Olympic champion Hamish Bond is returning to the water to chase more sporting glory, although he'll do it with a much larger boat and team this time around as part of Team New Zealand's America's Cup defence.
Bond is one of four new faces joining the Kiwi sailing team for next year's defence in Barcelona – an opportunity made possible by the return of cyclors under the regatta's new rules.
Bond knows a thing or two about defending titles, having been part of rowing's most dominant team in history as one half of the New Zealand men's pair with Eric Murray.
The duo won six consecutive World Championships from 2009 to 2015 as well as Olympic gold medals in 2012 and 2016.
After ending their partnership on the ultimate high in 2016, Bond announced he'd shift gears and move to cycling instead and showed immediate promise with a third-place finish at the national time trials to start 2017.
Bond went on to win a bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the road time trial before returning to rowing as part of the men's eight team, which completed a remarkable comeback from having to race at the "Last Chance" regatta to winning gold in Tokyo.
Following his triumph in Japan, Bond retired from rowing and was later recognised in the 2023 New Year Honours with a promotion to Companion for the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rowing.
Bond's recruitment is the second big signing by Team New Zealand for their defence next year after 1News first reported this morning two-time Coast to Coast winner Dougal Allan had also signed on.
It’s not unprecedented for Team New Zealand to look outside the sailing ranks, with track cyclist Simon van Velthooven and Olympic rower Joe Sullivan key members of the team for their successful challenge in Bermuda in 2017.
Former Olympic canoeist Steven Ferguson was also involved in Team New Zealand’s defence in 2021.
SHARE ME