Kiwi rower Finlay Hamill has taken out the prestigious Head of the Charles singles race in Boston, after following the advice of Olympic star Emma Twigg.
Following in the wake of father Rob Hamill, who won the inaugural trans-Atlantic race with Phil Stubbs in 1997, the NZ U23 representative was persuaded to take on the iconic US regatta, while contesting the world coastal championships in Italy.
Former Olympic champion Twigg teamed with Hamill Junior in a mixed quad sculls crew at Genoa, before heading to Boston for the 13th time in her illustrious career, still seeking her first victory. On a whim, Hamill, who won the coastal single sculls crown, joined her.
"It was kind of last minute, but I'm bloody glad I came," he told row2k, after dispatching Spanish Olympian Javier Garcia Ordonez and double Olympic gold medallist Paul O'Donovan for the honours. His time of 17m 05.470s was eight seconds outside the race record.
The event differs from most other rowing competitions, where boats traditionally race in lanes over a straight line. Head of the Charles is raced over a curving three-mile (4.8km) course with no lanes on the Charles River. Rowers set off at 15-second intervals in a time trial format and collisions are common.
"You're kind of racing yourself, so within myself, I knew I was doing the best I could, but where that put me, I had no idea," said Hamill.
"When I was warming down and rowing back to the club, someone yelled to me that I had won and I just didn't know what to think. I asked if they were joking, because I couldn't believe it.
"I got a bit excited, but I thought, man, I need to see that result for myself before I can trust it. So it's a pretty big shock, because, obviously you shoot for that, but those are some pretty big names that I was racing. It's pretty incredible."
Hamill spent a week familiarising himself with the unique course, trying to pick the right line through the turns.
"I knew leading in that the course plays a major role in the outcome and result, so I did what I could to study up and had a few rows this week," he told row2k. "Basically, I went out, tried taking the best line I could and rowed my hardest, and it paid off.
"I've never done anything like it... all the people, the crowds, the bridges and just the course itself. Head racing is not really a massive thing back home, but it's pretty cool to come do it here."
Hamill picked up US$10,000 (NZ$15,000) in prizemoney, but Twigg is still searching for her first victory, after finishing ninth among the women.
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