Ross joined St Georges in 1970. He won the Pair in the Junior Pair Oars in 1971/72 when he was rowing with this race for the first time in the and was second in the NZ Championship Coxless pair in 1972/73. He was a member of the successful 1971/1972 Junior and Senior Eight. In 1973 Ross moved to West End Rowing Club.
In 1977 he won the Red Coat in the Championship Coxed Pair with Bruce Rae. In 1978, Ross was selected to row at the World Championships at Karapiro in the New Zealand Quad sculls. He finished rowing in 1980 and has held various roles at West End Rowing Club including President and Life Member of West End and in 2023 achieved 50 years with the Club. In 1990 Ross decided to go back and row Masters competing in the World Masters Championship Quad sculls with Tony Hurt, John White, Bruce Rae. He went on to become the first West End Masters crew to win a world championship in the 45-49 years old age group.