Mercantile Radio

From finding his place in rowing to stroking the Australian Eight on the world stage. Fresh from an extraordinary 2026 World Championship bronze medal in the Australian Men’s Eight, Mitch Salisbury joins Drew to discuss one of the fastest eight races ever contested, his journey from school rowing in Queensland to the Australian senior team, and the confidence that has seen him take responsibility...

From Mercantile to the Olympics and the races that mattered most In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Drew Ginn OAM sits down with his former rowing partner Ben Dodwell for a wide-ranging conversation about Australian rowing, Olympic competition, coaching, club culture and the lessons that remain long after the racing stops. Ben reflects on competing at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, taking on Ste...

In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Drew Ginn sits down with Great Britain’s Lauren Henry, fresh from a remarkable World Championships where she became the first British woman to win the World Championship single sculls title. It is a fascinating conversation about racing, resilience, training, belief and the willingness to back yourself. Who is Lauren Henry? Lauren Henry is one of the outstandin...

From Olympic heartbreak to World Champion and two-time Olympic medallist. In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Drew Ginn OAM sits down with Australian Olympian and World Champion Karsten Forsterling for a wide-ranging conversation about persistence, belief, great crews and a remarkable career in Australian rowing. Karsten’s journey was anything but straightforward. After emerging as a talented jun...

From Dimboola to Moscow, World Championship silver and a lifetime in rowing. From a country-town beginning in Dimboola to becoming part of the first Australian women’s rowing crew to compete at an Olympic Games, Pam Westendorf’s story spans an extraordinary period in Australian rowing. Pam joins Drew Ginn OAM to reflect on Moscow 1980 and the Olympic boycott, her World Championship silver medal in...

What does it really take to build an Olympic champion crew? In this episode of  Mercantile Radio , Drew Ginn OAM sits down with Canadian sports journalist and author  Ed Willes  to explore his book  The Eight  and the remarkable story of  Mike Spracklen , Canada's Men's Eight and the journey that ultimately led to Olympic Gold in Beijing. Ed brings a unique perspective to rowing. He isn&#3...

With the 2026 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam approaching, Mercantile Radio welcomes back Noel “Don” Donaldson for a walk along the Yarra with Drew Ginn. From the unique characteristics of Amsterdam’s Bosbaan course to the crews and events that could define the Championships, Don provides an insightful preview of the racing ahead. Drawing on decades of experience at the highest levels of r...

What happens when you swap the podcast studio for a walk along the Yarra? In this return episode of Mercantile Radio , Drew Ginn OAM catches up with Scott Rowe for a wide-ranging “walk and talk” about his first season coaching at Mercantile, the club’s European campaign, Henley Royal Regatta, athlete development, technology, racing and the art of making boats go fast. Following a season of strong...

What does it take to build one of the world's most successful school rowing programs? In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Drew Ginn sits down with Bobby Thatcher, Head of Rowing at St Paul's School in London, to explore the philosophy that has produced multiple Henley Royal Regatta victories, generations of international athletes, and a coaching culture centred on curiosity, ownership and...

What separates Olympic champions from the rest of the field? According to Alex Hill OAM, it isn't bigger erg scores or harder training, it is clarity. In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Olympic Gold Medallist Alex Hill OAM joins Drew Ginn OAM for an insightful conversation about three Olympic campaigns, the lessons learned from winning and losing, and why Australia's success in Tokyo was...

From being cut from the US National Team to becoming a World Champion. Teal Cohen's story is one of resilience, belief and relentless consistency. In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Teal shares how one phone call changed her mindset, why consistency beats intensity, and how the USA Women's Four rebuilt itself into World Champions. An inspiring conversation for athletes, coaches, leaders...

Some rowing stories define a club. Others define a generation. Neil Hewitt's journey began as a nine-year-old boy at Mercantile Rowing Club, coxing Sunday morning outings with the club's old legends on the Yarra River, Melbourne. It culminated in steering Australia's Men's Eight to an Olympic Bronze Medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, one of the most significant eras in Aust...

Few athletes redefine themselves as often as Andrew Triggs Hodge. From an unlikely late starter who admits he was never the best athlete growing up, to becoming one of Britain's most decorated rowers with three Olympic Gold Medals and multiple World Championship titles, Andrew's story is one of relentless growth, courage and an obsession with becoming just a little better every day. In thi...

In Part 2 of this special conversation, Sue Chapman-Popa moves from Olympian to coach, mentor and parent, sharing the lessons that helped shape Olympic Gold Medallist Rosie Popa and thousands of athletes who have learned to row on the Yarra. This is a conversation about leadership, trust, coaching and creating environments where people can thrive. Why This Conversation Matters 1. Parenting Elite A...

Before Australian women stood on Olympic podiums, there were pioneers willing to challenge convention. In Part 1 of this special two-part conversation, Drew Ginn OAM sits down with Olympic bronze medallist Sue Chapman-Popa to revisit one of the defining moments in Australian rowing history: the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. From learning to row at Lauriston in 1978, when girls on the Yarra were...

Few people have experienced rowing from as many perspectives as Martin Cross. Olympic Champion. World Championship medallist. Coach. Author. Broadcaster. Storyteller. In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Drew Ginn OAM sits down with one of rowing's most respected voices to explore a lifetime in the sport. From winning Olympic Gold in the Coxed Four at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games to beco...

Few athletes embody resilience and longevity quite like Erik Horrie OAM PLY. A five-time Paralympian, multiple World Champion and one of Australia's most successful para-rowers, Erik has spent more than a decade redefining what is possible in elite sport. In this episode of Mercantile Radio, Erik joins Drew Ginn for a candid conversation about the lessons learned across a remarkable career. Fr...

In this episode of Mercantile Radio , Drew sits down with one of Australia's most remarkable endurance athletes, Cam Wurf . From representing Australia in the Athens Olympic rowing eight, to riding Grand Tours with some of cycling's biggest names, and now competing at the highest level of Ironman triathlon, Cam reflects on a career defined by reinvention, resilience and relentless curiosity. Who i...

The 2026 international rowing season is officially underway, and what a start it was. Drew Ginn sits down with two of rowing’s most respected voices- Noel Donaldson and David “Chippa” Colvin - to unpack the opening World Cup of the season in Seville, Spain. Returning to the famed course for the first time in over two decades, the regatta delivered fast conditions, high-quality racing, and plenty o...

What does it feel like to execute a race that is 99.9% perfect, only to miss out on Olympic Gold by less than half a second? In this episode of Mercantile Radio, we sit down with Sydney 2000 Silver medalist Christian Ryan to uncover the brutal margins, hidden psychology, and off-water alchemy of elite big-boat racing. From his roots in regional Victoria to anchoring the historic 1998 U23 World Cha...

In this episode of Mercantile Radio, we sit down with Mercantile’s rising young rowers - Gabi Price, Georgie “G” Campbell, and Jake Polkinghorne - ahead of their international campaign. Drawn from Mercs’ youth, U21/U23 and senior squads, the group will race at the Holland Beker before taking on the Henley Royal Regatta. The trio unpack the realities of Scott Rowe’s brutal training program, the tec...

What does it actually take to survive the most brutal race in the world? In this episode of Mercantile Radio, we sit down with Norway’s most decorated rower, two-time Olympic Single Scull Champion Olaf Tufte. Before he ever touched an oar, Tufte built an unbreakable engine dragging timber on a Norwegian farm and racing motocross—entering the sport late with "10,000 hours" already in his...

In this landmark episode of Mercantile Radio , Drew Ginn OAM sits down with John Bowes and Randall Martin , the architects behind Queensland’s historic, drought-breaking King’s Cup victory. This is a masterclass in elite coaching, exploring how they navigated 87 years of pressure and a "bloody gale" to build a winning dynasty. From the strategic rise of the US collegiate pathway to the t...

We’re joined by legendary Strength and Conditioning coach Kemble Edelsten, the man who has spent over three decades turning schoolboy and schoolgirl rowers into elite level athletes. From the "Coke Can" secret to core stability to why your breathing might be the one thing holding back your erg score, Kemble breaks down the exact land-based blueprint used at programs like Scotch College t...

What happens when you combine Australian grit with Swiss precision?
 You get the coaching mastery of Marty Aitken, the man behind one of the greatest Olympic upsets in history. In this episode, we step inside the tactical “war room” of the 1996 Atlanta Games to uncover how Marty coached Zeno Müller to gold by redefining the relationship between athlete and mentor. From unconventional training meth...