For Partners Life, the attraction to rowing goes well beyond the major events.

Over several months getting to know the sport, the company has seen strong parallels between its own purpose of helping build a brighter, more secure future for New Zealanders and a rowing community built around people showing up for one another, doing the hard work behind the scenes and backing the next generation.

Weston says that strong connection to the Partners Life purpose was fundamental to the decision to commit to the partnership through to 2030.

"Every Olympic dream begins somewhere. It might begin in a boatshed like this one, with a student crew getting on the water before school, a coach giving up another weekend, or a volunteer making it all happen with a smile on their face. What unites them all is the same drive to keep getting better.

"At Partners Life, we call that being 'always restless', and it's a value we share with the rowing community. It drives our purpose of partnering with New Zealanders to build a brighter, more secure future. This partnership is a chance to live that purpose, pulling together with the crew behind the crews."

Partners Life has already hosted Rowing New Zealand staff and Olympians and met people involved in secondary school and community rowing. Along the way, it has discovered plenty of rowing connections among its own people, from former rowers to staff with family and friends involved in the sport today.

Partners Life Chief Customer Officer Kate Dron says getting closer to the people behind the sport will be an important part of the partnership.

“There’s something pretty special about rowing because nobody really gets there alone. Even when there’s one person sitting in the boat, there are coaches, parents, whānau, teammates, volunteers and supporters who have all played a part in getting them there.

“We don’t just want to turn up at the big moments. We want to get involved, meet people and understand more about what makes rowing work.”

Another early focus will be the 80th anniversary of the Maadi Regatta in 2027.

For generations of New Zealanders, school rowing has created memories and friendships that have lasted far longer than the races themselves. Through a new Maadi Forever initiative, Partners Life and Rowing New Zealand see an opportunity to reconnect former rowers around the crews, schools, clubs, friendships and experiences they shared.

There are 80 years of stories to uncover, from Olympic champions who first discovered rowing at school to the thousands of New Zealanders who may not have rowed since but still remember their crew, their coach, the early mornings and the friendships they made.

National events provide an immediate focus for the partnership, but both organisations see opportunities to connect their people, networks and ideas in new ways over the coming years.

Wickham says that openness has been one of the most exciting aspects of the relationship so far.

“We’ve spent the past few months getting to know each other, sharing ideas and understanding what each organisation can bring to the table.

“I’d love to look back in three years and see things we’ve created together that neither of us had thought of when we started. To me, that’s what a great partnership looks like.”