A year on, another pathway to the top begins
New Zealand crews showing promise at Under 23 Worlds after last year's medal successes.
Less than a year ago at the U23 World Championships in Canada, Oli Welch was stroking the New Zealand Men's Pair that set a world best time for that age group.
Finn Hamill was suffering the disappointment of missing the A Final of the Men's Quad.
Beckie Leigh was on the podium getting silver in the Women's Four.
Just over a month ago, 21-year-old Welch was beating the famous Sinkovic brothers from Croatia in the Men's Pair with Ben Taylor to win gold at World Cup Varese.
Two weeks later, Leigh was winning bronze in the Women's Four at Lucerne, in just her fourth race at Elite level.
And three weeks ago, Hamill was grabbing worldwide attention for running down Olympic champion Oli Zeidler and Simon van Dorp at Henley in the Diamond Challenge Sculls.
How things can change in 12 months!
Overnight, the next set of New Zealand athletes were getting on that pathway on day one of the 2025 World Under 23 Championships in Poznan, Poland.
Four New Zealand crews raced heats, the Women's Four, Double and Men's Pair all advancing to the semifinals.
Madeleine Parker won silver in the Women's Four in Canada last year and she's back with three U23 debutants in Meg Flanagan, Zola Kemp and Nicole Campbell.
It's another all-US College athlete crew: Parker and Kemp at University of Washington; Flanagan and Campbell out of the University of Tennessee.
They drew defending champions Great Britain in their heat and took it to the Brits out of the start. They were a length down at the thousand in second place and that's where they finished.
Great Britain crossed in 6.41.37, New Zealand clocked 6.46.44.
"They were pretty solid through to the 1K and then just lost their way a wee bit for the last 800-odd metres," says coach Mark Stallard. "There's a wee bit of work to do but they're happy they can turn it around.
"They're a good crew. They're a very strong crew. They just haven't spent a heap of time together. Even though they didn't have their best race, they were still the second fastest overall so they're pretty happy and positive about what they can do."
Madeleine Parker (3 SEAT) won silver in the Women's Four in Canada last year and she's back in the Four with three U23 debutants in Meg Flanagan, Zola Kemp and Nicole Campbell.
Just a year ago Charlize Tutbury was seeing how quickly you can develop at Under 23 level, when her brother Callum won bronze in Canada in the Men's Four. Now it's her turn, teaming up with Star's Mackenzie Tuffin in the Women's Double Sculls.
Their first race at this level came with a brutal opening.
"I think there was a bit of a shock to the system," says coach Nick Barton. "The speed and the standard and strategically, they probably went out a little bit too hard and couldn't go again at a thousand."
They went through the halfway point in second but dropped to fifth across the line, finishing in 7.11.28. It was the fastest of the three heats, with Poland winning in 7.00.29.
So, a steep learning curve that ended with a big uptick.
"Really happy to get through to the semi," says Barton. "It's going to take a bit of a strategic race to try and work out where the best places are to burn matches to try and get through to the A Final. We'll have to take another step on."
Barton's confident they will push on with a day to recover and some time to reset their race plan.
" Mackenzie's really tough, rows really well and she gets everything out of herself. And Charlize, it's phenomenal what she can do. She's got a really good engine. It's exciting to see where she can take it."
Waikato's Charlize Tutbury (stroke) with Star's Mackenzie Tuffin in the Women's Double Sculls - their first race at this level.
Jack Pearson was also in that Quad with Finn Hamill last year. He's back this time in the Double with Matt King.
They finished fourth in their heat to go to the D Final.
"It probably wasn't their best work," says Stallard. "Everything in training suggested they'd have been quite a bit better than that. But I don't think one race will define their winter. They're obviously a bit upset because this is week 16 out of a really good campaign.
"They're going have a catch up later on and just make a bit more of a solid plan for the next couple of days. You can't take away from the fact that they're good young guys, big strong young men, who want to be involved in rowing."
Jack Pearson in the Double with Matt King.
The Men's Pair of Dylan McConnell and Alex Fletcher were also making their first appearance at Under 23 level. They finished fourth in their heat in 6.37.85, a time well good enough to make the semifinals.
The Men's Pair of Dylan McConnell and Alex Fletcher making their first appearance at Under 23 level and through to the semis.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and Maadi Cup-winning coach. He was cox of the world champion New Zealand eight of 1982 and '83. He is NZ Olympian #446.
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A year on, another pathway to the top begins
New Zealand crews showing promise at Under 23 Worlds after last year's medal successes.
Less than a year ago at the U23 World Championships in Canada, Oli Welch was stroking the New Zealand Men's Pair that set a world best time for that age group.
Finn Hamill was suffering the disappointment of missing the A Final of the Men's Quad.
Beckie Leigh was on the podium getting silver in the Women's Four.
Just over a month ago, 21-year-old Welch was beating the famous Sinkovic brothers from Croatia in the Men's Pair with Ben Taylor to win gold at World Cup Varese.
Two weeks later, Leigh was winning bronze in the Women's Four at Lucerne, in just her fourth race at Elite level.
And three weeks ago, Hamill was grabbing worldwide attention for running down Olympic champion Oli Zeidler and Simon van Dorp at Henley in the Diamond Challenge Sculls.
How things can change in 12 months!
Overnight, the next set of New Zealand athletes were getting on that pathway on day one of the 2025 World Under 23 Championships in Poznan, Poland.
Four New Zealand crews raced heats, the Women's Four, Double and Men's Pair all advancing to the semifinals.
Madeleine Parker won silver in the Women's Four in Canada last year and she's back with three U23 debutants in Meg Flanagan, Zola Kemp and Nicole Campbell.
It's another all-US College athlete crew: Parker and Kemp at University of Washington; Flanagan and Campbell out of the University of Tennessee.
They drew defending champions Great Britain in their heat and took it to the Brits out of the start. They were a length down at the thousand in second place and that's where they finished.
Great Britain crossed in 6.41.37, New Zealand clocked 6.46.44.
"They were pretty solid through to the 1K and then just lost their way a wee bit for the last 800-odd metres," says coach Mark Stallard. "There's a wee bit of work to do but they're happy they can turn it around.
"They're a good crew. They're a very strong crew. They just haven't spent a heap of time together. Even though they didn't have their best race, they were still the second fastest overall so they're pretty happy and positive about what they can do."
Madeleine Parker (3 SEAT) won silver in the Women's Four in Canada last year and she's back in the Four with three U23 debutants in Meg Flanagan, Zola Kemp and Nicole Campbell.
Just a year ago Charlize Tutbury was seeing how quickly you can develop at Under 23 level, when her brother Callum won bronze in Canada in the Men's Four. Now it's her turn, teaming up with Star's Mackenzie Tuffin in the Women's Double Sculls.
Their first race at this level came with a brutal opening.
"I think there was a bit of a shock to the system," says coach Nick Barton. "The speed and the standard and strategically, they probably went out a little bit too hard and couldn't go again at a thousand."
They went through the halfway point in second but dropped to fifth across the line, finishing in 7.11.28. It was the fastest of the three heats, with Poland winning in 7.00.29.
So, a steep learning curve that ended with a big uptick.
"Really happy to get through to the semi," says Barton. "It's going to take a bit of a strategic race to try and work out where the best places are to burn matches to try and get through to the A Final. We'll have to take another step on."
Barton's confident they will push on with a day to recover and some time to reset their race plan.
" Mackenzie's really tough, rows really well and she gets everything out of herself. And Charlize, it's phenomenal what she can do. She's got a really good engine. It's exciting to see where she can take it."
Waikato's Charlize Tutbury (stroke) with Star's Mackenzie Tuffin in the Women's Double Sculls - their first race at this level.
Jack Pearson was also in that Quad with Finn Hamill last year. He's back this time in the Double with Matt King.
They finished fourth in their heat to go to the D Final.
"It probably wasn't their best work," says Stallard. "Everything in training suggested they'd have been quite a bit better than that. But I don't think one race will define their winter. They're obviously a bit upset because this is week 16 out of a really good campaign.
"They're going have a catch up later on and just make a bit more of a solid plan for the next couple of days. You can't take away from the fact that they're good young guys, big strong young men, who want to be involved in rowing."
Jack Pearson in the Double with Matt King.
The Men's Pair of Dylan McConnell and Alex Fletcher were also making their first appearance at Under 23 level. They finished fourth in their heat in 6.37.85, a time well good enough to make the semifinals.
The Men's Pair of Dylan McConnell and Alex Fletcher making their first appearance at Under 23 level and through to the semis.
Andy Hay
Andy Hay is a freelance producer, writer and Maadi Cup-winning coach. He was cox of the world champion New Zealand eight of 1982 and '83. He is NZ Olympian #446.
