Medal Glory for WA at Commonwealth Beach Sprint Championships

Oceane Jeannerat, Blake Whyatt and Thea Adamson take podium finishes!

The Commonwealth Beach Sprint Championships, held from 21–23 November, brought together athletes from 14 Commonwealth nations to contest the fast-paced coastal format.

Australia finished the event with seven gold medals from eight entries, showcasing the depth of talent in coastal rowing. Rowing Australia’s Performance Director, Paul Thompson MBE, praised the team’s professionalism and resilience.

Western Australia’s rising coastal rowing star, Oceane Jeannerat, delivered a stunning performance on the international stage, claiming gold in the Under 19 Women’s Solo and gold in the Team Relay on Browne’s Beach, Bridgetown, Barbados.

Oceane, a member of Fremantle Rowing Club and Year 11 student at John Curtin College of the Arts, powered through the surf to stop the clock at 2:45.59, edging out Canada in a thrilling final. Her victory marked the first medal of the regatta for Australia and set the tone for what became a dominant campaign for the national team.

For Oceane, the gold medal capped off an extraordinary year that included winning the U19 national title at the Australian Beach Sprint Nationals in NSW just weeks earlier.

Reflecting on her achievement, Oceane said she was “incredibly honoured” to represent Australia,

“This opportunity means the world to me. I’ve worked so hard, and to achieve a podium result for my country is something I’ll never forget. Every time you get to a start line in Beach Sprints, it’s golden.”

Blake Whyatt from West Australian Rowing Club dominated with triple gold triumph.

Blake powered through the waves to claim victory in the Men’s Solo, Mixed Double, and the thrilling Team Relay, cementing a reputation as one of Australia’s elite coastal rowers.

This isn’t Blake’s first taste of glory. A seasoned competitor, Blake was part of the Australian Coastal Rowing Team last year, showcasing talent and resilience on the international stage. His return to the sand and surf this season has been nothing short of spectacular, proving that experience and determination are a winning combination.

Thea Adamson from the University of Western Australian Boat Club, competed for Wales and brought home a silver in the Mixed Double and a bronze in the Team Relay Event.

After being narrowly beaten by Scotland in September at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Turkey, this podium result is a great win for Thea!

“It was a very exciting regatta in a beautiful location. I was very proud to be on the podium as my doubles partner Bo and I had been racing and training well together in the lead-up. Additionally, I was lucky enough to do some quality training for the month prior at FRC with David and Oceane. So, we were extremely happy to deliver on both race days. The best part of the experience was the few days prior where we trained at Brownes Beach and worked as a team to get the boat handling right. It was a lot of fun and laughing, our team are great. We gained a lot of confidence from that process.

The success of these athletes in Barbados signals a bright future for WA rowing on the world stage!

Interested in getting involved in Beach Sprint? Why not sign up for Beach Sprint Regatta #2 on Sunday 14 December at Canning Bridge. No experience? No problem – everyone’s welcome! Find out more here!

Click here for a link to the Event Website and results.

Click here for link to photo album

Credit Photography to Swift Racing and CJ Taylor