Rob Waddell
One of New Zealand’s most respected sporting sons, Rob Waddell, attributes much of this country’s global sporting success to its ability to collaborate effectively.
Speaking at this month’s Cambridge U3A (University of the Third Age) meeting, he said Kiwi sporting agencies and organisations work particularly well together.
“We’re big enough to have economies of scale but not so big that we are clumsy. Our ability to share information gives us a competitive advantage internationally.”
He said New Zealand’s ranking just outside the top 10 listed Olympic nations rates the country just under some of the world’s far larger players, including the United States, Britain, China, Australia and France.
Rob’s multi-faceted involvement in New Zealand sport has spanned decades and covers his roles as a high-achieving athlete to that of a successful sports administrator. The former brought the talented rower acclaim as a New Zealand Olympic gold medallist and double world champion single sculler before he segued into a different role as America’s Cup yachtsman.
He was named New Zealand’s Supreme ‘Halberg Awards’ Sportsperson of the year winner three times and made a fine fist of his later role as Chef de Mission of the New Zealand Olympic team, leading them through the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Summer Olympics in 2016 and 2022.
Rob’s prowess at giving sports organisations a leg-up was evidenced through his involvement in helping secure $32 million in funding for the Cambridge velodrome, thereby providing a local base for New Zealand’s Home of Cycling, and through his extensive contribution to other organisations including the Halberg Disability Trust and Te Awa River Trust.
He now runs a business building partnerships across sport, business and philanthropy.
The determination that led to his success was shown early. The Te Kuiti-born athlete arrived in this world at a whopping 4700g (10lb 3oz) and spent an idyllic childhood ranging the family farm in Piopio.
Sporting success came early through the Roller Mills Rugby. “I remember the excitement of being presented with my King Country rugby jersey by Sir Colin Meads.”
Despite finding it difficult to settle in to boarding life at Auckland’s King’s College, it was there he found his passion for doing well in life and where he found rowing as a way to focus it.
“I was all arms, legs and large feet… but I was determined to do well from a young age because I didn’t really have any natural ability. I worked really hard at it, but at each stage, I just wanted to make the next team above the one I was in.”
From then on Rob did life at a cracking pace, surging through his competitive years to move into governance with a view to aiding sports organisations with strategy management and funding.
He listed a strong work ethic, repetitive striving for excellence, teamwork and leadership among core values that lead to success, topping those with the need to find joy in whatever activity you feel driven to follow.
Doing a U3A version of ‘Little and Large’, Cambridge U3A’s standard-sized Lyndall Hermitage squares up to 2m tall Rob Waddell before his talk.
