Canberra will come alive with two days of rowing action and festival vibes at the inaugural Golden Oar. Photo: Red Shed.
History will be made on Lake Burley Griffin this November as the inaugural Golden Oar launches a new era of rowing in Canberra — and everyone is welcome to experience it live.
Taking place on November 1 and 2 at Black Mountain Peninsula, this two-day festival marks the first time the capital — and indeed, Australia — has hosted an international rowing event of this calibre, and organisers are determined to secure a prominent and permanent spot on the international rowing calendar.
The event is organised by Red Shed — a not-for-profit community rowing facility on a mission to make rowing accessible to all. Members say the event is a no-brainer for the national capital.
“Canberra is such a well-designed city for rowing, with our beautiful lake, but we take so little advantage of it,” Red Shed Inc general manager Monique Gasson says.
“There’s absolutely no reason for that. We looked at iconic rowing events around the world — the Henley Royal Regatta, Lucerne Regatta and Head Of The Charles — and became convinced that Canberra is the right place for something of this scale in Australia.”
Over two days, the lake will come alive with rowing events, music, markets, food and festival spirit. There will be events for rowers ranging from elite athletes to under-19s, clubs to masters, and pararowers. They, along with elite rowers from around the world — including Olympic and world champions — will go head-to-head for $120,000 in prize money, one of the biggest purses in rowing history.
The action culminates in a heart-pounding 500-metre sprint in front of the Red Shed, a race expected to be over in less than a minute.
Among the star athletes confirmed are Croatia’s legendary Sinković brothers, Valent and Martin, household names in international rowing and Olympic gold medallists.
“They’re probably the most famous rowers in the world,” Gasson says. “They’re very excited to be coming down under for the first time.”
Team members from Australia, New Zealand, England and Uganda will also line up — but, in a refreshing twist, victory is anyone’s for the taking.
Lake Burley Griffin will host the world-class festival, putting the capital firmly on the global rowing map. Photo: Daniel Morton.
Unlike most regattas, Golden Oar participants’ squads will comprise two men and two women, a mixed configuration that won’t be seen at the Olympic level until Los Angeles 2028.
“That makes it anyone’s competition,” Gasson says.
“These crews don’t generally train together, so we genuinely don’t know who’s going to win. It will be exciting to see who crosses the line first.”
The weekend program features a 1500-metre race and a 3-kilometre time trial on Sunday morning, which determines seeding for the grand final sprint. Between races, spectators can soak up the electric atmosphere along the lakeside, with food trucks, live music and a kids’ tent with family-friendly activities.
“It’s a hive of activity centring around the Red Shed,” Gasson says.
“The Golden Oar is for everyone — participants, spectators and anyone who wants to get out for a great day by the lake and a festival atmosphere.”
For those inspired to get involved, the festival features open events that invite the public to experience the lake firsthand. Brave swimmers can tackle the “wild swim”, while young engineers can enter the cardboard regatta, where teams aged 12 to 18 have four hours to build a boat from cardboard, duct tape and rope — and then test its seaworthiness, with $500 up for grabs.
In another crowd-pleaser, the erg relay challenge will see national and international champions team up with school students for an indoor rowing showdown.
“It’s fun, but it’s also part of our indoor rowing championships,” Gasson says.
“We wanted to celebrate rowing in all its forms.”
Festivities will centre around the spectacular Red Shed. Photo: Red Shed.
Behind the scenes, the Red Shed’s small army of volunteers has been working tirelessly to bring the vision to life since opening in mid-2023. The event embodies their mission to make rowing more visible, accessible and inclusive.
“Day to day, we run learn-to-row sessions to get kids on the water and to promote the sport to the broader community,” Gasson says. “Golden Oar is us meeting that goal on a massive scale.”
Ultimately, the dream is for The Golden Oar to become a fixture on the international rowing calendar — an event streamed around the world and spoken of in the same breath as the great global regattas that inspired it.
“We absolutely want this to become an iconic event, something people travel far and wide for,” Gasson says.
The Golden Oar takes place Saturday, 1 November, and Sunday, 2 November at Black Mountain Peninsula. Admission is free.
