Back to the ocean for New Zealand’s Mason

A year ago, Ben Mason had just finished an epic 1000km row along the north-east coast of the North Island of his native New Zealand, raising thousands of dollars for breast cancer research in memory of his mother.

Now, after a year of flat-water rowing – and a bronze medal in the men’s quadruple sculls at the 2022 World Rowing Under 23 Rowing Championships – Mason is back on the ocean to race in the 2022 World Rowing Coastal Championships as well as the 2022 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals next weekend.

Mason’s coastal campaign began on Friday with the heats of the coastal men’s double sculls (CM2x) alongside two-time Olympian Brook Robertson. The duo finished second in their heat, 7.6 seconds behind Sweden’s reigning world champions.

Prior to their training paddle the two had never been in a boat together, and Robertson has just recovered from tonsilitis, but they said the main aim was to learn about the sport and have fun.

“Everything’s just a big learning curve. It’s the same but at the same time it’s a whole new sport. A top flat-water rower won’t necessarily be able to jump in and win on rough water,” Mason said.

Although the intensity of coastal and beach sprints rowing is very different from Mason’s 17-day voyage in New Zealand, he said he was relishing being back in the elements.

“It’s kind of cool to be back on the ocean. There’s so much more going on. There’s so much more to do and think about,” he pointed out.

“I probably learned a lot about coastal rowing and a lot about myself as well,” Mason said of his long-distance row. “For that specific coastal row I was spending so much time on my own in a boat, you’re just left to your own thoughts on the ocean. Time went fast with the rowing – it’s not like flat water where every stroke’s identical.”

Although Mason said he wants to achieve as much as possible in flat-water rowing, he is also keen to continue coastal rowing too – especially in light of the announcement this week that the sport will be part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Australia.

“There’s way more possibilities coming in within the sport – that’s so exciting,” he added.