Bulgaria will host New Zealand’s next generation of rowing talent in August, when twelve U19 rowers compete at the World Championships in Plovdiv. Selected from standout performances at the Maadi Regatta, NZ Club Champs, and U19 Selection Trials, they represent the country’s pipeline of future elite athletes, many of whom will go on to wear the black jersey at senior world championships and Olympic Games.
The men’s coxless four features George Langley from North Shore, who claimed silver in both the senior coxless four and pair at this year’s NZ Rowing Championships. Charlie Field, racing for King’s College, won gold in the U18 four at Maadi before steering the school’s dominant coxed eight to victory. Alexander Walters impressed at Maadi with gold in the U17 coxed eight and four, while Sam Bird secured gold in the U18 pair.
In the men’s double scull, Charlie Manser and Aidan Bennett carry serious credentials. Manser won gold in the men’s senior coxless quad at the NZ Rowing Championships, having also taken national titles in the double scull and premier quad. Bennett bagged gold in the U18 single scull at Maadi and followed that with three national titles at the NZ Rowing Championships in club categories.
The women’s side shows similar depth. Jessica Walkinshaw and Charlotte Mawston, both competing at Maadi, will pair with Georgia Kendrick and Charlotte Gorman in the coxless four. Kendrick stepped up to club rowing last year with Hamilton, securing two silver medals at nationals. Gorman enjoyed a successful Maadi, winning silver in the U18 eight and claiming golds in the U17 coxed eight and U18 coxed four.
Eleri Clare and Zara Blackie form the women’s double scull. Clare delivered at Maadi with gold in the U18 single scull, winning by a commanding margin, plus gold in the U18 coxed quad. Blackie claimed bronze in the girls’ U18 double scull at Maadi and has shown consistent form through the selection pathway.
Rowing New Zealand’s high-performance pathway has a strong track record of developing athletes who transition successfully to senior international competition. This cohort, drawn from schools and clubs across the country, now has the chance to test themselves against the world’s best in a fortnight that could define their careers.
