Gold Coast to host 2024 Oceania Rowing Coaching and Sports Science Conference and Hancock Prospecting Rower of the Year Awards

Rowing Australia will host the 2024 Oceania Rowing Coaching and Sports Science Conference – featuring coaching legend Wayne Bennett – and the prestigious 2024 Hancock Prospecting Rower of the Year Awards on the Gold Coast.

The events are proudly supported by the City of Gold Coast and will bring Australia’s finest rowers, coaches and sports scientists to the iconic Queensland holiday hotspot.

The 2024 Oceania Rowing Coaching and Sports Science Conference will take place at Griffith University from 31 October – 2 November. This event is an unparalleled opportunity for coaches, sports scientists and rowing enthusiasts to engage with leading experts in the field.

The keynote will be Wayne Bennett, the legendary rugby league mentor known as one of the greatest coaches in any sport in Australia.

With a presentation titled "Achieving the Extraordinary: Insights into High-Performance Team Creation," Wayne will share invaluable insights from his extensive career in high-performance sports that includes seven NRL premierships, along with coaching Queensland and Australia.

Rowing Australia Chief Executive Officer Sarah Cook OLY said she's excited for these two events to be back on the Gold Coast.

“These events not only celebrate the achievements of our athletes, coaches and volunteers but also provide invaluable opportunities for learning and development,” Cook said.

“The support from the City of Gold Coast will enable us to bring our community together to celebrate an extraordinary year at the Rower of the Year Awards, and to look towards LA28 and Brisbane 2032 as we share valuable experiences and learnings not just from within rowing but across sports and disciplines.”

Additionally, the extraordinary Ironwoman Bonnie Hancock will inspire attendees with her talk on resilience, recounting her incredible World Record achievement of paddling 12,700kms around Australia.

The conference will also feature presentations from the Rowing Australia High Performance Team coaches and support staff, who will discuss the journey to the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games with the Rowsellas.

Mayor of the Gold Coast Tom Tate said he is thrilled to welcome and celebrate some of the world's elite coaches, athletes and professionals.

“Our city has long been regarded as a premier destination for sport, but what is perhaps less known, is that we have a highly developed and uniquely integrated economy which encourages innovation and enables collaboration across industry,” said Tate.

“Rowing Australia’s recent partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia, and intention to engage with a variety of industries through events such as these, is synonymous with this, and we are delighted to play a role in its success.”

Attendees who purchase a two-day ticket to the 2024 Oceania Rowing Coaching and Sports Science Conference will gain complimentary access to the online RA Coastal Coaching course and accreditation.

Further details on the topics to be covered and the target audience will be provided soon. For more information and to secure your spot, keep an eye on the RA website.

Following the conference, the rowing community will gather at the QT Hotel on Saturday, 2 November, to celebrate the 2024 Hancock Prospecting Rower of the Year Awards.

This prestigious event honours the remarkable achievements of the Rowsellas and the broader rowing community throughout the year.

Join us for an evening of recognition and celebration. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit 2024 ROTY.

Stay tuned via our socials for additional updates.