Eric Gordon Murray CNZM was born in Hastings in 1982 and grew up in the Bombay Hills, south Auckland. He attended Pukekohe High School 1996 to 2000 then completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media Studies.

Rowing was not his first passion only taking it up as a “fat” kid to improve his fitness for rugby. He continued with rowing past his schooling days joining a rowing club and set his sights on making the National Team.

Since then his success with Hamish Bond in the coxless pairs has been monumental.

• Between 2009 and 2016, he and Hamish Bond had an unbeaten partnership with 69 consecutive wins in the men’s coxless pair and two in the coxed pair. 

• 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, setting both world and Olympic records.

• Their world best times in the coxed pair, set in 2014, and coxless pair from 2012 still stand in 2021. 

• They won 16 World Rowing Cup medals, and have had 11 wins at the Henley Royal Regatta, two wins at the Holland Beker, and 14 domestic wins in New Zealand. 

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Eric has been an ANZ Olympic Ambassador since 2012, a member of World Rowing’s Indoor Rowing Commission from 2021 and Patron of Autism New Zealand since 2019. He continues to be regularly involved with rowing regattas at Lake Karapiro. 

 

In 2012 Eric was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit and in 2022 Companion of the New Zealand order of Merit (CNZM)

He and Hamish Bond have been Halberg Team of the Year Winners on four occasions and been Supreme Award winners twice.
The journey to success hasn’t been without its ups and downs. Learning how to be successful and staying successful has been the key to the incredible legacy Eric and Hamish have left the sport. 

If you want to know how hard is the path to global recognition, what personal sacrifices have to be made for super human performances then you must attend our July 5th luncheon at the Show Gate Lounge Riccarton Park to hear from Eric Murray.