Matt Dunham has earned a surprise recall to the NZ rowing team. Photo: Photosport
Matt Dunham has been called up into the New Zealand rowing team, in a move he describes as a ''pretty random outcome".
Dunham replaces Josh Vodanovich, who has made himself unavailable at a late stage because of illness.
That withdrawal left team-mates Flynn Watson, Campbell Crouch and Zack Rumble facing the prospect of being unable to attend the championships in Shanghai in late September.
But Dunham answered the call to attend trials at Lake Karāpiro last weekend and has now been included in the 18-strong NZ team.
"They didn't have enough people, so that was the problem," Dunham said, who last rowed at the world champs in 2023 in the lightweight double sculls.
"Pretty random outcome, I wasn't expecting it.
"The guys asked me to go for a row (on Friday) with them. They liked it, so talked to Judith Hamilton (Rowing NZ performance manager) and the selectors and about 6pm Saturday, I was asked to join trials and do a 2K erg test on Monday morning.
"A week of tough time trials followed, sure enough, we were lucky to get through it and get the boat over the line to be able to go to world champs."
Dunham missed qualifying for the Olympics by just 0.17 seconds with his third placing in the B final at the 2023 world champs.
New Zealand will field crews in the mixed eight and mixed double sculls, which will be held for the first time at a world champs.
As a result most of the squad will row in two events at Shanghai.
Kathryn Glen will race in the women's quadruple sculls and partner Ben Mason in the mixed doubles.
The mixed eight will comprise of men's pair Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch, Watson, Crouch and the women's four of Alana Sherman, Isla Blake, Rebecca Leigh and Juliette Lequeux.
Finn Hamill will join Mason in the men's double sculls after making a big impression during the season.
NZ team competing at worlds
The New Zealanders to race at the world championships in Shanghai, 21-28 September, include:
Men's single scull
Logan Ullrich, Waikato Rowing Club
Mike Rodger, Coach
Men's double scull
Ben Mason, Avon Rowing Club
Finn Hamill, Waikato Rowing Club
Gary Roberts, Coach
Men's Coxless Pair
Ben Taylor, Avon Rowing Club
Oliver Welch, Avon Rowing Club
Mike Rodger, Coach
Women's Coxless Four
Alana Sherman, Waikato Rowing Club
Isla Blake, Waikato Rowing Club
Rebecca Leigh, Cambridge Rowing Club
Juliette Lequeux, Otago University Rowing Club
Tom Stannard, Coach
Women's Quad
Kathryn Glen, Avon Rowing Club
Stella Clayton-Greene, Hauraki-Plains Rowing Club
Ella Cossill, Waikato Rowing Club
Veronica Wall, Ashburton Rowing Club
James Coote, Coach
Men's Coxless Four
Flynn Watson, Avon Rowing Club
Zack Rumble, Avon Rowing Club
Campbell Crouch, Waikato Rowing Club
Matthew Dunham, Cambridge Rowing Club
Mike Rodger, Coach
Mixed Double
Ben Mason, Avon Rowing Club
Kathryn Glen, Avon Rowing Club
Gary Roberts & James Coote, Coaches
Mixed Eight
Alana Sherman, Waikato Rowing Club
Isla Blake, Waikato Rowing Club
Rebecca Leigh, Cambridge Rowing Club
Juliette Lequeux, Otago University Rowing Club
Ben Taylor, Avon Rowing Club
Oliver Welch, Avon Rowing Club
Flynn Watson, Avon Rowing Club
Campbell Crouch, Waikato Rowing Club
Harry Molloy, Cox, North Shore Rowing Club, Thames Rowing Club
Tom Stannard, Coach
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