Zoe McBride (NZL)

Rising Star – September 2016

Inspired by watching the 2008 Olympic Games, Zoe McBride of New Zealand first started rowing on her local harbour while she was at high school. Success came early on and at her first international competition, the 2012 World Rowing Junior Championships, McBride won bronze. Two years later, and still just 18 years old, McBride became an under-23 World Champion. The following year she was holder of the World Best Time in the lightweight women’s single sculls and a dual World Champion in both the under-23 lightweight women’s double sculls and the lightweight women’s single

Watch out for Zoe McBride. Her next goal is to win gold at the Olympic Games.

I like rowing in the lightweight single because… I love the feeling when you get the boat moving fast and performing well at regattas. You know that you have personally put in all the miles hard work to get there. It’s also a really fun, competitive event and I have met so many amazing and talented girls over the past two years!

My most difficult race so far… was my final in Rotterdam (2016 World Rowing Championships). It was quite a strong head side wind that day, which made it a very technical and slow race. All races are hard though, that’s what I love about competing against the best lightweight rowers in the world.

Before I race, I always…

Chill out… read a book, listen to music. I like to take my mind off the upcoming race for a bit.

The result I am most proud of so far is… winning the lightweight single in Rotterdam this year. It was an amazing feeling to win the title for the second year and it was a good hard race.

My favorite training session is… probably the squad pieces. That way we get to race against all the other NZ crews which is always fun…and super competitive.

On the erg, my best score so far is… At trials this year I achieved a personal best of 6.58

I study…

 part time at Massey University, studying towards a Bachelor of Business Studies

I balance university with training by… having good time management, but also making sure to have down time to relax and have fun.

What motivates me most is… training with the talented and successful New Zealand rowing te

am every day. And to be the best athlete I can be.

I’m most relaxed when… I’ve finished a hard week of training, get to relax on a Sunday and catch up with friends, and have some good food.

When I am not rowing, I… love catching up with friends and family, spending time adventuring outdoors.

My biggest strength is… I am very competitive. I don’t like to lose!

A weakness I would prefer not having is… I always get really nervous before racing.

If I could change one thing about the world it would be… for the violence and poverty in the world to cease, so that everyone can live a happy comfortable life.

If I was an animal, I would be… Probably a bird. Being able to see the world from up above would be pretty awesome.

In ten years’ time… I hope to have had a successful rowing career and hopefully to have been to the Olympics and come back with a gold medal. That would be the ultimate. I would also like to be settled down and maybe have a family.

My motto is… Be brave