Some of my biggest lessons came from the moments I didn’t get what I wanted.
Cam Webster’s story is one of resilience, reinvention and the extraordinary power of finding where you belong.
Bullied and often excluded as a kid, Cam struggled to find his place. This was a theme all through his life, but suddenly changed when he discovered rowing at Westlake Boys High School. What began as an unlikely outlet became a remarkable sporting journey: multiple national titles, school erg records and a rapid rise through the ranks of New Zealand Rowing. He went on to become a Junior World Champion, Under 23 World Champion and World Championship-level athlete, while twice pursuing the dream of representing New Zealand at the Olympic Games.
But Cameron’s greatest lessons came through the setbacks. Missed Olympic selections, injury, disappointment and the relentless demands of elite sport repeatedly forced him to confront failure and uncertainty. After the ultimate dissappointment of being asked to leave the NZ rowing environment, Cam, rather than allowing these moments to define him, he learned to adapt, rebuild and keep moving forward. This resulted in selection to join Emirates Team New Zealand, which ultimately culminated in winning the America’s Cup in 2024, the result of a career built around an enduring belief in high-performing teams.
Today, Cameron is navigating perhaps his most unfamiliar challenge yet: life after elite sport. After more than a decade with a clear identity, purpose and team around him, he is building a new career in law while confronting the uncertainty, vulnerability and identity shift that comes with starting again.
That transition is not a finished story. It is the story Cameron is living right now.
Talking Points
The Power of Your Environment
Cam's journey from feeling like an outsider as a child to becoming a World Champion and America’s Cup winner is ultimately a story about finding the right environment. He explores how culture, belonging and the people around us can unlock potential we never knew we had.
The Power of Your Environment
Built Through Setbacks
Olympic disappointment, missed opportunities, injury, career uncertainty and the relentless demands of elite sport taught Cam that setbacks are not interruptions to success — they are part of it. A candid look at how to absorb failure, rebuild confidence and keep moving forward.
Built Through Setbacks
What Happens When the Finish Line Moves?
After more than a decade defined by elite sport, Cam faced a challenge no race could prepare him for: figuring out who he was without rowing. Now navigating a career in law and life beyond high performance, he speaks honestly about identity, purpose and the courage required to start again.
What Happens When the Finish Line Moves?
What Makes a Great Team?
From rowing crews to Emirates Team New Zealand, Cam has experienced the extraordinary power of high-performing teams. He explores trust, accountability, culture, individual responsibility and the difference between simply working alongside people and genuinely becoming a team.
What Makes a Great Team?
Finding Your Place
Cam was bullied and struggled with a sense of exclusion as a child. Finding rowing gave him belonging, purpose and eventually a pathway to the highest levels of international sport. His story explores why belonging matters so deeply — and how finding the right people can change the trajectory of a life.
Finding Your Place
