The younger Cohen has enjoyed mixing it with Olympians as part of Rowing New Zealand's summer squad. His aim is to be part of an elite crew this season.
Nathan yesterday expressed an interest in selection in the national quad sculls so unless he or Sullivan decide to race the single (in Mahe Drysdale's temporary absence), it seems likely Hayden will also contest a spot in the quad. Nathan yesterday won the men's premier singles race in a close finish with two more brothers, Michael Arms in second and Robbie Manson in third.
Cohen said: "It was a fast pace out there. I wanted to get to a good level to seal my place in the New Zealand squad. Today was a good start, I wanted to make sure I was competitive. Mahe Drysdale and Rob Waddell have dominated this race for a decade-and-a-half, so it is nice to be in that company."
Auckland RPC's Emma Twigg won her fifth consecutive championship in the women's singles yesterday.
Hayden is close to the RNZ high performance centre at Lake Karapiro by studying for a Bachelor of Management Studies at Waikato University. Another brother of an Olympic gold medallist could make the elite squad. Alistair Bond, the 23-year-old younger brother of Hamish, has been training in the lightweight programme. He missed the nationals with glandular fever, with Hamish replacing him in Southern's coxless four and eight crews.
New Zealand sibling Olympic medallists
Barry and Selwyn Maister (Hockey)
• Gold (1976)
Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell (Rowing double sculls)
• Gold (2004, 2008)
Bruce and Barbara Kendall (Windsurfing)
• Bronze, gold for Bruce (1984, 1988)
• Gold, silver, bronze for Barbara (1992, 1996, 2000)