McBride (Central RPC, Nelson RC)
Jackie Kiddle (Central RPC, Star BC)
Gary Hay (coach)
Women’s Coxed Eight Squad (Crew TBC)
Georgia Perry (Waikato RPC, Cambridge RC)
Jackie Gowler (Central RPC, Aramoho Wanganui RC)
Emma Dyke (Southern RPC, Timaru RC)
Lucy Spoors (Southern RPC, Canterbury RC)
Rebecca Scown (Central RPC, Union Wanganui)
Kelsi Walters (Auckland RPC, Auckland Grammar RC)
Kelsey Bevan (Auckland RPC, Counties Manukau RC)
Ruby Tew (Central RPC, Star BC)
Ashlee Rowe (Auckland RPC, North Shore RC)
Kirstyn Goodger (Central RPC, Wairau RC)
Sam Bosworth (cox) (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Dan Kelly (coach)
Team Manager
Jan Taylor