Rowing ACT is said to announce our Executive Officer, Sarah Davoren has made the decision to resign from her role to pursue a position with the ACT Brumbies as Events and Operations Manager. This is an exciting opportunity for Sarah, and one we are confident she will do well in, after nearly 5 years with Rowing ACT and 3 years since she stepped into the Acting Executive Officer role. Sarah will finish up with Rowing ACT on May 15th 2026.
During her time with Rowing ACT, Sarah has led our operations and strategic goals for the organisation and will leave behind a strong legacy for our community. As Executive Officer, she has successfully petitioned for the upgrades to the regatta course lanes, lead the delivery of the Australian University Championships, lead the delivery of one of the biggest Head of the Lake and Junior Championships regattas since pre-Covid, successfully applied for multiple grants for upgrades to our regatta equipment, managed the procurement and replacement of two umpire boats, supported the delivery of the inaugural Golden Oar regatta, and much more.
Rowing ACT President Kent Peters said “Whilst we are incredibly sad to lose Sarah from our organisation, she leaves the Rowing ACT Community in a far stronger place than when she started. Sarah will leave a large set of shoes to fill and has grown the sport of rowing in the ACT immensely.”
Sarah said of her departure; “Whilst I am incredibly sad to be leaving the wonderful Rowing ACT community, I am very grateful for the support I have received over the past 3 years as Executive Officer. I am extremely proud of what I have achieved in my time with Rowing ACT in conjunction with the board and the community. I know that the ACT community will continue to grow and flourish beyond me and I look forward to seeing what is achieved after I finish.”
Rowing ACT is reviewing the Executive Officer position, however our immediate priority is ensuring the delivery of our Winter Time Trial series and supporting the community through this transition period. In the interim we are seeking expressions of interest from the community to support in the immediate delivery of the Winter Time Trials and other operational work. Interested individuals should email Sarah Davoren at eo@rowingact.org.au
Another Australian Rowing Championships has wrapped up and once again ACT athletes have proven that a small but mighty territory can deliver big results. Across the week, our crews showcased depth, determination and class, returning home with multiple national titles and podium finishes.
Golden Moments
ACT rowers stood on the top step across a range of categories.
Tahlia Turnbull claimed gold in the Under 19 Women’s Single Scull, while Luca Storgato dominated the Under 17 Men’s Single.
In the lightweight ranks, Alexandra Moylan delivered a standout performance to win the Open Lightweight Women’s Single, while Cormac Hayes took gold in the PR3 Men’s Single Scull. Isobel Egan also secured victory in the PR3 Mixed Double Scull.
In the school ranks, Marist College produced a dominant showing, taking out both the Under 17 and Schoolboy Coxed Quadruple Sculls. An impressive display of depth and crew cohesion!
Across the Fleet
SMALL BOATS: ACT’s strength in sculling was evident, with Cormac Kennedy-Leverett in the Open Men’s Single and Garvan Hayes in the U21 Lightweight Men’s Single both claiming bronze, alongside Hannah Tippett in the Open Lightweight Women’s Single.
MIDDLE BOATS: In the doubles, James Robson & Darcy James secured bronze in the Under 23 Men’s, while Emily Shappard & Catherine Khan matched the result in the Open Women’s. Tippett & Moylan also combined effectively for silver in the Open Lightweight Women’s Double.
QUAD STRENGTH: ACT crews continued to shine in the quad sculls, with bronze medals in both the Open Women’s by Anneka Reardon, Tippett, Khan & Moylan and Open Men’s by Hamish Harding, Robson & James.
Schools Leading the Way
ACT schools once again featured strongly across the championships.
Marist College led the charge with two national titles, while Canberra Girls Grammar School added to the medal tally with a bronze in the Schoolgirl Coxed Quadruple Scull and a silver in the Under 17s Schoolgirl’s Coxed Quadruple Scull. Crews from Radford College, Canberra Grammar School and Daramalan College consistently featured in A-finals, highlighting the depth of school rowing in the Territory.
Interstate Wrap
A proud group of ACT athletes donned the blue and gold in the Interstate Regatta to close out the week.
The highlight came from Hayes, who delivered an outstanding performance to secure a silver medal in the Interstate PR3 Men’s Single Scull.
While the broader results did not fully reflect the effort and commitment of the squad, every athlete who represented the ACT did so with pride, determination and a strong sense of team identity.
Final Thoughts
From national champions to emerging school talent, the 2026 Australian Rowing Championships once again demonstrated the strength of rowing in the ACT.
Across clubs, schools and high-performance pathways, ACT athletes continue to punch above their weight on the national stage. These results are a testament not only to the athletes but to the coaches, volunteers, families and supporters who make it all possible.
Rowing ACT congratulates all athletes and thanks everyone involved in making the journey to Nationals another success.
ACT Medal Summary – 2026 Australian Rowing Championships
Gold Medals
- Luca Storgato (Marist) – Under 17 Men’s Single Scull
- Tahlia Turnbull (ANU) – Under 19 Women’s Single Scull
- Alexandra Moylan (ANU) – Open Lightweight Women’s Single Scull
- Cormac Hayes (CRC) – PR3 Men’s Single Scull
- Isobel Egan (Radford) & Flynn Wilkinson – PR3 Mixed Double Scull (ACT athlete: Egan)
- Dashel Spiller, Luca Storgato, Cooper Clark & Jonah McLaughlin (Marist) – Under 17 Men’s Coxed Quadruple Scull
- Cooper Clark, Luca Storgato, Roland Carter, Mitchell Wadie & Cox: Theodore Campton (Marist) – Schoolboy Coxed Quadruple Scull
Silver Medals
- Heidi Heap & Ava Wrathall (BMRC) – Under 17 Women’s Double Scull (Wrathall – ACT)
- Joshua Miller (BMRC) & Julian Le Maitre – Under 23 Lightweight Men’s Double Scull (Miller – ACT)
- Hannah Tippett & Alexandra Moylan (ANU) – Open Lightweight Women’s Double Scull
- Sammy Robilliard, Zoe Leeshaa, Matilda Coddington & Ava Wrathall (BMRC Composite) – Under 17 Women’s Coxed Quadruple Scull (Wrathall – ACT)
- Zoe Tran, Grace Fogarty, Audrey Blacker, Leila Biddington & Cox: Lucia Wildman (CGGS) – Under 17 Schoolgirls’ Coxed Quad Scull
- Cormac Hayes (ACT) – Interstate PR3 Men’s Single Scull
- Harrison Braithwaite (CRC) with Mosman Composite Crew – Under 19 Men’s Quadruple Scull (Braithwaite – ACT)
- Dylan Outram, Jesse Rosin, James Robson & Darcy James (CRC/ANU) – University Men’s Quadruple Scull Sprint
Bronze Medals
- Ava Wrathall (BMRC) – Under 17 Women’s Single Scull
- William Fraser (Radford) – Under 17 Men’s Single Scull
- Cormac Kennedy-Leverett (Sydney/ACT) – Open Men’s Single Scull
- Garvan Hayes (CRC) – Under 21 Lightweight Men’s Single Scull
- Hannah Tippett (ANU) – Open Lightweight Women’s Single Scull
- Camilla Griffin & Khloee Owen (CGGS) – Under 17 Women’s Double Scull
- James Robson (ANU) & Darcy James (CRC) – Under 23 Men’s Double Scull
- Emily Shappard & Catherine Khan (ANU/Sydney University) – Open Women’s Double Scull (Khan – ACT)
- Lily Canfield, Rio Smith, Grace Holton & Charlotte Bowen (CGGS Composite) – Under 19 Women’s Quadruple Scull (Bowen – ACT)
- Hannah Tippett, Anneka Reardon, Catherine Khan & Alexandra Moylan (ANU) – Open Women’s Quadruple Scull
- Hamish Harding, Ben Clayton, James Robson & Darcy James (ACT Composite) – Open Men’s Quadruple Scull (Robson, James – ACT)
- Sophie Murphy, Camilla Griffin, Khloee Owen, Charlotte Bowen & Cox: Rebecca Elischer (CGGS) – Schoolgirl Coxed Quadruple Scull
Rowing ACT would like to congratulate the following crews on their selection into the ACT Interstate Team to compete in the Interstate Regatta at Lake Barrington on Sunday 29th March 2026.
Rowing ACT President Kent Peters commented “It is pleasing to see so many crews selected and that there is many individuals who want to compete for the ACT. Our athletes will do us proud and I look forward to seeing them compete in Tasmania”.
President’s Cup – Men’s Interstate Single
Hamish Harding, coached by Tom Westgarth and Nigel Harding
Nell Slater Trophy – Women’s Interstate Single
Catherine Khan, coached by Tom Westgarth and Nigel Harding
PR3 Men’s Interstate Single
Cormac Hayes, coached by Tom Westgarth
PR3 Women’s Interstate Single
Isobel Egan, coached by Gordon Marcks, Claudia Kendall and Oscar Willink
Noel F Wilkinson Trophy – Youth Men’s Interstate Eight
Harrison Braithwaite
William Fraser
Garvan Hayes
Benjamin Haywood
Campbell Milne
Dylan Outram
Cameron Schmidt
Angus Scott
Cox: Theodore Campton
Coached by Mark Kwiatkowski and Chris Polychinnan
Reserves: Josh Miller and Joshua McGuiness
King’s Cup – Men’s Interstate Eight
Hamish Harding
Cormac Hayes
Darcy James
Max McAlpine
Matthew Rickard
James Robson
Jesse Rosin
Cameron Schmidt
Cox: Jackson Thew
Coached by Mark Kwiatkowski and Chris Polychinnan
Queen’s Cup – Women’s Interstate Eight
Jacinta Essam
Sophie Jerapetritis
Ellora Kelly
Catherine Khan
Brooklyn Leslie
Alexandra Moylan
Tahlia Turnbull
Zara Turner
Cox: Amelia Mukherjee
Coached by Nigel Harding and Dearne Grant
