Alistair Bond (Otago University) has always had the inspiration of his big brother to spur him on but it has taken him longer to get selected for the New Zealand elite rowing team.
Alistair (24), a surveying graduate from the University of Otago, is one of four Otago rowers named in the New Zealand rowing team for this year's World Cup and world championships in Amsterdam.
The other Otago rowers selected in the team are Hamish Bond and Lucy Strack (North End) and Fiona Bourke (Otago University).
Alistair Bond, who started rowing at Christchurch Boys' High School 10 years ago, has been named in the lightweight double sculls with Adam Ling (Tauranga).
He did not excel at rowing when he was at school and only began his Olympic dream when he was a student at the University of Otago. He had his first taste of international rowing with the Otago University Rowing Club.
He made his full international debut at the world senior championships at Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in 2012.
Alistair Bond clinched his selection with good performances at the New Zealand championships at Lake Karapiro last month and at this week's New Zealand trials.
He came second at the nationals in the premier lightweight single sculls and was in the Southern RPC eight that won the bronze medal.
Alistair had the same result at the national championships in 2012. He was third in the premier lightweight singles in 2011.
Big brother Hamish will continue his partnership in the heavyweight pair with Eric Murray. The pair have been unbeaten at international regattas since 2009.
In the lightweight women's double sculls, Julia Edward (Rotorua) will again race with Lucy Strack. Their best results together were sixth placings at the 2010 and 2013 world championships.
Fiona Bourke and Zoe Stevenson (Tauranga) will make up the women's double scull. This crew were silver medallists at the 2013 world championships, and will again be coached by Richard Tonks.
A total of 24 athletes in 10 Olympic class boats were named as part of the Rowing New Zealand elite team to compete at the second and third World Cups and the world championships.
Rowing New Zealand is focusing on Olympic class boats, and New Zealand will be represented in the same number of boat classes as at the London Olympics.
New Zealand will compete in the men's and women's single sculls, men's and women's pair, women's double sculls, men's and women's lightweight double sculls, men's lightweight four and men's and women's quadruple sculls.
A men's double sculls crew will be named in June.
Rowing New Zealand high performance manager Alan Cotter believes all of the crews selected will be capable of winning medals throughout the World Cup series and at the world rowing championships.
Johannah Kearney, who won two gold medals at the New Zealand championships, has retained her spot in the under-23 team.
Former Kavanagh College pupil Zoe McBride (Nelson) has been named in the under-23 double sculls. There is a possibility that she might return to the Otago club next season.
The under-23 team will compete at the world championships at Varese, Italy.
