Croatia’s three-time Olympic gold medallists to compete in Golden Oar Regatta in Canberra

Presented by Canberra Airport, the Golden Oar, Canberra’s newest and most exciting rowing spectacle, will welcome global rowing royalty on 1–2 November 2025, as Croatian legends Martin and Valent Sinković make their debut on Australian waters. The brothers, widely regarded as one of the greatest crews in rowing history and Croatia’s most successful summer Olympics athletes, will race in the Open Mixed Quadruple Sculls, joined by two of Australia’s own Olympians — Tara Rigney, Paris 2024 Olympian and World Championship bronze medallist, and Harriet Hudson, Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist.

This will be Martin and Valent Sinković’s first visit to Australia, and they’ve chosen the Golden Oar as the stage for their much-anticipated Southern Hemisphere debut.

“We’ve raced all over the world, but never in Australia — so this will be something very special for us,” said Valent Sinković. “The Golden Oar has such a fresh and fun approach to racing, and we can’t wait to be part of it.”

“To be able to race with Tara and Harriet — two incredibly talented athletes — and experience the energy of a brand-new event in such a beautiful location is really exciting,” added Martin Sinković. “We’re looking forward to connecting with the Australian rowing community and enjoying everything Canberra has to offer.”

While in Australia, the Sinković brothers will also connect with members of the Croatian-Australian community, who have followed their extraordinary careers with pride. Community events are being planned around their visit, offering an opportunity for fans and families with Croatian heritage to meet two of the country’s greatest sporting icons in person.

The Golden Oar is redefining regatta culture with fast-paced formats, mixed crews, and a festival atmosphere designed to appeal to both die-hard fans and newcomers to the sport. For Tara Rigney, teaming up with the Sinković brothers is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

It’s not every day you get to race with Olympic legends,” said Tara Rigney. “This will be an awesome challenge and a really fun way to celebrate the sport we love.”

Harriet Hudson, no stranger to the world stage, echoed the excitement:

“The Golden Oar is such a cool initiative, and having Martin and Valent join us takes it to another level. I can’t wait to see how it all plays out on the water.”

The organisers extend their sincere thanks to DOMA, D-Group and Red Shed for their generous support and to the Croatian Olympic Committee and Croatian Ambassador for making this international collaboration possible.

The Golden Oar will take place on Lake Burley Griffin across the weekend of 1–2 November 2025. The event will have open admission to avid spectators, supporters and interested onlookers alike, with more announcements about the festival in coming weeks.