Moana Dogs teammate Joseph Konlechner, from New Plymouth, Taranaki, gets in some practice. Photo / NZ Police
Moana Dogs teammate Joseph Konlechner, from New Plymouth, Taranaki, gets in some practice. Photo / NZ Police
Four mates who live far apart are coming together to compete in a gruelling rowing competition.
Taranaki’s Joseph Konlechner, Andrew Drum and Nick Graham from Auckland and Hamish Clapp in Australia will compete in the World’s Toughest Row in June 2025.
The team, MoanaDogs, which is the only one from New Zealand, will spend more than a month rowing across the Pacific Ocean, starting in California and ending in Hawaii. The total distance they’ll cover is 4500km, raising funds for the Child Cancer Foundation as they go.
For team-mate and child protection team detective Konlecher from New Plymouth deciding to take part in the challenge was easy.
“In early 2024, I was looking for my next challenge when Nick contacted me and said ‘Bro, this is a crazy question, but do you want to row across the Pacific with me and some firefighter lads’, it took all of about two seconds to decide and I’ve been on board ever since ... I am passionate about the ocean and it would be great to give back to the community by using this to inspire at-risk youth in the waka ama space.”
He expected the challenge to take six to eight weeks.
“We’ll do two-hour on two-hour off shifts. The journey itself will be completely unsupported so food and reliable water makers will be essential. We are expecting big swells, big winds and big days.”
To train, they all spent a lot of time on a rowing machine, he said.
“Ergfit sponsored two concept rowers so we all have the luxury of rowing from home.”
Andrew Drum, from Auckland, is one of the Moana Dogs, competing in next year's World's Toughest Row.
The team name signified something the Moana Dogs were connected to, Drum said.
“The name reflects New Zealand and hoping to have a bit of dog in us to get us through - tails up and such - just like in rugby, the team rallies together.”
As part of the challenge, each team needs to raise funds for an organisation. For team-mate Nick Graham, a steel construction company quality assurance manager, choosing to support the Child Cancer Foundation was easy.
“My brother had cancer as a kid and relapsed a while later but got through it. Seeing the effects cancer has on so many families around New Zealand is just insane and the Child Cancer Foundation is there to help in so many ways. We are dedicated to raising as much money for the Child Cancer Foundation while pushing our bodies and minds to the limit at the World’s Toughest Row. We can’t wait to ... see what we can achieve.”
He said the name itself paid homage to what they were doing.
“Moana means ‘sea’ in Māori and, quite suitably, Hawaiian. The best traits of a man’s best friend are the same traits that will get us through this immense challenge - loyalty to each other, doing all you can for your fellow team-mate, showing courage in the face of extreme adversity when Mother Nature throws everything at you, forever positive, helping us maintain a sense of humour throughout and to just work like dogs.”
He said the team were a group of current and ex-serving firefighters united by brotherhood.
“We’re also united by our unique desire to challenge ourselves, to push our physical and mental limits and see exactly what we are capable of while experiencing a wide range of what this amazing world has to offer.”
Moana Dog Nick Graham, from Auckland, looks forward to the World's Toughest Row.
Graham also called on Hamish Clapp to join the team. Clapp is a former Dunedin firefighter and current Northern Territory Police Force recruit constable in Darwin, Australia.
“A rugby injury in 2018 led to me doing a lot of time on the rowing erg for rehab. I started to do some competitions and even looked at water rowing. Whilst doing this I came across ocean rowing and have been looking for an opportunity ever since. Nick reached out to one of my mates I worked with for Fire and Emergency New Zealand in Dunedin for potential teammates and he hit me up, and it’s gone from there.”
The pair also purchased the boat the Moana Dogs will use. The 8.5m row boat, fitted with two manual water makers and survival equipment, is currently in the UK, ready to be shipped to California for the challenge once the team have completed their certification.
Former Dunedin firefighter Hamish Clapp is one of the Moana Dogs, ready to take part in the World's Toughest Row next year.
Part of that certification is completing the Survival at Sea course in Auckland in September and then meeting UK-based trainer Gus Barton in October, Konlecher said.
“Gus has prepared a comprehensive training programme which we have been undergoing for a month now. This involves a lot of rowing, gym work and cross-training. We are heading to the UK in October to do 150 hours of certification training with Gus. This involves increasing periods of offshore rowing up to 48 hours at a time.”
The team had already invested $100,000 in the challenge but needed help to raise the rest, he said.
“The total cost of this expedition to our team is about $279,000; as a result, we are looking at getting any help we can get through sponsorship, food, equipment and funding support. We have a significant way to go in terms of fundraising, both in terms of sponsorship and for the Child Cancer Foundation. Every little bit helps. We are absolutely pumped for this adventure and cause.”
