President’s Report

ROB SCOTT

President - Rowing Australia For a second consecutive year the world experienced challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games offered a reprieve from the frustration of extended lockdowns and closed borders, and there were glimpses of normality as rowing regattas resumed around Australia.

As an organisation, Rowing Australia moved forward with planning for the future, buoyed by the announcement that Brisbane would host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We made the decision to reset our strategic priorities and objectives for the whole of the sport, to ensure that they align with the opportunities presented by hosting a home Olympics and Paralympics. Rowing’s 10-year roadmap for the future, which we look forward to sharing with our community later in 2022, will build on the widespread consultation and great work that was done as part of the 2017 Culture Survey and draft 2021 Rowing in Australia Strategic Plan. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed feedback into the Review, as well as the Australian Sports Commission which played an instrumental role in the development and delivery of this significant project. It was a year for the history books on the water, as Australia’s rowers reached new heights at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. This Annual Report duly recognises the achievements of the 38 Olympic athletes and nine Paralympic athletes who were selected to represent Australia in Japan. The results from this campaign are testament to the entire team’s resilience and ability to respond quickly to changing situations. It is this resolve that has shaped this cohort of rowers into a new generation of ambassadors for our sport. I would like to extend deep gratitude to the coaches and support staff who guided the athletes through a tumultuous 18-month preparation under the guise of COVID-19. Athletes showed grit and determination whilst support teams demonstrated resilience by adapting training or racing conditions to give athletes the best chance to perform. The Australian Rowing Team is well and truly on the runway to Paris now, with the immediate focus the 2022 World Cups and World Championships. We wish our teams all the very best as they embark on the upcoming international season.

The domestic rowing season was once again impacted by COVID-19 but easing restrictions enabled rowers to compete at the Australian Rowing Championships and Australian Masters Rowing Championships. By virtue of remote participation, Indoor Rowing events once again proved popular, and it was pleasing to see a wave of support for the

Anzac Day Indoor Rowing Challenge

and Australian Indoor Rowing Championships. Disappointingly, the inaugural Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprints Championships could not be held in 2021 and were deferred to 2022. Rowing Australia continues to pursue opportunities to attract new participants to the sport, particularly though initiatives aimed at Indoor Rowing and Coastal Rowing. The appointment of Rowing Australia’s Chief Operating Officer Sarah Cook OLY to three positions within World Rowing – the Oceania Representative to the World Rowing Council, the Coastal Rowing Commission, and the Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission – is advantageous to the growth and development of the sport which will only benefit rowing in Australia in the long-run. Changes at a Board level during the reporting period included the appointment of Queensland-resident and Sydney Olympian Rachael Kininmonth to the role of Director. The Board has welcomed Rachael’s perspective as both an elite athlete and her leadership experience in club and school rowing. The timing of this report coincides with the conclusion of the director terms of Deputy Chair Flavia Gobbo, Merrick Howes and Andrew Michelmore AO who have served the

2021 proved that for rowing to thrive in Australia, it takes collaboration at all levels

Board and the sport with distinction throughout their tenures. Flavia, as Chair of the High-Performance Committee and Merrick, as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee have discharged their roles with great professionalism over many years and I thank them for their counsel during this time. I would like to personally thank and acknowledge the support of our retiring directors, and also recognise the important role that Flavia has played as Deputy Chair, during a time of transformation and growth for Rowing Australia. On behalf of the Board, I want to acknowledge the great work undertaken by the staff at Rowing Australia, led by Chief Executive Ian Robson and the RA Leadership Team. As this report outlines, Ian and the team have made great strides in the growth and development of the sport at all levels. As a Board, we look forward to working with the team as we embark on a new chapter for rowing in Australia with the release and implementation of a new strategic plan. 2021 proved that for rowing to thrive in Australia, it takes collaboration at all levels, from Rowing Australia to Member Associations, Athletes, Clubs, Schools, Coaches, Officials, Volunteers and Administrators. Looking to the future, working together we will overcome the challenges that are thrown our way as we learn to live with the COVID-19 virus in the longterm. Working together we will create opportunities for our sport to make the most of a successful Tokyo campaign and a home Olympic and Paralympic Games in 10 years’ time. In closing, I would like to thank Rowing Australia’s sponsors and stakeholders, including our Principal Partners the Australian Sports Commission and Hancock Prospecting, as well as our Patron Mrs Gina Rinehart AM. Their significant and ongoing investment into Rowing Australia programs allows us to grow the sport at all levels. Thank-you for your contribution to the development of rowing in Australia in 2021.