Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprint Championships bound for Sunshine Coast
Mooloolaba on Queensland’s famous Sunshine Coast will play host to one of the most-exciting up and coming water sports in the world after securing hosting rights for the 2023 Australian Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprint Championships, which for the first time incorporates the Oceania Championships.
Coastal Rowing is a high-octane, white-water variant of traditional flat-water racing and a discipline on the rise, having been included in the program for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria and on the radar for both the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Now the best athletes in Australia and the region are ready to gather at Mooloolaba Beach from July 27-30 to bring a slice of the action to the Sunshine Coast in what shapes as a key lead-in event to the ANOC World Beach Games in Bali in early August.
Rowing Australia Chief Operating Officer Sarah Cook said the excitement was building as rowing prepares to end a 40-year hiatus at the Commonwealth Games and waits on a decision about inclusion in the program for Los Angeles in 2028.
“We’re delighted to be holding the Australian Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprint Championships in Mooloolaba this year and having Oceania Championship status only adds to the quality of the racing,” Cook said.
“Interest and excitement around Coastal Rowing continues to grow at a rapid rate after the inclusion of Beach Sprints in the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games and the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.
“Coastal Rowing’s profile has grown rapidly since it was confirmed as part of the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and we eagerly await news of potential inclusion at LA 2028.”
Rowing Queensland Chief Executive Ian Holzberger said the Sunshine Coast was the ideal location given its pristine water and white sands and Coastal Rowing had added a new dimension to the sport