Matthew Dunham and Emma Twigg will lead New Zealand’s charge at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Qingdao this October, with the pair selected to contest the solo events at one of the sport’s most demanding disciplines.
Dunham, rowing for Cambridge, and Twigg, based at Hawke’s Bay, represent the country’s elite in a format that strips rowing back to its rawest form. Beach sprint racing demands explosive power, tactical acumen, and the ability to handle variable water conditions—all compressed into short, sharp races that leave no room for error.
Joining them in the mixed double are Erin James of West End and Sebastian Fulton from Waikato Rowing Club. The team, selected on 10 May, will compete across the 18-21 October window in China. Brook Robertson coaches the squad, with Maxine Hughes managing operations.
“We’re looking at a really tight, focused group,” Robertson has noted of the four rowers preparing for one of the international calendar’s most prestigious beach sprint events. The format itself has grown considerably on the global stage, attracting elite rowers who’ve cut their teeth in Olympic and World Championship boats.
Separately, Rowing New Zealand confirmed its World University team on 2 May for the FISU World University Championship in London, Canada, from 13-15 August. Alex Fletcher of Waikato Rowing Club and University of Canterbury pairs with Gerard Wall from Waikato and University of Otago in the men’s double. Alex Kennedy and Justin Wall provide coaching support.
University rowing remains a crucial pipeline for the sport, offering younger athletes their first taste of international competition while still balancing academic commitments. Fletcher and Wall’s selection reflects both their standing within the university ranks and the broader depth of New Zealand’s rowing talent pool.
The back-to-back selections—beach sprint in October, university championship in August—mean New Zealand’s rowers face a compressed timeline to prepare for two distinct events. Beach sprint demands a different skill set and training philosophy than traditional basin racing, making these selections particularly significant for athletes juggling multiple formats or preparing for their first major international representation.
Both teams will be announced in full ahead of their respective departures, with coaching staff already plotting preparation schedules to ensure peak performance come competition time.
