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NZ Elite Call-Up Marks New Chapter for Fitzpatrick

November 26, 2025
Copy of _D1A1027

Harry Fitzpatrick was called up to the New Zealand Elite Summer Squad for the first time in August. After four years studying and rowing at the University of Washington, we check in on the 22-year-old to see how he is adapting to life based out of Lake Karāpiro.

It was only after returning to pick up his phone following a game of tennis with his dad, did Harry Fitzpatrick receive confirmation he had earned selection for the New Zealand Elite Summer Squad for 2025-26.

With his phone “blowing up” with congratulatory messages, it was rich reward for Harry, who has consistently delivered through his rowing career and who had featured in the men’s eight which claimed a silver medal at the 2025 World U23 Championships in Poznan the previous month.

“When I saw the messages on my phone, I was ecstatic and proud, although I realised that this was just the beginning,” explains Harry. “My goal was not only to make the (New Zealand) training squad but to compete at the Olympic Games and win medals. I was aware that following my selection that the hard work was only just beginning.”

Taking up rowing as a year ten student at St Peter’s College, Auckland, Harry claimed multiple medals at the Maadi Regatta during his time there, highlighted by gold in the Boy’s U16 Single Sculls in 2019. Academically excellent, he was awarded Head Boy in 2020 before impressing in 2021 by securing multiple national medals.

Attracting interest from US Colleges, later in 2021 he took up a four-year scholarship to attend the University of Washington, where he excelled both on and off the water. Named an Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association (IRCA) Scholar-Athlete in 2024 and 2025, he also featured in the bow seat for the triumphant University of Washington eights that swept to back-to-back wins in the 2024 and 2025 Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships.

Yet despite graduating with a Bachelor of Communications and a minor in Business Administration, he was not prepared to accept his time in Seattle would be a full stop on his rowing ambitions.

Copy of _D1A1100

Harry (right) with fellow Kiwis Ben Shortt (left) and Logan Ullrich (centre) after winning the Varsity Eight at the 2025 IRA National Championship Regatta. Photo: Sharron Bennett

“I have a very strong internal drive to succeed,” he explains. “I had a lot of success in the States, but something didn’t settle right with me to just leave it there. I wanted to see how far I could go with it. I wanted to stand at the top of podiums. I am lucky that Rowing New Zealand is a great organisation with a great record of past results. They develop athletes well, it is the best environment to be in, and I really wanted to be a part of it.”

With Logan Ullrich, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games coxless four silver medallist, acting as a mentor, he advised Harry to keep Rowing NZ updated with his plans and after graduating from the University of Washington he successfully trialled for the U23 squad and earned selection in the men’s eight for Poznan. Going on to win silver at the World U23 Championships did his cause no harm, and in August he received confirmation he had been selected to join the Rowing NZ Summer Squad.

DSC_9601

Harry in stroke and his Coxed Men's Eight crew of Fred Vavasour (Wairau RC), Henry Kirk (Wairau/Lincoln University),  Ben Shortt (West End/University of Washington), Nic Bryan (West End/Syracuse University), Matthew Waddell (Waikato RC/Cal Berkeley), Cody Johnson ( Avon RC), Ed Lopas (Waikato/Northeastern University) and cox Oliver Duncan (Waikato/Lincoln University) after they pulled off a brilliant race to take silver behind Great Britain on the final day of racing at the U23 World Championships in Poznan, Poland.

So how has he found the experience over the first three months training with the New Zealand rowing elite?

“I’m now part of a much smaller squad compared to what we had in the US, but this makes it a lot more focused,” explains Harry. “We get much more one-on-one coaching, we get a big ratio of weights coaches to athletes, so get instant feedback. We have team masseurs and physios on hand. Everything is taken care of and closely monitored on Training Peaks. Everything is science-based; you can trust the system.”

Compared to his time at the University of Washington, the training philosophy at Rowing NZ is quite different.

“You can devote a lot more time to training as part of the Summer Squad. In the US training time was limited to class schedules and NCAA regulations, which meant we had much shorter periods where we could train. To maximise our time, training was a lot more crash and bash to make sure we had a very good workout in a short period of time. Here at Karāpiro training is very science-led. We put in a lot more mileage and we can build that base because the season is longer. Both approaches work well but are completely different mindsets.”

Born in Auckland to an Australian dad and Māori mother (ngāruahine), Harry is immensely proud of his family heritage. Becoming fluent in te reo is a future ambition and he adds: “It is cool to represent my culture and in the future I just hope to give back to my tribe and other Māori kids who want to achieve in sport. Rowing is not the most accessible sport and it would be cool to expand that to other cultures who wouldn’t usually be into rowing.”

Working between 10-15 hours a week as a junior analyst in mergers and acquisitions is one way of helping him prepare for life post-rowing, but Harry insists that is still a long way into the future, and he has set some big on water goals for the future.

“I definitely want to go to the Olympic Games and win as many medals as possible, I don’t have any future career goals as to which industry I’d like to work in, but I always want to be connected to rowing, whether that is coaching or mentoring other rowers. If I can’t myself be a professional athlete, I’d love to be able to work with other professional athletes in some capacity.”

Steve Landells

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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  3. University Rowing
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  5. NZ Elite Call-Up...

NZ Elite Call-Up Marks New Chapter for Fitzpatrick

November 26, 2025
Copy of _D1A1027

Harry Fitzpatrick was called up to the New Zealand Elite Summer Squad for the first time in August. After four years studying and rowing at the University of Washington, we check in on the 22-year-old to see how he is adapting to life based out of Lake Karāpiro.

It was only after returning to pick up his phone following a game of tennis with his dad, did Harry Fitzpatrick receive confirmation he had earned selection for the New Zealand Elite Summer Squad for 2025-26.

With his phone “blowing up” with congratulatory messages, it was rich reward for Harry, who has consistently delivered through his rowing career and who had featured in the men’s eight which claimed a silver medal at the 2025 World U23 Championships in Poznan the previous month.

“When I saw the messages on my phone, I was ecstatic and proud, although I realised that this was just the beginning,” explains Harry. “My goal was not only to make the (New Zealand) training squad but to compete at the Olympic Games and win medals. I was aware that following my selection that the hard work was only just beginning.”

Taking up rowing as a year ten student at St Peter’s College, Auckland, Harry claimed multiple medals at the Maadi Regatta during his time there, highlighted by gold in the Boy’s U16 Single Sculls in 2019. Academically excellent, he was awarded Head Boy in 2020 before impressing in 2021 by securing multiple national medals.

Attracting interest from US Colleges, later in 2021 he took up a four-year scholarship to attend the University of Washington, where he excelled both on and off the water. Named an Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association (IRCA) Scholar-Athlete in 2024 and 2025, he also featured in the bow seat for the triumphant University of Washington eights that swept to back-to-back wins in the 2024 and 2025 Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships.

Yet despite graduating with a Bachelor of Communications and a minor in Business Administration, he was not prepared to accept his time in Seattle would be a full stop on his rowing ambitions.

Copy of _D1A1100

Harry (right) with fellow Kiwis Ben Shortt (left) and Logan Ullrich (centre) after winning the Varsity Eight at the 2025 IRA National Championship Regatta. Photo: Sharron Bennett

“I have a very strong internal drive to succeed,” he explains. “I had a lot of success in the States, but something didn’t settle right with me to just leave it there. I wanted to see how far I could go with it. I wanted to stand at the top of podiums. I am lucky that Rowing New Zealand is a great organisation with a great record of past results. They develop athletes well, it is the best environment to be in, and I really wanted to be a part of it.”

With Logan Ullrich, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games coxless four silver medallist, acting as a mentor, he advised Harry to keep Rowing NZ updated with his plans and after graduating from the University of Washington he successfully trialled for the U23 squad and earned selection in the men’s eight for Poznan. Going on to win silver at the World U23 Championships did his cause no harm, and in August he received confirmation he had been selected to join the Rowing NZ Summer Squad.

DSC_9601

Harry in stroke and his Coxed Men's Eight crew of Fred Vavasour (Wairau RC), Henry Kirk (Wairau/Lincoln University),  Ben Shortt (West End/University of Washington), Nic Bryan (West End/Syracuse University), Matthew Waddell (Waikato RC/Cal Berkeley), Cody Johnson ( Avon RC), Ed Lopas (Waikato/Northeastern University) and cox Oliver Duncan (Waikato/Lincoln University) after they pulled off a brilliant race to take silver behind Great Britain on the final day of racing at the U23 World Championships in Poznan, Poland.

So how has he found the experience over the first three months training with the New Zealand rowing elite?

“I’m now part of a much smaller squad compared to what we had in the US, but this makes it a lot more focused,” explains Harry. “We get much more one-on-one coaching, we get a big ratio of weights coaches to athletes, so get instant feedback. We have team masseurs and physios on hand. Everything is taken care of and closely monitored on Training Peaks. Everything is science-based; you can trust the system.”

Compared to his time at the University of Washington, the training philosophy at Rowing NZ is quite different.

“You can devote a lot more time to training as part of the Summer Squad. In the US training time was limited to class schedules and NCAA regulations, which meant we had much shorter periods where we could train. To maximise our time, training was a lot more crash and bash to make sure we had a very good workout in a short period of time. Here at Karāpiro training is very science-led. We put in a lot more mileage and we can build that base because the season is longer. Both approaches work well but are completely different mindsets.”

Born in Auckland to an Australian dad and Māori mother (ngāruahine), Harry is immensely proud of his family heritage. Becoming fluent in te reo is a future ambition and he adds: “It is cool to represent my culture and in the future I just hope to give back to my tribe and other Māori kids who want to achieve in sport. Rowing is not the most accessible sport and it would be cool to expand that to other cultures who wouldn’t usually be into rowing.”

Working between 10-15 hours a week as a junior analyst in mergers and acquisitions is one way of helping him prepare for life post-rowing, but Harry insists that is still a long way into the future, and he has set some big on water goals for the future.

“I definitely want to go to the Olympic Games and win as many medals as possible, I don’t have any future career goals as to which industry I’d like to work in, but I always want to be connected to rowing, whether that is coaching or mentoring other rowers. If I can’t myself be a professional athlete, I’d love to be able to work with other professional athletes in some capacity.”

Steve Landells

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.

Share Story

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