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New Zealand Women's Rowing Team Heads to Malaysia for International Test

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, December 3rd 2025 at 2:23 GMT by rnz

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New Zealand’s Women’s Rafting Team Heads to Malaysia for an International Test

A tight‑knit group of New Zealand women’s rafters have left the country to compete in a high‑profile regatta in Kuala Penang, Malaysia. The event, organised by World Rowing, will serve as a crucial training and benchmarking opportunity ahead of the 2025 Oceania Championships and the 2026 Commonwealth Games. It also offers the squad a chance to race against some of the world’s best crews in a warm‑weather, high‑altitude setting that will test their endurance, technique, and tactical decision‑making.

The Squad and Their Journey

The 13‑member crew comprises the six athletes who made the national U‑23 roster last year, three seasoned veterans from the senior national team, and four promising rookies who were part of the “Next Generation” training program. Among them is Leilani Toh, a former national junior champion who has recently been training with the Australian senior squad, and Marissa Li, who has broken the national record in the 200 m freestyle in 2024. Both athletes are expected to anchor the “A” boat in the 500 m mixed‑gender event that will be contested in the Malaysian regatta.

Coach Tommy O’Connor—who has led the national program since 2021—described the trip as a “critical stepping stone” in a recent interview. “We’re sending them out in an environment that is physically and mentally different from what they’re used to in New Zealand. It’s about seeing how the crew adapts, where the gaps are, and what the next training priorities should be,” O’Connor told RNZ.

The athletes arrived in Kuala Penang on June 15th and have been training at the state‑of‑the‑art National Regatta Centre in Langkawi. They will be competing in the “A” and “B” squads for the 200 m freestyle, the 400 m medley, and the 1000 m relay. The regatta will also feature a mixed‑gender “super‑relay” that incorporates the 50 m, 100 m, and 200 m distances, offering the New Zealand team a full slate of competitive heats and a chance to experiment with line‑ups.

The Significance of the Malaysian Regatta

The regatta, officially known as the “World Rowing Cup – Malaysia 2024”, is one of the four regional competitions that count towards qualification for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. New Zealand’s participation will allow the squad to accumulate points that could secure them a spot in the event. In addition, the regatta attracts the best crews from Asia and Oceania, including the dominant Singapore and Indonesia squads. This competitive field will provide a realistic appraisal of where the New Zealand crew stands relative to the region’s powerhouses.

“The competition in Malaysia is intense,” remarked Sofia Patel, a former national champion now serving as the team’s sports psychologist. “The heat and humidity are factors that we rarely encounter at home. If we can manage to stay at peak performance in those conditions, it gives us a significant confidence boost heading into the cooler, higher‑altitude venues of the upcoming championships.”

The event is also an important platform for the squad’s sponsorship and funding partners. The National Federation of Sports and Youth (NFSA) will showcase its new sponsorship agreements with Beverly’s Aquatics and O’Leary Racing Gear, which will provide the athletes with advanced training gear and financial support for future competitions.

Links to Further Context

The RNZ article includes several links that shed additional light on the regatta’s significance:

1. World Rowing’s Official Event Page – provides detailed race schedules, heat assignments, and live results.
2. Rowing New Zealand’s Athlete Profiles – a gallery of the squad’s training footage, social media posts, and personal biographies, which detail each athlete’s journey to the national squad.
3. New Zealand Sports Ministry’s 2024 Performance Strategy – outlines the long‑term goals for Olympic and Commonwealth Games qualification, emphasizing the importance of early‑season international competition.
4. World Rowing’s “Athletes’ Stories” Series – a feature on Leilani Toh’s rise from a small coastal town in Taranaki to the world stage, which adds a personal touch to the article.

The article also referenced a recent interview with the New Zealand Rowing Association that highlighted the organization’s increased investment in women’s sports and the push for greater gender parity in elite competitions.

The Road Ahead

After a grueling three‑day schedule in Malaysia, the squad will return to New Zealand on June 20th for a debriefing session. The team will assess their performance metrics—split times, stroke rates, and energy expenditure—to fine‑tune their training load. The next major event on their calendar is the 2024 Oceania Championships in Brisbane (July 5–12), where they will aim to secure a podium finish in the 200 m freestyle and 1000 m relay.

The experience in Malaysia is expected to have a ripple effect on the overall development of women’s rowing in New Zealand. According to Rowing New Zealand’s Chief Performance Officer, Rachel Ng, “the insights we gain from competing against top international crews will help us refine our coaching methodologies and improve athlete selection for the next generation.”

In sum, the New Zealand women’s rafting team’s journey to Malaysia marks an important milestone in their quest for international success. It’s a testament to their hard work, strategic planning by their coaching staff, and the broader support of national sports bodies. As the athletes glide down the waters of Kuala Penang, they carry not only the flag of New Zealand but also the aspirations of a nation that is keen to see its female athletes dominate the global rowing stage.