We don't enter sports. We build for them.
And for the past year, we've been quietly getting to work in rowing.
Over 20 years designing technical apparel for Olympic sailing and offshore racing teaches you things you can’t learn anywhere else. How fabric behaves when it’s wet, how construction holds up under stress, how gear that feels right in the first session still has to feel right in the hundredth.
When we turned our attention to rowing, we brought that knowledge with us.
Then we started listening.
Rowing has long relied on apparel built for uniforms. Zhik designs for conditions.
Long training sessions. High-output movements. Multiple sessions a day. Hours in the sun.
The Performance Unisuit
Four-way high-stretch spandex with a racerback design for full mobility. Flatlock stitching and minimal seams to reduce chafing. Fast-drying, moisture-wicking construction. Low-profile leg grip. Certified UPF 50+ sun protection tested to the strict AS/NZS 4399:2020 standard.
Then it was time to test.
In 2025, Zhik became the exclusive outfitter of the German Coastal Rowing Team. With Beach Sprint set to make its Olympic debut at LA 2028, Germany’s squad provided the perfect high-performance testing ground. The feedback was consistent: lighter, softer and more breathable than expected. Greater freedom of movement than many rowers expected.
German two-time Olympic gold medallist Karl Schulze soon joined Zhik as an ambassador. Karl has competed at the highest level in both flatwater and coastal rowing. His decision to back Zhik speaks for itself.
In March 2026, Rowing Canada Aviron appointed Zhik as its Official Performance Apparel Provider.
The four-year partnership places Zhik at the centre of one of the world’s leading high-performance rowing programs. Cold water. Hard winters. Athletes who hold everything to account. Training in demanding conditions will help shape the next phase of our development, including a cold-weather rowing range.
We'll see them on the water for the first time at World Rowing Cup I in Seville this May.
With the Performance Unisuit proven at the elite level, we set out to push the category further.
The X Unisuit.
Stitchless construction. Seams fused rather than sewn, removing chafe points entirely. Graphene-infused fabric that improves thermal efficiency by 20% while shedding water fast. Internal mesh panels for airflow. Expanded grip zones that stay locked in place through every stroke.
Patent pending.
Its first public appearance comes this weekend at Rowing NSW's Sprint Eliminator. One of the most exciting new formats in Australian rowing, heading into its second year, now with Zhik as supporting partner.
Nine athletes. 250 metres. Last place eliminated each round. Winner claims a $10,000 prize.
No club kits. Athletes choose their own gear.
Several competitors have already been training in Zhik. Some will be racing in it.
The top three finishers, men and women, will take home the first X Unisuits on the market.
Available for purchase for the first time at the Australian Rowing Championships at Lake Barrington later this month.
We’re new to rowing. Everything we've built says otherwise.
MADE TO ORDER
Custom Unisuits. Opening to clubs soon.
The same materials and construction as our performance range, in your club colours.
Register your interest below. We'll be in touch with pricing, minimums and timelines when the program opens.
