The picturesque shores of Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast will come alive with the return of the Australian Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprint Championships, set to take place from August 15-18.
After the overwhelming success of the 2023 event, Rowing Australia has once again chosen this prime location to showcase one of the most dynamic and exhilarating water sports.
This year's championships promise to be even more thrilling as Mooloolaba gets ready to welcome elite athletes from Australia and the Oceania region. The event also marks another significant step for Coastal Rowing, which has been added to the Commonwealth Games and will make an Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.
“We can't wait to get back to the iconic backdrop of Mooloolaba. Last year's event set a high standard and we're eager to build on that success,” Rowing Australia Chief Executive Officer Sarah Cook OLY said.
“The Sunshine Coast's stunning beaches provide the perfect backdrop for this spectacular sport, and we're looking forward to another year of top-tier competition.
"With Coastal Rowing's inclusion in the next Commonwealth Games and its inclusion for the upcoming LA Olympics, the discipline is on an incredible trajectory. Our athletes are not just competing; they're making history, and Mooloolaba is a significant part of this journey."
Matt Bialkowski, Chief Executive of Rowing Queensland, echoed Cook's sentiments, praising the Sunshine Coast for its exceptional conditions that are ideal for Coastal Rowing.
"Mooloolaba and the Sunshine Coast region offer some of the best waters for our sport. The community's embrace of this event contributes greatly to its success, and we're excited to showcase this dynamic form of rowing to an even wider audience,” Mr Bialkowski said.
Sunshine Coast Council Division 4 Councillor Joe Natoli said the 2023 event had been quite the spectacle and he was looking forward to another action-packed regatta for Mooloolaba Beach.
“We get to be part of its evolution as a new sporting discipline that welcomes all rowers from juniors (16 years) up to masters, male, female and para rowers,” Cr Natoli said.
“As we continue to establish the Sunshine Coast region as a destination for high performance training in a number of sports, I know that the Rowing Australia training camp prior to the championships will take full advantage of our natural environment and the many national standard training facilities and services available to them.”
The event will double up as the Oceania Beach Sprint Championships and will be a lead in event for the World Rowing Coastal Championships and World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Genoa, Italy in September.
The event continues to receive strong support from local businesses and sponsors, including Sykes Boats, an iconic Australian manufacturer known for producing world-class rowing equipment.
Please visit our Coastal Website to find out all the information you need:
https://rowingaustralia.com.au/australian-coastal-and-beach-sprint-championships