Coming Home: Madison Molitor’s Return to Rowing

When Madison Molitor lines up at the World Championships with the U.S. Men’s Eight, he brings with him not just raw power; he’ll bring a renewed passion for the sport and a perspective forged from stepping away, exploring new challenges, and coming back stronger.

“We’ve been stacking hay for the last two months as a group in Princeton and here in Chula Vista, and we’re excited to light it all on fire in Shanghai,” Molitor says about training for Worlds. 

But Molitor’s path back to the U.S. National Team was not a straight line. In 2020, in the early uncertainty of COVID, he stepped away from competitive rowing to work full-time. The break allowed him to explore other passions, including cycling at a high level and competing in the America’s Cup. “We were racing on 75-foot foiling monohulls with 100-foot masts, flying over the water at over 50 knots,” he recalls. “It was absolutely electric.”

“The amount of attention to detail, with gigabytes of data coming off the yacht after every session, and hours of film review, capture meetings, debriefs, weather forecasting, plan of the days — sailing really helped me realize what it means to compete at the highest level, and the effort that goes into mastering your craft both on and off the water,” Molitor explains.

That time away also deepened his appreciation for rowing. “Rowing has a much more raw, young, and bootstrapped approach,” he says. “Taking time away helped me refine that passion and a love of the sport that was more temperamental as a U23 or collegiate athlete.”

The call to return became impossible to ignore during the lead-up to the America’s Cup. “We would broadcast the rowing races in Paris on our big screens on base, and that really fanned the flames for me,” Molitor says. "The camaraderie we had as cyclors was indicative of how deep bonds can grow as a result of suffering together, and I wasn’t ready to give that up." When he returned to Seattle after the Cup, he started rowing a four for fun out of the Connibear Shellhouse. “Getting back in a shell felt like coming home in a way.”

Molitor is no stranger to success in the boat. He won gold in the U23 Eight at the 2018 U23 World Championships alongside Justin Best, Michael Grady, Chris Carlson, and Rielly Milne, all four of whom went on to win Olympic medals in 2024. “It brings to mind the saying ‘iron sharpens iron,’” he says. “Those years laid a foundation that has enabled me across all sports I’ve competed in since.”

Training with some of the best in the world continues to be a source of motivation. “Teammates,” he says simply when asked what gets him through the hardest sessions. “I’ve spent a lot of time training alone, and being back with a big group of guys on the same plan has really hammered home – if you want to go far, go together. And heck, if you want to go fast, also go together.”

When it comes to handling nerves before a big race, Molitor’s approach is calm and precise. “Focusing on the controllables and staying internal. Letting myself take one final check on the oarlock at the line and then focusing on my breathing.”

Molitor credits his fiancé and his family for their unwavering support as he continues to chase excellence. His advice to young athletes is simple but hard-earned: “Improvement isn’t linear. Trust the process and keep showing up.”

As he and his crew prepare to line up on the world stage, Molitor reflects on the journey that brought him here, one that included stepping away, finding new passions, and ultimately rediscovering what makes him love the sport. “Sweat the big stuff, and then also sweat the small stuff,” he says, looking back. “Be ready to play the long game and focus on beating yesterday.”