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HerCoach – Women’s Coach Development Scholarship Announcement

Rowing ACT is excited to announce through funding from the ACT Government’s Women’s Coaching and Officiating Support Program, we are launching a Coaching Scholarship for Female Rowing Coaches in the ACT.

With 9 scholarships available for all level of coaches, Rowing ACT is excited to see development of our local female coaches over the next 12 months. This scholarships give opportunities for new, developing and performance focused coaches to expand their capabilities and skillsets through an exciting new program. Applications will close Friday 6th February 2026, with the program expected to commence Late February and will run through 2026.

Rowing ACT President Kent Peters said “We are excited to provide a new opportunity for female coaches in the ACT and look forward to seeing the development of coaches within the program”.

Rowing ACT Executive Officer, Sarah Davoren said “The program provides a great opportunity for local female coaches; from developing to performance; to upskill and showcase their abilities. We are incredibly grateful to the ACT Government for their support through the Women’s Coaching and Officiating Support Program Grant”.

To learn more about the program, head to the Women’s Coach Development Scholarship Page or read more here. For a flyer to share with coaches at your club, click here

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Vale Robin Poke

The ACT Rowing Community was saddened to hear of the death on 12 December 2025 of former Rowing ACT member, competitor and Board Member Robin Poke AM. 

Robin’s association with rowing in the ACT commenced in the 1980s when he came to Canberra to pursue opportunities in television journalism.  He quickly immersed himself in a variety of roles in rowing at the State and National level.  

In Canberra Robin is best remembered for leverage of his journalism skills to promote key events in the growth of ACT Rowing.  These included selection of the first World Championship crew from the ACT – the junior pair of Galloway and Thompson coached by Peter Shakespear.  Robin’s media strategy created a sustained lift in the profile of rowing across the board in the ACT and that of representative rowing.  

The ACT crew’s victory in the 1997 Kings Cup provided him with an opportunity he had only dreamt of.  He was able to call the editor of the Canberra Times and say “hold the front page, ACT has won the Kings Cup”.  The publicity and events associated with this success provided a strong stimulus in ACT clubs and schools for increased participation in the National Rowing Championships and Interstate regatta. 

Robin generously lent his expertise to Clubs and the Association for diverse promotional projects including business sponsorships and facility openings. 

In the mid-nineties Robin took on leadership roles as Chairman and then President of the ACT Rowing Association at a time when statehood was the first item on the agenda. Working with proponents David Butt (Chairman) and Leon Bower, Robin contributed to the careful assessment of financial and administrative implications that lead to separation of the administration of ACT and NSW Rowing.  

In 1992 Robin joined Canberra Rowing Club continuing his association with rowing competition that began on the Thames and later the Mosman Rowing Club.  He successfully competed in regattas at the Club, National and International level.   

ACT Rowing will miss Robin’s contribution to so many aspects of the local rowing scene. We thank Robin for his lasting contribution and legacy he leaves behind in the ACT Rowing community.

Article prepared by Patrick Davoren and David Bagnall

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Rowing ACT awarded Minister’s Award for Excellence in Innovation

At the 2025 CBR Sports Awards, Rowing ACT was awarded the Ministers Award for Excellence in Innovation, recognising the ongoing upgrades to our regattas through our digital optimisation project.

Over the past 18 months and moving forward, Rowing ACT has established upgrades to our umpire and regatta capabilities, through WiFi sites at regattas, eReader tablets for our umpires, creating Live Streaming Opportunities, with more to come.

We are incredibly humbled by this recognition and grateful to Minister Berry and ACT Sport and Recreation for this ongoing support through the Industry Partnership Program and other programs.

As noted by Rowing ACT President Kent Peters on the night, these projects expand on the offerings we can provide to our community throughout the regatta season. It is appropriate that as we head towards the regatta weekend, with the biggest entries of the season so far, we celebrate the work we have achieved across a number of years, and celebrate what is to come.

We also acknowledge and celebrate Isobel Egan (Radford-ACTAS) who was named as a finalist in the Rising Star category, and who just missed out on the night.

See ACT Sport and Recreations media release here

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Agenda for the 61st Annual General Meeting of Rowing ACT

The agenda for the 61st Meeting of Rowing ACT Association Incorporated at the CGS Rowing Centre, Alexandrina Drive, Yarralumla on Tuesday 28th October 2025

  1. Apologies
  2. Confirmation of the Minutes of the 2024 Annual General Meeting
  3. Presentation of the Annual Report of Rowing ACT for 2024-25
  4. Presentation of the Audited Statement of Accounts for 2024-25
  5. Election of Directors
  6. Affiliation of the Red Shed Incorporated as a club of Rowing ACT (Vote)
  7. Update on Governance, Membership and Operational Processes
  8. Other Business

The Annual Report for 2024/25 can be found here

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Dragon Boat ACT – Australian Masters Games on the Regatta Course

Dragon Boat ACT will be utilising the regatta course for the Australian Masters Games regatta this weekend. Racing will be from 8am to 6pm Saturday 18th October to Monday 20th October. All clubs are schools are asked to move off the regatta course by 7:45am each day of racing. 

A start platform has been positioned 5m back from lane 1 at 800m to go on the regatta course. Solar lights are attached to the start platform for visibility. Please take care on the regatta course during this period. 

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61st Annual General Meeting Notification

The 61st Annual General Meeting will be held Tuesday 28th October from 6:30pm at the Canberra Grammar School Rowing Centre, 11 Alexandrina Drive Yarralumla.

All members of the community are welcome to attend, however only one members from each club or school may act as the voting proxy for the meeting on any decisions required.

Nominations for the Elected Director and Presidents position are open, with nominations required to be sent to eo@rowingact.org.au before COB Tuesday 21st October. For more information on the nomination process, click here

An agenda for the meeting will be circulated prior.

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Call for Nominations of Elected Directors

Rowing ACT is calling for nominations for the two elected positions listed below. Please note that at this point, both Directors have indicated their intention to stand for re-election.

  • President – currently held by Kent Peters (1 term of eligibility remaining)
  • Elected Director – currently held by Peter Wright (originally appointed as casual vacancy, with 2 terms of eligibility remaining)

As part of our commitment to strong governance and strategic leadership, we are seeking candidates with demonstrated board experience in two or more of the following areas:

  • Risk Management
  • Legal and Regulatory Compliance
  • Government Relations
  • Commercial and Marketing

These skills are critical to supporting the Board in its oversight responsibilities and in guiding the organisation through a dynamic and evolving environment. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Vice-President Tobias Wehr-Candler to discuss the roles (President & Elected Director) and expectations of Board membership – vp@rowingact.org.au.

Nominations must be submitted by completing the form linked below and emailing the signed form to Sarah Davoren at eo@rowingact.org.au by COB Tuesday 21st October 2025, as per Rule 19 of the Rowing ACT Constitution. Please note that the secretary email is no longer in use, and forms emailed to this address will not be received.

Elected Director Nomination Form

To view current board members or understand more about the Rowing ACT Board, head to the About / Governance Tab on the Rowing ACT website or click the following link

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Update to Individual Member Category Definitions

On behalf of the Rowing ACT Board please see below an update to the definitions of the Individual Member categories of Rowing ACT. These definitions have been endorsed by the Rowing ACT board and will be applicable to individual members from the 2025/26 Rowing ACT season.

These definitions have been revised to ensure clarity in the member categories, as well as ensuring Rowing ACT has accurate records of all individual members. Please note that where individual members are not actively registered within the Rowing ACT database, they may not be eligible for the benefits of Rowing ACT membership, inclusive of Personal Accident Insurance.

In addition, commencing with the 2025/26 season, it is expected that athletes competing in the Winter Time Trial series and events such as the Col Panton should be competitive members. Individuals registered as recreational members will not be able to participate in the 2026 Winter Time Trial series and will be required to upgrade their membership. 

To ensure we can identify all members, we are asking that ALL registered members are listed in the Rowing ACT membership database, within four weeks of first registering with their club or school, or within 6 months of their annual membership expiring. Individual Members who are not registered within the time periods specified may not be eligible for the benefits of membership with Rowing ACT (some of which are listed below).

Athletes may be registered with one ACT Club and / or one ACT school in the system and can only hold one type of membership in the system. The club or school of whom the athlete is considered the “primary” member of will be charged the affiliation and registration fees at the end of the season.

General Definition of an Individual Member

An individual registered with a Rowing ACT affiliated club or school, who receives benefits from membership with Rowing ACT AND is currently listed in Rowing ACT’s designated membership database OR have been listed as active member in the last 6 months within the designated database.

When a rower registers with a club for the first time, they should be registered with the Rowing ACT membership database within 4 weeks of commencing with their club to be eligible for benefits associated with Rowing ACT membership, including insurance coverage.

Individuals who have been recognised as a life member of Rowing ACT will not be charged Registration / Membership of Rowing ACT; however, life members must still be registered with Rowing ACT if actively engaging with the community. Competitive life members will not be charged registration/membership fees, however, may incur an affiliation fee.

Individual Member Categories Definitions

Senior Competitive Member:

Individuals who race in ANY ACT, Interstate or National regatta or event, and who are 19 or over. Athletes must pay the registration fee for a competitive member if they compete during Rowing ACT’s membership year.

Junior Competitive Member

Individuals who race in ANY ACT, Interstate or National regatta or event, and who are under 19 during the relevant calendar year. Athletes must pay the registration fee for a competitive member if they compete during Rowing ACT’s membership year.

Competitive Coxswain:

An individual who competes only as a coxswain in any regatta and may not compete as a rower.

Recreational Member

Individuals who do not compete in ANY Rowing ACT regattas, or at the end of the membership year have not competed in ANY regattas. Recreational members are registered members of a local club or school. Includes non-competitive coxswains.

Associate Member:

Officials, committee members, board members, and other non-rowing club members.

Supporter:

Parents and friends of rowers who wish to receive information from Rowing ACT. Individuals registered as supporters do not receive coverage under the Personal Accident Insurance Program.

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ACT Athletes at HRR

Congratulations to all ACT athletes who competed in the 2025 Henley Royal Regatta! It was wonderful to see some familiar faces make their way down the traditional course on the Thames.


Marist College Canberra and Canberra Girls Grammar School both moved into the coxless boats to contest the Junior Quads in the Fawley Challenge Cup and Diamond Jubilee Cup respectively after a successful Australian Season but were knocked out in the heats.


CGGS also sent their Junior double across, who despite fantastic racing missed out on qualifying by one place.


ACT Academy of Sport athlete Alexander Wolf gave the Diamond Challenge Sculls a strong effort but was up against some strong competition and was knocked out in the heats.


It was however a former ACT and ANU Boat Club athlete in Olenka Moran who shone bright with the Rutgers University crew in the Island Challenge, setting a new record in the final and heading back to the US with a very shiny trophy.


We also want to give a shoutout to our friends at the Rowing Australia Reinhold Batschi National Training Centre, with the Men’s Eight taking out the Grand Challenge Cup and equalling the record.

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Rowing ACT End of Season Presentation

On June 28th, Rowing ACT welcomed our community to the 2024/25 End of Season Presentation at the Jetty on the lake. We were able to present and acknowledge our trophy winners for the season, and also acknowledge individuals within the community who have been presented with notable awards.

TrophyClubCrew
Shakespear Cup for the winning eight at the CGS regatta Canberra Grammar SchoolLucas Maclean, Marcus Tremopoulos, Nicolaas Van Der Walt, Magnus Dafter, Ethan Murphy, Benjamin McGregor, Cameron Schmidt, Alexander Griffiths, Cox: Timothy Robson
Steve Fairbairn Cup for Overall Point Score Winner at the ANU RegattaRadford College
Scullers Trophy for the Championship Women’s Single ScullCanberra Rowing ClubCara Grzeskowiak
Bruce Hick Trophy for the Championship Men’s single ScullANU Boat ClubHamish Harding
Veterans Plate for the Championship Masters Men’s A-M FourBlack Mountain Rowing ClubHenry Bridgewater, Jeff Howell, Stephen McGlynn, Ian Mongan
NCDC Trophy for the Women’s Championship Four ANU Boat ClubEllora Kelly, Tahlia Turnbull, Brooklyn Leslie, Hannah Tippett
Coach: Nigel Harding
Banjo Cup for the Men Championship FourCanberra Grammar School Ethan Murphy, Benjamin McGregor, Cameron Schmidt, Alexander Griffiths
Coach: Scott Chesterton
President’s Shovel for the Championship Men’s 2nd EightSt Ignatius RiverviewJack Haire, William Erwin, Jack Ward, Alexander Forlico, Willem Van Rijswijk, Samuel O’Brien, Hamish Walker, Thomas McClintock, Cox: Ryan McNulty
Coach: Hugh Courts
Golden Jubilee Trophy for the Championship Women’s EightANU Boat ClubPip Gray, Jacqueline Williams, Ellora Kelly, Brianna Murray, Brooklyn Leslie, Tahlia Turnbull, Sophie Jerapetritis, Alexandra Moylan, Cox: Luella Blackwood
Coach: Nigel Harding
Ron Starr Bucket for the winning Men’s eight closest to Canberra DaySt Ignatius RiverviewHarry Kelly, George Field, Angus McGrath, William Bryant, Montague Hyles, Julian Carr, Zachary Hyde, Harrison Davis, Cox: Henry Burton
Coach: Matthew Curtin
Uriarra Cup for the Men’s Championship EightSt Ignatius RiverviewHarry Kelly, George Field, Angus McGrath, William Bryant, Montague Hyles, Julian Carr, Zachary Hyde, Harrison Davis, Cox: Henry Burton
Coach: Matthew Curtin
Phere Niki Trophy for the Championship Club at ACT Championships1st – ANU – 150
2nd – CRC – 114
3rd – BMRC – 80
Men’s Championship Pennant1st – Radford – 175
2nd – Canberra Rowing Club – 169.5
3rd – Marist – 135
Women’s Championship Pennant1st – ANU – 226
2nd – Radford – 155
3rd – Canberra Rowing Club – 98.5
Overall Championship Pennant1st – Radford – 330
2nd – ANUBC – 318
3rd – Canberra Rowing Club – 268

We were also able to present our individual awards, with these awards being decided on individual merits and achievements:

AwardRecipientCitation
Peter F Wilkinson Plate for the Most Improvement Oars PersonAlexandra MoylanThis award is determined by the person who has made the biggest percentage improvement to their individual grade score this season. This year Alex Moylan made a 49% improvement to her score, something that only occurs when an athlete consistently wins events across the season.
Volunteer of the YearStuart JohnLong after finishing his employment with Rowing ACT, Stuart John consistently gives back to the community. He can often be found behind the commentary microphone for hours at a time during a regatta, is consistently striving to increase the Para representation and support in the community, will give his time to emcee events and support to Rowing ACT in all areas.
BRO of the YearCatherine GarringtonDetermined by Senior Officials, the BRO of the Year was this year given to Catherine Garrington in her first year as Chief BRO. In her first year, she has strived to continue the legacy left by Geoff Northam and make constant improvements to BRO standards, both on the water and off. She has lead from the front and made small but significant changes to BRO operations
Cliff Hill ShieldAnne CharltonThe Shield is awarded to an individual for long service and dedication to Rowing ACT. Anne Charlton has been an umpire for many years, and is often working hard behind the scenes to ensure the smooth and seamless flow of regattas. Anne is consistently umpiring at regattas and winter time trials and is constantly supporting Rowing ACT from behind the scenes.

Finally, at the presentation this year, RACT was able to award Nicholas Neales with his Interstate Blazer, awarded for winning the 2022 PR3 Men’s Interstate Single, as well as acknowledge awards and accolades presented to individuals throughout the season.

  • Dr David Bagnall on receiving an Order of Australia Medal for services to the Rowing community and in particular his dedication to the ACT rowing community. David has been a previous president of Rowing ACT, has been a coach for more than a few members of the ACT community, including many of our para athletes. He has been a constant supporter, commentator, cheerleader, friend and someone who has been an enormous part of the foundations of Rowing ACT as we know it today.
  • Nick Hunter OAM on being inducted as a Life Member of Rowing Australia. Whilst already a life member of Rowing ACT and an associate member of the ACT Sport’s Hall of Fame, it was well deserving and appropriate that Nick was nominated to Rowing Australia’s Life Member ranks at the most recent AGM. Nick is nearly synonymous with Rowing in Australia and definitely in the ACT. He is a state, national and international umpire, has coached more than a few athletes in the ACT and has been instrumental in developing the sport of Rowing in the ACT, Australia and internationally.
  • Geoff Northam was named Boat Race Official of the Year at the 2024 Australian Rower of the Year, for his long standing efforts, dedication and commitment to many
  • Isobel Egan burst onto the Para rowing scene this year, claiming gold in every Para event she has entered. Her rise to Para rowing success has lead to a place on the U23 World Championships Team in the PR3 single scull next month, and we look forward to seeing her firstly in the Australian team colours, but more importantly in ACT colours at next years nationals.
  • Catherine Khan has been quietly chipping away at her skill over many years, and has this year found her talent in beach sprints. I’m not sure there was too many people who expected the next beach sprinter to come from the cold waters of Lake Burley Griffin, but Catherine has been selected into the Australian team for the World Championships later this year.
  • We would also like to acknowledge Nick Hunter OAM and Geoff Northam who are officiating at the World University Games next month, as well as Stuart John who is pulling on the commentators headset at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai.
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