Golden Oar delivers a spectacular debut on Lake Burley Griffin
With perfect weather, bumper crowds, and two unforgettable days of racing and lakeside celebration, The Golden Oar, presented by Canberra Airport, made an extraordinary debut on Lake Burley Griffin over the weekend.
From dawn to dusk, Black Mountain Peninsula came alive with the sounds of cheering crowds, live music, and oars slicing through the water. Around 300 athletes in more than 70 crews took to the lake, adding to the spectacle and competitive spirit while the festival atmosphere was electric, with food vans, bars, merchandise and market stalls and family activities adding to the energy and colour of the regatta site.
Saturday opened with ideal racing conditions and a vibrant festival vibe. Spectators were treated to thrilling heats across multiple classes, featuring some of the world’s best, including Australian athletes from the National Training Centres, including Olympians Alex Hill and Tara Rigney, alongside Croatian superstars Martin and Valent Sinković and Olympic and World Championship representatives from New Zealand. The lake was further activated by the CBR Wild Swim and the popular YMCA Cardboard Boat Regatta, which drew plenty of laughs and community spirit following the morning’s spectacular rowing action. A highlight of the afternoon’s activity was a frenetic rowing ergometer relay involving mixed crews of elite athletes and high school rowers from across Canberra.
Across the afternoon, the peninsula came alive with live performances and DJs creating a relaxed and festive atmosphere that carried into the early evening. Rowers, supporters, and the general public took advantage of the stunning conditions to enjoy the fare and refreshments that the food vans and bars, including pop-ups from the Public Bar in Manuka and Molto.
Sunday’s finals brought the racing to the next level, with electric finishes in the Mixed Open Quad Scull and Mixed Club Quad Scull finals keeping the crowd on edge. The eliminator format in the Open category brought rowing spectating to new heights. National Training Centre athletes dominated in the Open Quad walking away with more than $50K in prize money. The WARC composite claimed top honours, followed by the Swan River composite close behind, while UTS took gold in the Club Quad ahead of Sydney Rowing Club. Canberra’s own rowers also shone, with standout wins for Canberra/ANU ACTAS composite in the Under 19 category, joined in the winner’s circle by Canberra Rowing Club in the Masters race.
In a global first for paralympic rowers, $10,000 prize money was up for grabs. The crews from Sydney/Mercantile and Adelaide/Radford College with only 0.27 seconds splitting the crews in the final.
The Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, attended the regatta and presented trophies to the winners of the PR3 Mixed Double Scull, recognising the athletes’ exceptional performances and contribution to the sport.
“The Golden Oar has shown what Canberra can deliver – world-class rowing, a welcoming community and an atmosphere unlike anywhere else,” said John Gasson, President and CEO of Red Shed Inc. “This weekend was a celebration of the sport, our city, and everyone who came together to make it happen.”
With more than $100,000 on offer, the Golden Oar offered the largest prize purse of any regatta in the world, attracting elite competitors from across the globe. With the event’s success exceeding expectations, planning is already underway for 2026, with organisers setting their sights on establishing The Golden Oar as one of the world’s premier rowing festivals.
“We’ve had incredible feedback from athletes, visitors and locals alike,” said Gasson. “The vision has always been to build something truly special here – a regatta that’s not just about racing, but about bringing people together around the sport we love.”
As the sun set over Lake Burley Griffin on Sunday evening, there was little doubt that The Golden Oar had achieved exactly that – a world-class celebration of rowing, community and Canberra at its very best.
Full results can be reviewed here
