Australian Rowing Championships Wrap Up

The 2026 Australian Rowing Championships concluded on Sunday 29 March at Lake Barrington, Tasmania, bringing to a close a memorable week of racing at the largest Championships in history, with nearly 2,100 athletes competing.

Western Australian athletes rose to the challenge, finishing the regatta with an outstanding 43 podium finishes across the week — 18 Gold, 12 Silver and 13 Bronze medals — an exceptional tally for Team WA. The results reflect not only the depth of talent within the State, but also the composure and adaptability shown by WA crews under pressure. Competing in difficult conditions and under an adjusted racing schedule, athletes delivered when it mattered most — a testament to their preparation, resilience and mindset.

The Championships opened in impressive fashion, celebrating a decade of partnership with Hancock Prospecting and Mrs Gina Rinehart AO as Patron of Rowing Australia, who continues to play a foundational role in enabling the success, growth and global competitiveness of Australian rowing. The regatta also marked 100 years since the formalisation of the national body, Rowing Australia.

In a symbolic moment during the Opening Ceremony, defending champion states returned their ARC25 Interstate Championship trophies to the stage, declaring that all silverware was once again up for grabs.

Racing got underway on 23 March at Lake Barrington, with strong early competition across junior and pathway events. An external power outage caused a temporary suspension of racing on Day One; however, athletes returned to the water to deliver high‑quality performances once racing resumed.

WA was well represented early, including Fremantle’s Samuel Bredell in the Under 19 Men’s Single Scull, along with multiple WA‑based combinations progressing in the Under 19 Coxless Pair events, featuring Fremantle and WARC crews. With junior fields beginning to take shape and a new World Rowing‑aligned progression system introduced, the opening day laid a solid foundation for an exciting and competitive week ahead.

Day Two saw athletes attacking small boat heats under the pressure of the new progression system. High‑quality racing featured across Open and pathway events, with WA athletes making a strong impression.Alex Rossi (WARC), Bronwyn Cox (UWABC), Jacqui Swick (SRRC) and Giorgia Patten OLY (WARC) all progressed confidently in their respective events.

As conditions stabilised following earlier wind disruption, the day set a decisive tone for the regatta, with performances across the heats shaping finals contention and building momentum toward the Interstate Regatta on Sunday 29 March.

Day Three marked a pivotal shift in the Championships, with Open semi‑finals locking in finals fields and the debut of big boats lifting the intensity across the regatta. Tight, tactical racing defined the day, with WA athletes featuring strongly once again.

In particular, Alex Rossi (WARC) progressed in the Open Men’s Single Scull, while Samuel Bredell (FRC) secured his place in the Under 19 Men’s Single Scull final.

National champions were crowned on the fourth day of racing. Despite challenging head‑breeze conditions, standout performances across the Open Single Sculls and Open Pairs highlighted both established Rowsellas and emerging talent. These results were set to play a critical role in shaping upcoming Australian Rowing Team selections.

WA athletes across all age groups claimed an incredible 11 podium finishes on the first day of finals. Of particular note was Samuel Bredell (FRC), who secured his first National Gold Medal in the Under 19 Men’s Single Scull, while Oliver Cliff (UWABC) continued his strong form, medalling again in the Open Lightweight Men’s Single Scull.

Friday delivered a standout moment for WA in the Open Women’s Four. With Giorgia Patten OLY (WARC) leading the crew of Jacqui Swick OLY (SRRC), Bronwyn Cox OLY (UWABC) and Rebecca Pretorius (SRRC), the WA boat claimed a commanding victory to become the inaugural winners of the Gina Rinehart AO Trophy.

Racing in challenging conditions, the crew led from start to finish, underscoring the strength of the State’s high‑performance program. Elsewhere, Open event finals produced high‑quality racing across the Women’s and Men’s Doubles and Fours, with WA representation also featuring through Jack Cleary (WARC / WAIS), who claimed Bronze in the Men’s Double Scull.

From Under 19 through to Open events, WA closed the day with an impressive 12 podium finishes.

Saturday showcased big boat racing, with UWABC’s Open Lightweight Women’s Double, Isabella Emery and Izzy Utley, bringing home Gold, while Ethan Bromley and Oliver Cliff secured Silver in their respective composite crews.

A special shout‑out goes to the Under 19 Women’s Eight+, a Fremantle/WARC composite crew, for their phenomenal win in strong conditions — building anticipation for the Interstate Championships that would close out this record‑breaking regatta.

The final day of the 2026 Australian Rowing Championships delivered club finals and the highly anticipated Interstate Regatta. WA crews brought their A‑game, with both the UWA Coxless Four and the Swan River Women’s Double securing Bronze medals in the club finals.

The WA State Team finished the Championships with one Bronze, two Silver and a standout Gold medal in the Women’s Youth Eight, who led the race from start to finish. Racing was at times brutal, always hard and fast — but WA crews held their own. Yeah WA!