WORDS BENEDICT TUFNELL
In early 2017, FISA made a small but significant change to its rules of racing. The amendment read: “The gender of the coxswain shall be open so that a men’s crew may be coxed by a woman and a women’s crew by a man.” Within a few months Sam Bosworth, with the New Zealand women’s eight, became the first man to steer a women’s crew to international gold, winning at world cup II in Poznan. This year, the Australians have followed suit by selecting female cox Kendall Brodie to their heavyweight men’s eight while James Rook takes the helm of the Australian women’s eight.
Row360 caught up with New Zealand’s Bosworth and Australia’s Brodie as they both prepare to start their 2018 season.