Transatlantic rowing champion Rob Hamill back in town for Maadi Cup

A Maadi Cup novice with a famous rowing father is tearing up the course at Lake Karapiro.

Twenty years ago, Kiwi rowers Rob Hamill and Phil Stubbs competed in the inaugural Atlantic Rowing Race, a 4800km journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

They came first with a time of 41 days, 2 hours, and 55 minutes.

Rob Hamill is at Lake Karapiro to cheer
on his son, Finn. Photo: Jesse King

Today Hamill is back home cheering on for his 14-year-old son Finn, who, with his rowing partner Mitchel Evans, won silver in the under-18 novice double sculls on Friday – distance 2km, time 7 minutes 7.86 seconds.

Racing for St John’s College in Hamilton, the pair finished just .34 seconds behind Hamilton Boys’ High.

“It’s a great start for Finn’s rowing career,” Rob Hamill said.

“He’s done remarkably well, and a really gutsy effort from two young fellas, racing with bigger and older opposition.

“He voiced an interest [in rowing] late last year…I let him go with it, really.”

Finn’s interest in rowing has paid off after he began training for the Maadi Cup in November last year.

“I’m really enjoying competing at Maadi—the season has gone so fast and I can’t believe that the NZSS regatta is already here,” Finn said.

“I must say I felt a bit of pressure going into all my races, really wanting to make A finals, especially in the quad, as my coach really wanted to make A.”

Finn, along with Mitchel Evans, Taylor Barry, Harrison Hodges and Logan Burgess, qualified for the under-18 novice coxed four final, coming third in their semifinal with a time of 7:27.36.

They are due to race on Saturday.

Rob Hamill felt a bit of pressure himself, knowing how demanding rowing can be.

“I did think about trying to stop him. Some of the rowing intensity they have with some of the training regimes — for younger kids in particular — can be pretty full on.

“But it’s been a pretty good campaign, actually.”

Rob Hamill began his rowing career in 1983, quickly becoming a local star when he and rowing partner Mike Rodger won the lightweight men’s double sculls silver at the 1994 World Rowing Championships.

He also represented New Zealand at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics.