Peter Watson and Ian Jobling
Coastal Rowing, as a recognised rowing speciality, has been given a recent boost with the confirmation of an agreement between Rowing Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia. This has opened the way for aspiring members of the Surf Life Saving fraternity to exhibit their skills and adapt to the sculling action used in Coastal Rowing boats.
The opportunity to represent Australia at the Olympics in 2028 Los Angeles and/or 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games is a great incentive to try this exciting sport.
Rowing has been an event at every Olympic Games except those in Athens in 1896. In the Official Report of the Games of the First Olympiad there is one line for rowing: “No rowing events could be held due to adverse weather condition. The events were to be held at Phaleron Bay – an open beach. But, at the next Olympic Games, Coastal Rowing will be a new and exciting event with single, double and quad shells actually specifically designed for the open beach.
Coastal Rowing will be an event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and it is anticipated it will be staged on the Sunshine Coast at either Mooloolaba or Noosa Heads at the Brisbane 2032 Games.
This year’s Australian Coastal Rowing Championships will held over four days at Mooloolaba from Thursday 16 – Sunday 20 August.
Recent discussions with the former Australian and Queensland President of the Surf Rowers League indicated they were looking at Coastal Rowing as an option for their Masters competition rowers, in particular, who were looking at continuing to row on the sea but avoiding the hazards of surf.
At the inaugural Australian championships held at Noosa Heads in 2021, there were many rowers from the University of Queensland Club who were successful. Harry Nott was the winner of the Under 21 Men’s C-R 4 km Solo event. Harry praised the quality and handling of his Kanghua racing shell provided by Sykes Boatbuilders for the championships and commented on the difference between Coastal Rowing boats and traditional rowing shells:
“The boat is higher and catches the wind more, and you have to be aware of the swells which vary in size and force … and you need to be efficient when on the breaking waves coming into shore by keeping rowing, even when you catch it – or it catches you!”
When asked whether he will continue with Coastal Rowing leading up to the possibility of competing at the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, Harry said he was keen: “My Grandma lives at Coolum so I would be able to row with the Coastal Rowing Noosa club on occasions.”
The introduction of “Come and Try” options at Mooloolaba and Kawana has been very successful with Surf Club members who can read waves, swells, rips and currents well, along with still-water rowers taking the opportunity to experience this exciting extension to traditional rowing.
Coastal Rowing Noosa is also offering “Come & Try” sessions. If you are interested, please contact Peter Watson through the Coastal Rowing Noosa website: www.coastalrowingnoosa.com.
[Peter Watson is Secretary of Coastal Rowing Noosa. Dr Ian Jobling was the Founding Director of the UQ Centre of Olympic Studies, now Patron of the Queensland Centre of Olympic and Paralympic Studies, University of Queensland]
