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Kiwis embrace the international umpiring pathway
Becoming an rowing official and engaging in international regattas is a very real pathway open to those willing to give it a try. We speak to a quartet of Kiwi umpires who all thoroughly enjoy contributing to their sport on the global stage.
Becoming a rowing official and engaging in international regattas is a very real pathway open to those willing to give it a try. We speak to a quartet of Kiwis umpires who all thoroughly enjoy contributing to their sport on the global stage.
“Umpires are an essential part of our sport and the delivery of rowing across New Zealand. We know from the 2025 Voice of Participant survey that they are highly regarded by our rowing community, and we really value the contribution they make,” says Rowing NZ’s Loretta Herrera-Kavanagh.
“Rowing NZ is committed to supporting their ongoing training and development, from those taking their first steps into officiating right through to those progressing onto the international stage.”
Vanessa McIver
Trailblazing Vanessa McIver admits she never had the talent to become an Olympic rower, but she always dreamed of making it to the Games. Now, she believes umpiring could provide the pathway to fulfilling that ambition at LA28.
Raised in Twizel, Vanessa - known as Nessie - was first exposed to rowing as a boatholder at Lake Ruataniwha. She later became a rower and founded Twizel Rowing Club, remaining immersed in the sport. So, when a contact at a Dunedin rowing club suggested she become an official, it was an opportunity she could not turn down.
“I was okay at rowing, but I was never going to make New Zealand level because I was too short,” she admits.
“I had dreamed of appearing at the Olympics, so when the opportunity presented itself to become an official, I wondered if one day I could make it there in that capacity.” - Vanessa McIver
Nessie became a domestic umpire in 1990, but it was another 18 years before her international journey began when she was recommended to study to become New Zealand’s first female international umpire.
After successfully gaining her international certificate in Indonesia in 2011, she made her debut as an international umpire at the 2012 World Cup in Munich.
For the past 14 years, Nessie has been a regular on the international circuit, officiating at countless World Cups, World U19 and U23 Championships, Beach Sprint World Championships and the 2018 Youth Olympics in Argentina.
This week, she will make her World Championships debut in Amsterdam - a moment she describes as both “humbling and lucky” - and one she hopes will take her a step closer to achieving her ultimate dream of officiating at LA28.
“To be at a World Championships is what I need to be considered for selection for the 2028 Olympics,” she says. “I would love to be the first female New Zealand umpire at an Olympic Games.”
Believing fairness and respect are two of the key qualities required of a good umpire, Nessie is also conscious of the responsibility that comes with representing New Zealand on the international stage.
“I once remember World Rowing telling me that New Zealand rowers are among the best in the world and we expect New Zealand umpires to be the same,” she explains.
“I never want to let Rowing NZ down or embarrass anyone, so I always want to do my best.”
So, why would she recommend other Kiwis follow in her footsteps and pursue officiating on the international stage?
“It is a great chance to meet new people, form great friendships and travel the world,” explains Nessie, 54. “And if you want to strive to be at an Olympics, it is another great opportunity.”
Vanessa McIver (Pictured) dreamed of appearing at the Olympics, so when the opportunity presented itself to become an official, she wondered if one day she could make it to the Games in that capacity.
Simon Walker
Simon Walker took up umpiring to give something back to the sport he loved. Twenty years later, the farmer and part-time tour guide can look back on a treasure trove of memories and new friends - and a journey that has taken him around the world, including to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“Umpiring has helped create a whole new dimension in my life,” says Simon. “It has meant I’ve been able to travel extensively to many beautiful locations around the world. I really have been very lucky.”
His own rowing journey began after watching the New Zealand men’s eight strike gold at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games. Inspired by the performance, Simon took up the sport and, just two years later, collected a gold medal of his own when he helped Whanganui Collegiate School win the Maadi Cup.
Years later, he was re-engaged with the sport through his son, who also rowed for Whanganui Collegiate. But Simon soon grew restless sitting on the riverbank drinking coffee and talking to other parents, so he took up boat driving before being asked if he would like to try his hand at umpiring.
“The motivation was to give something back to a sport that I loved,” recalls Simon, who he next month (September) officiates at the World Rowing Masters Regatta followed by the Asian Games in Japan. “They were short of umpires at that time, and I wanted to be a part of ensuring the regattas went ahead.”
Three years later, with the 2010 World Rowing Championships looming at Lake Karāpiro, Simon answered a call for more New Zealanders to become a World Rowing umpire. 2010, he made his debut at the Munich World Cup.
The location was particularly poignant.
“It was special being in Munich because watching our eights crew win gold there at the 1972 Olympics was what started my journey in the sport,” he says.
Over the past 16 years, Simon has officiated at more than 20 international regattas. But the highlight came at Paris 2024, where he umpired the Women’s Eight final – an experience he describes as a “privilege”.
For Simon, one of the key responsibilities of an umpire is ensuring safety and fairness, but part of the attraction is the variety of roles an official can fulfil at a regatta. From starting races and adjudicating finishes to working with television and media, no two regattas are exactly the same.
Fast approaching his final year as an international jury member, when he reaches the age limit of 70 for the role, he still intends to stay involved in the sport.
He still has aspirations to continue officiating domestically and would encourage any budding Kiwi umpire to give it a go.
“I would love to see more New Zealanders go this route,” he says. “It is a lot less time-consuming than being a coach and it is a fantastic way to continue to be a part of the sport.”
Simon Walker pictured at the Paris Olympics says the motivation for becoming an official was to give something back to a sport that he loved.
Sophie Strachan
For Sophie Strachan, the path into officialdom was born out of frustration.
A former rower and long-time coach, the South Islander was coaching at Burnside High School in the early 2010s when she became increasingly disappointed by the overzealous approach of some race officials.
“I had become a little sick of the way some officials were speaking to athletes,” she says. “I became involved as a volunteer because I wanted to have some influence over making the rowing environment a better one for a 13-year-old girl to experience. Being there for the rowers, underpinned my approach.”
Not one to let the grass grow under her feet, Sophie began helping out at regattas ten years ago during an ‘off season’ between coaching roles. During her first session she was a boat driver, for experienced international official Nessie McIver, who quickly identified her potential and outlined the pathway to international officiating.
“From that first session Nessie said, ‘You know you can do this internationally and potentially one day officiate at an Olympics,’” says Sophie, who works full-time as a landscape architect in Christchurch. “Since that first interaction, Nessie has been a great mentor.”
Sophie relishes the variety of her role as an umpire and takes particular pride in overseeing the start of races.
“The start can be intense and high pressure, I personally did not relish it when I rowed,” she explains. “There is a start process we follow, and I get a lot of satisfaction from implementing a perfect start sequence and then seeing the rowers disappear off into the distance.
“To keep young people enjoying the sport and provide that interface in creating a positive environment is the best thing.”
Sophie, who coaches at Avon Rowing Club, is an executive member of the Canterbury Rowing Association and also vice chair of South Island Rowing. She successfully passed her exams to become an International Technical Official (ITO) in 2023, whilst managing the New Zealand U21 Team. Last year, she made her international debut as an umpire at World Cup II in Lucerne.
She fulfilled the same role at the World U19 Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, earlier this month and admits there are some subtle differences between officiating domestically and on the international stage.
“You are expected to be more ruthless with your decision-making internationally, especially with the senior-level rowers,” she says. “It is very important that you are up to scratch with the rules and your communication needs to be very good, as you are dealing with a lot of rowers for whom English is not their native language.”
Patience, the ability to remain calm under pressure and resourcefulness are, she believes, essential qualities for an official.
And the 38-year-old would encourage others to follow the same path.
“I’m personally more comfortable behind the scenes and I get a lot of satisfaction knowing I’ve helped create something that other people get to enjoy,” she explains. “To be an umpire is a way of contributing to a wonderful community. It is a great way to build on the legacy we already have in our sport.
“It is an especially attractive option for people who have reached that juncture in their life when they can no longer row.”
Sophie Strachan on the job at the 2026 U19 World Rowing Championships.
Lauren Farnden
There are few roles Lauren Farnden has not taken on during more than three decades of involvement in rowing.
A former oarswoman and long-time coach, she has also served as club captain and committee member at North End Rowing Club in Dunedin and is currently secretary of the Otago Rowing Association.
So, when she initially began helping out as a boat driver at a local regatta, it was perhaps inevitable that she would soon offer her services as an umpire.
“Organisers were great at fitting umpiring around my coaching as I worked towards doing my Level 2 race official exam,” explains Lauren. “When I stopped coaching, I was able to umpire entire regattas, and South Island Rowing encouraged me to take on Chief Umpire roles. These were challenging but enjoyable.”
Encouraged to consider international umpiring, Lauren sought out fellow Kiwi and international official Nessie McIver for advice on the next steps.
Putting her name forward to sit the World Rowing international umpire exam required around a year of study and a thorough understanding of the World Rowing rulebook, progression systems at regattas and the blades of all 156 member nations.
The written component required a 90 percent pass mark, while the practical exam involved multiple scenarios covering starts, race umpiring, finish judging and the control commission.
Describing officiating at international regattas as a huge honour, Lauren is particularly proud of the legacy she is continuing at North End Rowing Club.
“I am incredibly proud to represent New Zealand on the international stage, particularly because I am the fourth World Rowing umpire to come from North End Rowing Club, following Fred Strachan QSM, Syd Broadly and Royce Wilson,” she says. “New Zealand is a world leader on the water, so it is important to have representation on the officiating side too.”
Lauren made her international officiating debut at the 2024 World Cup in Poznan, Poland. She has since umpired at the FISU World University Championships in London, Canada, in August and will be on duty at the World Rowing Coastal Championships and World Rowing Beach Sprints Finals, both in Qingdao, China, in October.
Thriving in an environment that presents multiple challenges, Lauren believes remaining calm under pressure and thinking two steps ahead are among the most important qualities required of a good international umpire.
For the 50-year-old full-time podiatrist, however, it is the people she has met and the places she has visited that have made the pressure and responsibility of being an international umpire worthwhile.
“The time I’ve spent at regattas with other officials has been amazing,” explains Dunedin-based Lauren. “Although it’s hard work to get the qualification, it’s totally worth it. The people I’ve met and places I’ve been to have been inspiring. And it’s made me a better umpire for the regattas I officiate at here in New Zealand.”
Lauren Farnden (pictured above) is no stranger to international officiating and believes it’s important to have strong New Zealand representation on the officiating side of the sport.
“Umpires are an essential part of our sport and the delivery of rowing across New Zealand.
We know from the 2025 Voice of Participant survey that they are highly regarded by our rowing community, and we really value the contribution they make.
Rowing NZ is committed to supporting their ongoing training and development, from those taking their first steps into officiating right through to those progressing onto the international stage.”
Steve Landells
Steve Landells is an experienced communications specialist and sportswriter with more than 25 years' experience. He is currently a proud dad of a rower who competes for St Peter's College, Auckland.
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Kiwis embrace the international umpiring pathway
Becoming an rowing official and engaging in international regattas is a very real pathway open to those willing to give it a try. We speak to a quartet of Kiwi umpires who all thoroughly enjoy contributing to their sport on the global stage.
Becoming a rowing official and engaging in international regattas is a very real pathway open to those willing to give it a try. We speak to a quartet of Kiwis umpires who all thoroughly enjoy contributing to their sport on the global stage.
“Umpires are an essential part of our sport and the delivery of rowing across New Zealand. We know from the 2025 Voice of Participant survey that they are highly regarded by our rowing community, and we really value the contribution they make,” says Rowing NZ’s Loretta Herrera-Kavanagh.
“Rowing NZ is committed to supporting their ongoing training and development, from those taking their first steps into officiating right through to those progressing onto the international stage.”
Vanessa McIver
Trailblazing Vanessa McIver admits she never had the talent to become an Olympic rower, but she always dreamed of making it to the Games. Now, she believes umpiring could provide the pathway to fulfilling that ambition at LA28.
Raised in Twizel, Vanessa - known as Nessie - was first exposed to rowing as a boatholder at Lake Ruataniwha. She later became a rower and founded Twizel Rowing Club, remaining immersed in the sport. So, when a contact at a Dunedin rowing club suggested she become an official, it was an opportunity she could not turn down.
“I was okay at rowing, but I was never going to make New Zealand level because I was too short,” she admits.
“I had dreamed of appearing at the Olympics, so when the opportunity presented itself to become an official, I wondered if one day I could make it there in that capacity.” - Vanessa McIver
Nessie became a domestic umpire in 1990, but it was another 18 years before her international journey began when she was recommended to study to become New Zealand’s first female international umpire.
After successfully gaining her international certificate in Indonesia in 2011, she made her debut as an international umpire at the 2012 World Cup in Munich.
For the past 14 years, Nessie has been a regular on the international circuit, officiating at countless World Cups, World U19 and U23 Championships, Beach Sprint World Championships and the 2018 Youth Olympics in Argentina.
This week, she will make her World Championships debut in Amsterdam - a moment she describes as both “humbling and lucky” - and one she hopes will take her a step closer to achieving her ultimate dream of officiating at LA28.
“To be at a World Championships is what I need to be considered for selection for the 2028 Olympics,” she says. “I would love to be the first female New Zealand umpire at an Olympic Games.”
Believing fairness and respect are two of the key qualities required of a good umpire, Nessie is also conscious of the responsibility that comes with representing New Zealand on the international stage.
“I once remember World Rowing telling me that New Zealand rowers are among the best in the world and we expect New Zealand umpires to be the same,” she explains.
“I never want to let Rowing NZ down or embarrass anyone, so I always want to do my best.”
So, why would she recommend other Kiwis follow in her footsteps and pursue officiating on the international stage?
“It is a great chance to meet new people, form great friendships and travel the world,” explains Nessie, 54. “And if you want to strive to be at an Olympics, it is another great opportunity.”
Vanessa McIver (Pictured) dreamed of appearing at the Olympics, so when the opportunity presented itself to become an official, she wondered if one day she could make it to the Games in that capacity.
Simon Walker
Simon Walker took up umpiring to give something back to the sport he loved. Twenty years later, the farmer and part-time tour guide can look back on a treasure trove of memories and new friends - and a journey that has taken him around the world, including to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“Umpiring has helped create a whole new dimension in my life,” says Simon. “It has meant I’ve been able to travel extensively to many beautiful locations around the world. I really have been very lucky.”
His own rowing journey began after watching the New Zealand men’s eight strike gold at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games. Inspired by the performance, Simon took up the sport and, just two years later, collected a gold medal of his own when he helped Whanganui Collegiate School win the Maadi Cup.
Years later, he was re-engaged with the sport through his son, who also rowed for Whanganui Collegiate. But Simon soon grew restless sitting on the riverbank drinking coffee and talking to other parents, so he took up boat driving before being asked if he would like to try his hand at umpiring.
“The motivation was to give something back to a sport that I loved,” recalls Simon, who he next month (September) officiates at the World Rowing Masters Regatta followed by the Asian Games in Japan. “They were short of umpires at that time, and I wanted to be a part of ensuring the regattas went ahead.”
Three years later, with the 2010 World Rowing Championships looming at Lake Karāpiro, Simon answered a call for more New Zealanders to become a World Rowing umpire. 2010, he made his debut at the Munich World Cup.
The location was particularly poignant.
“It was special being in Munich because watching our eights crew win gold there at the 1972 Olympics was what started my journey in the sport,” he says.
Over the past 16 years, Simon has officiated at more than 20 international regattas. But the highlight came at Paris 2024, where he umpired the Women’s Eight final – an experience he describes as a “privilege”.
For Simon, one of the key responsibilities of an umpire is ensuring safety and fairness, but part of the attraction is the variety of roles an official can fulfil at a regatta. From starting races and adjudicating finishes to working with television and media, no two regattas are exactly the same.
Fast approaching his final year as an international jury member, when he reaches the age limit of 70 for the role, he still intends to stay involved in the sport.
He still has aspirations to continue officiating domestically and would encourage any budding Kiwi umpire to give it a go.
“I would love to see more New Zealanders go this route,” he says. “It is a lot less time-consuming than being a coach and it is a fantastic way to continue to be a part of the sport.”
Simon Walker pictured at the Paris Olympics says the motivation for becoming an official was to give something back to a sport that he loved.
Sophie Strachan
For Sophie Strachan, the path into officialdom was born out of frustration.
A former rower and long-time coach, the South Islander was coaching at Burnside High School in the early 2010s when she became increasingly disappointed by the overzealous approach of some race officials.
“I had become a little sick of the way some officials were speaking to athletes,” she says. “I became involved as a volunteer because I wanted to have some influence over making the rowing environment a better one for a 13-year-old girl to experience. Being there for the rowers, underpinned my approach.”
Not one to let the grass grow under her feet, Sophie began helping out at regattas ten years ago during an ‘off season’ between coaching roles. During her first session she was a boat driver, for experienced international official Nessie McIver, who quickly identified her potential and outlined the pathway to international officiating.
“From that first session Nessie said, ‘You know you can do this internationally and potentially one day officiate at an Olympics,’” says Sophie, who works full-time as a landscape architect in Christchurch. “Since that first interaction, Nessie has been a great mentor.”
Sophie relishes the variety of her role as an umpire and takes particular pride in overseeing the start of races.
“The start can be intense and high pressure, I personally did not relish it when I rowed,” she explains. “There is a start process we follow, and I get a lot of satisfaction from implementing a perfect start sequence and then seeing the rowers disappear off into the distance.
“To keep young people enjoying the sport and provide that interface in creating a positive environment is the best thing.”
Sophie, who coaches at Avon Rowing Club, is an executive member of the Canterbury Rowing Association and also vice chair of South Island Rowing. She successfully passed her exams to become an International Technical Official (ITO) in 2023, whilst managing the New Zealand U21 Team. Last year, she made her international debut as an umpire at World Cup II in Lucerne.
She fulfilled the same role at the World U19 Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, earlier this month and admits there are some subtle differences between officiating domestically and on the international stage.
“You are expected to be more ruthless with your decision-making internationally, especially with the senior-level rowers,” she says. “It is very important that you are up to scratch with the rules and your communication needs to be very good, as you are dealing with a lot of rowers for whom English is not their native language.”
Patience, the ability to remain calm under pressure and resourcefulness are, she believes, essential qualities for an official.
And the 38-year-old would encourage others to follow the same path.
“I’m personally more comfortable behind the scenes and I get a lot of satisfaction knowing I’ve helped create something that other people get to enjoy,” she explains. “To be an umpire is a way of contributing to a wonderful community. It is a great way to build on the legacy we already have in our sport.
“It is an especially attractive option for people who have reached that juncture in their life when they can no longer row.”
Sophie Strachan on the job at the 2026 U19 World Rowing Championships.
Lauren Farnden
There are few roles Lauren Farnden has not taken on during more than three decades of involvement in rowing.
A former oarswoman and long-time coach, she has also served as club captain and committee member at North End Rowing Club in Dunedin and is currently secretary of the Otago Rowing Association.
So, when she initially began helping out as a boat driver at a local regatta, it was perhaps inevitable that she would soon offer her services as an umpire.
“Organisers were great at fitting umpiring around my coaching as I worked towards doing my Level 2 race official exam,” explains Lauren. “When I stopped coaching, I was able to umpire entire regattas, and South Island Rowing encouraged me to take on Chief Umpire roles. These were challenging but enjoyable.”
Encouraged to consider international umpiring, Lauren sought out fellow Kiwi and international official Nessie McIver for advice on the next steps.
Putting her name forward to sit the World Rowing international umpire exam required around a year of study and a thorough understanding of the World Rowing rulebook, progression systems at regattas and the blades of all 156 member nations.
The written component required a 90 percent pass mark, while the practical exam involved multiple scenarios covering starts, race umpiring, finish judging and the control commission.
Describing officiating at international regattas as a huge honour, Lauren is particularly proud of the legacy she is continuing at North End Rowing Club.
“I am incredibly proud to represent New Zealand on the international stage, particularly because I am the fourth World Rowing umpire to come from North End Rowing Club, following Fred Strachan QSM, Syd Broadly and Royce Wilson,” she says. “New Zealand is a world leader on the water, so it is important to have representation on the officiating side too.”
Lauren made her international officiating debut at the 2024 World Cup in Poznan, Poland. She has since umpired at the FISU World University Championships in London, Canada, in August and will be on duty at the World Rowing Coastal Championships and World Rowing Beach Sprints Finals, both in Qingdao, China, in October.
Thriving in an environment that presents multiple challenges, Lauren believes remaining calm under pressure and thinking two steps ahead are among the most important qualities required of a good international umpire.
For the 50-year-old full-time podiatrist, however, it is the people she has met and the places she has visited that have made the pressure and responsibility of being an international umpire worthwhile.
“The time I’ve spent at regattas with other officials has been amazing,” explains Dunedin-based Lauren. “Although it’s hard work to get the qualification, it’s totally worth it. The people I’ve met and places I’ve been to have been inspiring. And it’s made me a better umpire for the regattas I officiate at here in New Zealand.”
Lauren Farnden (pictured above) is no stranger to international officiating and believes it’s important to have strong New Zealand representation on the officiating side of the sport.
“Umpires are an essential part of our sport and the delivery of rowing across New Zealand.
We know from the 2025 Voice of Participant survey that they are highly regarded by our rowing community, and we really value the contribution they make.
Rowing NZ is committed to supporting their ongoing training and development, from those taking their first steps into officiating right through to those progressing onto the international stage.”
Steve Landells
Steve Landells is an experienced communications specialist and sportswriter with more than 25 years' experience. He is currently a proud dad of a rower who competes for St Peter's College, Auckland.
