New Zealand's best young rowers have been named in the U19 squad heading to the 2026 World Rowing U19 Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, from 5 to 9 August, with four crews selected across sculling and sweep events.
Selected on the strength of performances at the Maadi Regatta, NZ Club Champs, and U19 Selection Trials, the squad represents an important step in Rowing New Zealand's high-performance pathway. Many athletes who come through U19 selection go on to represent New Zealand at senior World Championships and Olympic Games.
The men's U19 coxless four, coached by Mark Clemo, brings together George Langley (North Shore Rowing Club), Alexander Walters (St Bede's College), Charlie Field (King's College), and Sam Bird (Westlake Boys' High School). Langley claimed silver in both the men's senior coxless four and pair at the 2026 NZ Rowing Championships. Field was instrumental in King's College's Maadi Cup-winning U18 coxed eight and also took gold in the U18 four. Walters and Bird each brought medal-winning form from the 2026 Maadi Regatta to complete a well-credentialled line-up.
For Field, the selection carries particular meaning. "Being selected to represent New Zealand at U19s for the first time is a huge honour and something I've worked towards this whole season," he said. "Being able to wear the fern was a huge motivation for me throughout the camp. It's a really special opportunity that not a lot of people get to experience."
The men's U19 double scull pairs Charlie Manser (Dunstan Arm Rowing Club) with Aidan Bennett (Marlborough Boys' High School), coached by Mark Clemo and Sam Jackson. Manser had a dominant 2026 NZ Rowing Championships, winning gold in the men's senior coxless quad and silver in both the senior double scull and premier quad. Bennett won three national titles at the same event and took gold in the U18 single scull at the Maadi Regatta.
Manser grew up rowing out of a small Queenstown club, and selection clearly means a great deal. "I could only dream of coming this far in the journey," he said. "It means a lot to represent not only my country, but also my family name and everyone who has supported me along the way."
The women's U19 coxless four, coached by Alice Denyer, combines Jessica Walkinshaw (Epsom Girls' Grammar School), Georgia Kendrick (Hamilton Rowing Club), Charlotte Mawston (Westlake Girls' High School), and Charlotte Gorman (Rangi Ruru Girls' School). Walkinshaw and Mawston raced together in composite crews at the NZ Rowing Championships, while Gorman won two gold medals at the 2026 Maadi Regatta. Kendrick, who moved into club rowing last year, took two silver medals at the 2026 NZ Rowing Championships rowing for Hamilton Rowing Club.
"It's an honour and something that I've worked hard for, for a long time," Kendrick said. "I'm most looking forward to seeing how fast we can make the boat go and racing against crews from other countries instead of just New Zealand clubs."
The women's U19 double scull of Eleri Clare (Cashmere High School) and Zara Blackie (St Cuthbert's College) is a combination worth watching. Clare stroked the NZ women's quad at last year's U19 World Championships and won the U18 single scull at the 2026 Maadi Regatta by a remarkable margin. Blackie competed as a novice at Maadi just a year ago and has moved quickly since, winning gold in the U18 double scull and U17 single scull.
Clare is keen to build on her first World Championships campaign. "I'm really excited to race internationally again, build on the experience I gained last year, and see how far we can push ourselves as a crew."
Alongside the main squad, a U19 Development Team has been selected for the 2026 International Rowing Challenge in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from 9 to 11 July. Alex Hattrell (Bayfield High School), Ash Schutz (St George's Rowing Club), Donovan Pivac (Westlake Boys' High School), and Josh Haskell (King's College) make up the men's contingent, with Ayla Klein (Hamilton Girls' High School) selected in the women's events. For many, it will be their first taste of international competition.
