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Plovdiv produces another chapter in the Kiwi U19 story
Class of 2012 prove it's not how you start your rowing journey that defines you.
New Zealand finished out of the medals on the second-to-last day of racing at the U19 World Rowing Championships in Bulgaria.
Charlie Field, Sam Bird, Alex Walters and George Langley finished fifth in the A Final of the Men's Four and Charlie Manser and Aidan Bennett were sixth in the A Final of the Men's Double Sculls.
Eleri Clare and Zara Blackie won the B Final of the Women's Double and the Women's Four of Charlotte Mawston, Georgia Kendrick, Charlotte Gorman and Jess Walkinshaw finished third in their B Final.
Plovdiv's a regular on the World Rowing circuit, but it's 14 years since the city hosted the U19 championship. Back then future America's Cup winner Cam Webster and Olympic gold medallist Michael Brake were still at Westlake Boys High, living the dream.
They were part of the Men's Coxed Four, that also included Thomas Jenkins, Tom Murray and cox Sam Bosworth, which won gold on the same course.
Fourteen years on, two more Westlake boys were on the start line in the four.
"I messaged George", says Cam, "telling him [and Sam] to 'Get after it'.
The time leading up to the regatta in Bulgaria remains a pivotal time in Cam's life.
"We were sort of excelling in our lives you know, everything was going pretty well and then we're off to juniors and it was like, 'Yeah, this is sick.'
"We were confident in who we were and how we conducted ourselves."
The four of 2026 had produced some good form, advancing straight to the final by finishing second in their heat then winning their semifinal.
They were right in the mix for the final, just 0.12s down in second place behind Great Britain through the first 500m. Then came the disruptor in the form of Spain, bolting into the lead at 800m. New Zealand was third at the halfway mark and still in bronze-medal position at 1500m but with France looming and building momentum.
The French moved into the podium places with 400m to go as the New Zealand boat dropped back to cross in 6min 7.54sec.
Spain won gold in 6:00.97.
"The Spanish rowed a little more the race that we were wanting to," says coach Mark Clemo. "The frustration for the four in particular is they knew that a good performance for them, they were going to win it.
"They'll reflect on and be super proud of making the A final and actually being in a position to be disappointed at the result, but the context isn't there right now because it's just happened.”
From left to right: Sam Bosworth, Thomas Jenkins, Cameron Webster, Michael Brake and Thomas Murray after winning the junior men's coxed four at the 2012 World Rowing Junior Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Charlie Field, Sam Bird, Alex Walters and George Langley finished fifth in the A Final of the Men's Four.
Eleri and Zara have impressed throughout the regatta. It's Cashmere High student Eleri's second year in the U19 programme and the first for Zara, who was a novice rower at St Cuthbert's College in 2025.
They've dug in through the first 500m of their races in Plovdiv, trying to set themselves up for a dominant middle K. They achieved that in their final, overpowering leaders Lithuania at the 1000m mark and then holding a more efficient rhythm to close out victory in 7:17.51. Lithuania crossed in 7:18.18.
The field in the Men's Double was the largest on the programme with 31 entries. That meant thriving across four races in three days for anyone planning on a medal. Charlie and Aidan had certainly done that in making the final.
Just 1.23 secs separated the field through the first 500m, with New Zealand and eventual winners Estonia at the back.
The Kiwis weren't able to challenge the front pack although they were only just over a length down on the leading crew of Independent Neutral Athletes at 1500m. Estonia pulled off one of the great sprints to take gold in 6:18.60, New Zealand crossed the line in 6:26.43.
The worlds in 2012 launched Michael Brake and Cam Webster into New Zealand's high-performance system over the following years.
Many, many more aspiring rowers have represented New Zealand at this level, some went on with rowing, others not.
Twins Russell and Cameron Crampton were in the Men's Quad that finished sixth in 2012.
They'd been invited to an RPC weekend at Twizel earlier that year where they met Villa Maria College athlete Sophie Shingleton.
Sophie also made the juniors for Plovdiv, winning bronze in the Women's Four.
It's around that time Russell and Sophie got together as a couple. They've been together ever since. They now live in Perth with their four-year-old son. Russell's a supervisor in the mines and Sophie's just become a qualified accountant. They were due to get married when Covid came along so they're on hold but still engaged.
As the cohort of 2012 proves, it turns out racing at the U19s is just a start on the rowing journey, and on life's one too.
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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- Home
- /
- International Regattas
- /
- Plovdiv produces another...
Plovdiv produces another chapter in the Kiwi U19 story
Class of 2012 prove it's not how you start your rowing journey that defines you.
New Zealand finished out of the medals on the second-to-last day of racing at the U19 World Rowing Championships in Bulgaria.
Charlie Field, Sam Bird, Alex Walters and George Langley finished fifth in the A Final of the Men's Four and Charlie Manser and Aidan Bennett were sixth in the A Final of the Men's Double Sculls.
Eleri Clare and Zara Blackie won the B Final of the Women's Double and the Women's Four of Charlotte Mawston, Georgia Kendrick, Charlotte Gorman and Jess Walkinshaw finished third in their B Final.
Plovdiv's a regular on the World Rowing circuit, but it's 14 years since the city hosted the U19 championship. Back then future America's Cup winner Cam Webster and Olympic gold medallist Michael Brake were still at Westlake Boys High, living the dream.
They were part of the Men's Coxed Four, that also included Thomas Jenkins, Tom Murray and cox Sam Bosworth, which won gold on the same course.
Fourteen years on, two more Westlake boys were on the start line in the four.
"I messaged George", says Cam, "telling him [and Sam] to 'Get after it'.
The time leading up to the regatta in Bulgaria remains a pivotal time in Cam's life.
"We were sort of excelling in our lives you know, everything was going pretty well and then we're off to juniors and it was like, 'Yeah, this is sick.'
"We were confident in who we were and how we conducted ourselves."
The four of 2026 had produced some good form, advancing straight to the final by finishing second in their heat then winning their semifinal.
They were right in the mix for the final, just 0.12s down in second place behind Great Britain through the first 500m. Then came the disruptor in the form of Spain, bolting into the lead at 800m. New Zealand was third at the halfway mark and still in bronze-medal position at 1500m but with France looming and building momentum.
The French moved into the podium places with 400m to go as the New Zealand boat dropped back to cross in 6min 7.54sec.
Spain won gold in 6:00.97.
"The Spanish rowed a little more the race that we were wanting to," says coach Mark Clemo. "The frustration for the four in particular is they knew that a good performance for them, they were going to win it.
"They'll reflect on and be super proud of making the A final and actually being in a position to be disappointed at the result, but the context isn't there right now because it's just happened.”
From left to right: Sam Bosworth, Thomas Jenkins, Cameron Webster, Michael Brake and Thomas Murray after winning the junior men's coxed four at the 2012 World Rowing Junior Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Charlie Field, Sam Bird, Alex Walters and George Langley finished fifth in the A Final of the Men's Four.
Eleri and Zara have impressed throughout the regatta. It's Cashmere High student Eleri's second year in the U19 programme and the first for Zara, who was a novice rower at St Cuthbert's College in 2025.
They've dug in through the first 500m of their races in Plovdiv, trying to set themselves up for a dominant middle K. They achieved that in their final, overpowering leaders Lithuania at the 1000m mark and then holding a more efficient rhythm to close out victory in 7:17.51. Lithuania crossed in 7:18.18.
The field in the Men's Double was the largest on the programme with 31 entries. That meant thriving across four races in three days for anyone planning on a medal. Charlie and Aidan had certainly done that in making the final.
Just 1.23 secs separated the field through the first 500m, with New Zealand and eventual winners Estonia at the back.
The Kiwis weren't able to challenge the front pack although they were only just over a length down on the leading crew of Independent Neutral Athletes at 1500m. Estonia pulled off one of the great sprints to take gold in 6:18.60, New Zealand crossed the line in 6:26.43.
The worlds in 2012 launched Michael Brake and Cam Webster into New Zealand's high-performance system over the following years.
Many, many more aspiring rowers have represented New Zealand at this level, some went on with rowing, others not.
Twins Russell and Cameron Crampton were in the Men's Quad that finished sixth in 2012.
They'd been invited to an RPC weekend at Twizel earlier that year where they met Villa Maria College athlete Sophie Shingleton.
Sophie also made the juniors for Plovdiv, winning bronze in the Women's Four.
It's around that time Russell and Sophie got together as a couple. They've been together ever since. They now live in Perth with their four-year-old son. Russell's a supervisor in the mines and Sophie's just become a qualified accountant. They were due to get married when Covid came along so they're on hold but still engaged.
As the cohort of 2012 proves, it turns out racing at the U19s is just a start on the rowing journey, and on life's one too.
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.
