This week's row2k Interview is with New Zealand sweep rower Hamish Bond. Hamish has stroked the Kiwi men's pair to an unbeaten record in international competition the past two years and talks with row2k about what it takes to win at that level and what it was like racing a World Championships on home water.

row2k - You and your pair partner Eric Murray have been rowing together for a while, how did this pair come together and are there days you guys get sick of each other?
Hamish Bond - We started rowing seriously in the pair at the end of 2008 after a break following the Olympics. We had a disappointing result at the Olympics and our bow pair of Carl Meyer and James Dallinger decided to have a break from the sport. I was only 22 years old and had no intentions of having a break so got back into the single with the NZ squad training against the likes of Mahe Drysdale and Nathan Cohen. I enjoyed my time in the single but knew that sweep rowing was my best bet at the time. Eric was taking an extended break post Olympics but I approached him with the idea of having a crack in the pair. We had trained and raced as a pair when we were in the four and I knew that it was my best chance for success having posted some good times and results. Although we have quite different personalities we are able to work together well. We both contribute and are open to ideas as to how to make the boat go fast. Even so it is inevitable that we have disagreements. This is fine as long as at the end of the day we both want to make the boat go as fast as possible and are prepared to do what is necessary to make that happen.

row2k - You two were the stern pair of the NZL M4- in Beijing that finished 7th, what did you learn from that regatta that helped make your current crew so successful?
Hamish Bond - I think the major thing that I took out of that is that the Olympics is very competitive. Being World Champions in 2007 we had high expectations going into the season but it never really clicked for us. We were searching for answers when perhaps we should have just been working our asses off. The men’s four at that time was especially competitive and you have to make your own luck. We came 4th in our semi by ½ a second to the French and then 1st 2nd 3rd in our semi got gold, silver and bronze. At the end of the day if you want to win you have to be able to beat anybody at any time and you can’t win any medals from the B-Final.

row2k - Much has been made of your rivalry with the GBR pair, how have you managed to come out ahead each time in the last two years?
Hamish Bond - For sure there is a rivalry but only as we respect their ability and I think that they probably feel likewise. I have been racing against them since 2006 in the four and have been given enough towelings to know that winning is not a certain thing. Having them in the event has led to it being a clash looked forward to at every regatta and has probably pushed both crews to become better. When we first arrived overseas for the 2nd World Cup in 2009 they had already been touted as unbeatable. This gave us a bit of motivation to ruffle a few feathers and try to knock them off. We knew we were fast but you never can be sure quite how fast until you race. Having won previously we know that we can do it again and the fear of not achieving what we are capable of and being knocked of our perch drives us on.

row2k - Have you found that the same race plan has worked or have you changed it up against GBR?
Hamish Bond - I think that we have won races in differing fashions, sometimes this is planned and sometimes you have to respond to the race that unfolds. In 2009 we were quick off the start but this year perhaps we weren’t quite as fast at that point and crews have tried to contend the 1st 1000m and put us under pressure. We know that crews will continue to improve and there are areas we need to get better; we look to have the ability to win no matter what the circumstance.

row2k - You've raced internationally all over the globe, and now in New Zealand, what are some of the advantages and disadvantages to racing on your home water?
Hamish Bond - Winning in front of a home crowd will be a career highlight perhaps second only to an Olympic gold. It was great to have a lot of my friends and family there who have not seen me race internationally in Europe. All rowers will know that there is a lot of people who assist you over the years so to have the opportunity to reward that was cool. It was an advantage to race on Lake Karapiro where we train all year as we are very familiar with the surrounds and the setup. On the flipside of all this there was definitely an element of pressure. It would have been disappointing for us to end our winning streak at the worst possible time.

row2k - The Kiwis had an memorable regatta, what are some of the things you will remember?
Hamish Bond - I will remember looking at the crowds from the water after our race and feeling the atmosphere that our race created. I was proud of NZ for putting on a great event and having the crowds on the finals days is what made the regatta; the infrastructure and organization was very good but if the crowds didn’t turn up then it would have been a shame. It was great to race on Saturday and soak up the atmosphere on Sunday while watching some great racing especially the NZ men’s 2x.

row2k - Your coach Dick Tonks's training regimen is said to be very rigorous; can you tell us what it is like from an athlete's perspective?
Hamish Bond - It is difficult at times but then I have not done another countries training so it is hard to get a perspective. Different countries throw up fast crews so there is obviously elements that are successful for them. Dick sets the tone of what is required by the NZ squad and if you don’t want to do it then you leave, there is very little scope for negotiation. He never cajoles anybody he just expects you to do whatever training he sets and if not then he will carry on without you. In that regard you have to be very self-motivated in order to survive. With the history of success it does lead you to believe that if you follow what he says then you will give yourself every possibility of succeeding also.

row2k - You have become celebrities in NZ, what has that been like? Any particularly memorable moments?
Hamish Bond - I think it was great that the NZ media and public got behind the NZ team. We are a very proud sporting nation and love to try and overthrow our ‘bigger’ opponents. As far as celebrities I wouldn’t go that far, it was great to get coverage and recognition of our efforts while champs was on but rowing being the sport that it is we are now back to the grindstone out of the limelight. I did play a game of hockey at a ‘celebrity’ match a couple of weeks ago but twisted my ankle after about 5 minutes, I took that as a sign that I should stick to my day job.

row2k - Murray had some outstanding facial hair for Worlds, was that planned or more spontaneous and will he try to top it next year?
Hamish Bond - Surprisingly that is no stunt; Eric pretty much has something going on all the time, some more successfully than others. As far as the future I’m not too sure, I guess everybody -myself included- will have to wait and see.