Two Weeks In, Teens Win National Beach Rowing Title

Just two weeks after sitting in a coastal rowing boat for the first time, Cashmere High School students Jacob Haley and Millie Brooks stood on a podium as national champions.

The Christchurch teenagers won the Under-18 mixed double title at the 2026 New Zealand Beach Sprint Championships in April. Their journey from complete beginners to gold medalists started at a two-day training camp at Orewa Beach in Auckland.

Millie, 18, was looking for a fresh challenge after missing selection for the New Zealand Under-19 flatwater rowing squad. When a friend's mother suggested beach sprints, she decided to give it a shot.

"It was amazing, I had so much fun and it was much less stressful than normal flatwater rowing," Millie recalls. "I personally love hanging out at the beach and this made it for such a cool experience."

Jacob, 16, saw a flyer promoting the camp and thought it sounded fun. He also liked that the national championships were coming up just two weeks later.

The camp introduced participants to everything from beach starts and surf rowing to equipment handling and race strategy. World champions Emma Twigg and Matt Dunham served as mentors, giving the teens expert guidance.

"It was extremely motivating to be taught by the best of the best," Jacob says. "They explained everything clearly and supported us the whole way."

Beach sprint rowing looks nothing like traditional rowing. Athletes sprint down the beach, leap into boats, navigate a slalom course around buoys, race back to shore, then jump out and sprint to the finish line. Races last just two and a half to three and a half minutes.

When Millie and Jacob teamed up for the U18 mixed double at nationals, they weren't expecting much. Making the semifinals felt like a win.

"I was not expecting at all to win gold," Millie explains. "We were just stoked to make the semifinals. We just went out there in the final and left it all out there."

Why This Inspires

Beach Sprints New Zealand Director David Vallance says the sport removes some of the pressure found in traditional rowing. Because variables like surf conditions can change race outcomes, athletes don't need to execute every stroke perfectly.

More than 30 young rowers from across New Zealand attended the April holiday programs. About 80 percent went on to compete at nationals, becoming passionate advocates for the sport.

Both teens plan to continue racing and want their friends to join them. With beach sprint rowing making its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, the timing couldn't be better.

"It's given me the chance to learn new skills in a fun environment while meeting rowers from schools across the country," Jacob says.

Four more holiday camps are scheduled across New Zealand through January, giving other young athletes the same opportunity to discover their inner champion.