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WA Rowers Ready for the Rose Regatta

Published Fri 15 May 2026
As our Western Australian athletes prepare to represent the state at the Rose Regatta, they do so carrying not only their training and determination, but the stories and experiences that have shaped their journey. Below, one of our travelling members shares a personal reflection on the power of rowing to connect cultures, build friendships, and create opportunities beyond the boat – a reminder of the broader impact of our sport on the global stage.

This opportunity is supported by the Western Australian Government through an Asian Engagement Grant with the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport.

Catch all the action on the event livestream: here!
 

Being in China so far has been nothing short of fantastic! Some highlights include trying a variety of delicious cultural foods, seeing beautiful architecture, meeting people from all corners of the world and practicing my long lost Mandarin from school. Learning about Chinese culture, watching how people interact with each other on the street, in the markets and in the city compared to the villages has also been very interesting. People are intrigued at oud coming from Australia, on the other side of the world and being an ambassador has been a privilege. Our hosts are gracious, knowledgeable and always happy to help. I feel lucky that using a little bit of high school mandarin has also enabled me to connect with the translators, shopkeepers and streetsiders further.

It has also been lovely to explore traditional villages with our new friends from New Zealand and the Czech Republic. Having a common ground of such a driven and motivated sport like rowing makes it easy to build connections with like minded people. It is so valuable to create and then maintain these connections through a shared activity, and see how rowing bridges cultures and languages.

The ability to both race and learn how other countries train and what opportunities exist for their development is also so valuable. I feel very privileged to experience this, and excited at the thought of what other opportunities may emerge as a result of this experience, and through the connections we've made.

  • Ellora Kelly (SRRC)

 

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