Former motocross champ now powers over water
JOHN ALEXANDER
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Queen Charlotte College and the Picton Rowing Club have produced several outstanding rowers over the years and there's a new star on the horizon.
Mitchell Mackenzie-Mol, a converted motocross champion, is turning heads in Marlborough rowing circles with the way he's taken to the sport and excelled so quickly.
The 16-year-old Queen Charlotte College student, born in Blenheim but raised in Picton, travels to Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel for this weekend's South Island champs, having won the under-16 singles title there in his rookie year in 2011 with the same mindset that made him a motocross champion.
"I want to perform well in all my singles races, under-17, under-19 and the open event," he said. Mackenzie-Mol has also teamed up with Wairau's Kurt Williamson, Callum Streeter and Owen O'Brien in a composite open coxless quad and he has high hopes for that boat, having put up a good showing at last weekend's Marlborough championships.
A motocross injury led to him taking up rowing. He had ridden for 11 years until an injury at the 2010 nationals stopped him. Having had several knee injuries, eventually his knee popped out.
"I couldn't ride again for a year to 18 months. It was either do rowing or cycling, the orthopaedic surgeon said, and I chose rowing.
"I started rowing in August last year.
"A friend from school, Joseph Timms, decided to give it a go. Me and him went down to the Picton Rowing Club and we went out in a double. Pretty tippy, pretty scary. I didn't think much of it."
However, he stuck at it and now loves the sport.
During his motocross days, Mackenzie-Mol won several titles, including Marlborough and Canterbury crowns, and was runner-up three times at the South Island championships.
Having originally committed to rowing last season for 12 months to see how he liked it, he is now attuned to the daily grind of hard training under his highly successful, no-nonsense coach Dave Bugler.
"I get a new buzz from rowing. [It is] different to everything else. A lot bigger fitness load. I started training for this season in August. Gym training. Morning rowing on Picton Harbour, then we moved to training on the Wairau River. We do nine or 10 training sessions a week, mainly on the Wairau and in the gym."
Mackenzie-Mol's long-term goal at this stage is to row for New Zealand and he's appreciated the support of Picton clubmates Joseph Sullivan and Kieran Gaudin.
"Joseph is a good mentor person. I talk to him at events we go to. I contact him on Facebook and he always replies. Kieran is just a text away. He knows so much. We trained together for six weeks but he had to pull out because of work."
The talented sportsman should get a good gauge on his progress at Lake Ruataniwha this weekend as the regatta doubles as a New Zealand small boat trial, meaning all the top rowers will be there, apart from New Zealand squad members.
- © Fairfax NZ News
