NZ Success at the 2026 Australian Masters Rowing Championships, Perth

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 Success in Perth – 2026 Australian Masters Rowing Championships

The 2026 Australian Masters Rowing Championships were held in the final week of May at Champion Lakes in Perth, bringing together competitors from across Australia and beyond. A strong New Zealand contingent, largely from the lower North Island, made the journey across the Tasman—and returned home with an impressive haul of medals.

🇳🇿 Kiwi Representation

The New Zealand group featured:

• Kerry Dombroski and Gus Berghan (Clifton)

• Bruce Tate and Murray Stewart (Aramoho)

• Kevin Horan (Horowhenua)

• Alan Cleaver (Mercer)

They were joined by Martha de Jong (Cambridge) and Maude O’Connell (Cromwell), with several Perth-based rowers also stepping in to complete composite crews across a range of events.

🚣‍♂️ The Venue and Conditions

Champion Lakes, a purpose-built rowing course established in 2007 south of Perth, provided a challenging but fair racing environment. The north–south course delivered a mix of headwinds and tailwinds across the four days of racing.

At times, the conditions tested crews with choppy water and shifting winds, but the regatta ran uninterrupted, highlighting both the resilience of competitors and the capability of the venue.

📊 Entries and Competition

This year’s regatta attracted around 625 competitors—down from over 1,000 at the Sydney championships three years earlier. The reduced numbers were attributed to travel distance, increased costs (including fuel for boat transport), and broader cost-of-living pressures.

Despite this, the quality of racing remained exceptionally high. In fact, competition appeared a step up from typical New Zealand regattas, with strong depth across many categories.

Notable highlights included:

• Men’s G Double Sculls (2x) – the largest event with 20 entries

• Men’s G Quad Sculls (4x) – the biggest quad field with 15 crews

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Preparation and Training

The journey to Perth began back in October 2025, following discussions at the NZ Masters regatta in Twizel. An initial group of around 15 interested rowers gradually narrowed to six committed athletes.

Training was diverse and consistent, with athletes completing up to eight sessions per week.

Programmes included:

• On-water rowing (singles and doubles)

• Ergometer sessions

• Strength training (heavy and speed weights)

• Cross-training (running, cycling)

• Home-based workouts

Lead-up regattas at Blue Lake (January), Te Awamutu (April), and the North Island Masters (May) provided valuable racing opportunities, with crews mixing combinations wherever possible.

🥇 Racing Highlights

The regatta got off to a perfect start for the Kiwis with the Men’s G8+ on Day 1. In a close contest with Manning River (NSW), the New Zealand crew surged ahead in the final 200 metres to secure gold.

Several events were raced as straight finals, including the G8+, G4-, and G2-, while others required progression through heats and semi-finals.

Standout performances included:

• Men’s G Double Sculls (2x) – Kevin Horan and Bruce Tate delivered a dominant performance, winning by an impressive 8.5 seconds. Kerry Dombroski and Gus Berghan also claimed a podium finish in third.

• Men’s G Quad Sculls (4x) – A composite Kiwi crew again took gold in a strong field, posting an outstanding time of 3:23.

• Across the regatta, New Zealand crews remained consistently competitive in both sweep and sculling events.

🏆 Medal Tally

The campaign proved highly successful, with the group finishing with:

• 🥇 7 Gold Medals

• 🥈 3 Silver Medals

• 🥉 4 Bronze Medals

Gold Medal Performances:

• Mix G4+ – Kerry Dombroski, Martha de Jong + Perth crew

• Men’s G8+ – Dombroski, Berghan, Tate, Horan, Cleaver, Stewart + Perth crew

• Mix G2x – Alan Cleaver & Maude O’Connell

• Men’s G2x – Kevin Horan & Bruce Tate

• Men’s G1x – Alan Cleaver

• Men’s G4x – Horan, Tate, Berghan + WA composite

• Men’s G2- – Kevin Horan & Bruce Tate

Silver Medal Performances:

• Mix F2x – Kevin Horan & Perth composite

• Men’s F1x – Kevin Horan

• Mix G8+ – Kiwi men with Perth women’s crew

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 Racing Schedule

The team competed across a full programme:

• Wednesday: Mixed doubles and fours, plus Men’s G8+

• Thursday: Singles, G4-, and G2x

• Friday: Mixed eights and fours, plus singles

• Saturday: G4x and G2-

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 Final Thoughts

The Perth campaign was a fantastic example of commitment, preparation, and teamwork delivering results on the international stage. Despite smaller entry numbers overall, the high standard of racing pushed all competitors and made the success of the Kiwi crews even more satisfying.

Beyond the medals, the regatta provided valuable experience, strengthened connections with Australian rowers, and reinforced the strength of Masters rowing within New Zealand.