Robbie Manson

Robert W. Manson (born 11 October 1989) is a New Zealand rower.

Robbie Manson

Personal information
Birth name	Robert Manson
Born	11 October 1989 (1989-10-11) (age 35)
Height	189 cm (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight	87 kg (192 lb)[1]
Medal record Men's rowing Representing  New Zealand World Championships 2015 Aiguebelette-le-Lac Double sculls 2017 Poznań, Poland Single sculls World U23 Championships 2009 Račice Double sculls

Manson was born in 1989.^[1] He is from a family of rowers, with his father Greg the singles lightweight national champion in 1985, and his brother Karl also competing internationally.^[2]

He won a bronze medal at the 2015 World Rowing Championships.^[3] At the 2017 New Zealand rowing nationals at Lake Ruataniwha, he partnered with Chris Harris in the men's double sculls and they became national champions.^[4] Manson also became single sculls national champion, aided by the absence of both Mahé Drysdale and Hamish Bond.^[2]

In 2014, Manson came out as gay being one of the first out LGBT persons in rowing from New Zealand.^[5]

In 2017, Manson won the men's single sculls at the World Rowing Cup II in Poznań, Poland, setting a new world best time of 6:30.74,^[6] beating Mahé Drysdale's record by 3 seconds.^[7] As of May 2025, that time still stands as the world's best.

On 20 October 2020, Manson announced his retirement from rowing.^[8][9] After coaching in New Zealand, Manson returned to club rowing in 2022, and won the New Zealand men's double sculls national title in 2023. He returned to international racing later that year, competing in the men's double sculls, where he qualified the boat for the 2024 Olympics with Ben Mason.^[10]

Manson credited his OnlyFans account, on which he posts "thirst traps," with boosting his athletic performance.^[11]