The Commonwealth Rowing Association (CRA), in conjunction with the Namibia Canoe & Rowing Federation (NamCanRow), organised a highly successful 2022 CRA Beach Sprint Championships at Independence Beach, Walvis Bay, Namibia from 2 to 4 December 2022. The three-day event took place from Dec. 2-4 and was the second Commonwealth Beach Sprints ever held, after the first event in Great Britain in 2018. The regatta was also the first of its kind to be hosted in Namibia and those in attendance were treated to exciting action between 12 Commonwealth nations in the CW1x, CM1x, and CMix2x categories. Teams also contested in the first ever Team Relay event at a major international competition.
The event was part of a Development of National Sport System project which aims to develop coastal rowing in Namibia. The inclusion of Beach Sprints on the 2026 Commonwealth Games Programme that will be held in the State of Victoria, Australia and potential inclusion on the 2028 Summer Olympic Games favour this path of development for the Federation, the NNOC and the Southern Africa Region overall.
World Rowing and Olympic Solidarity, through the Namibia National Olympic Committee supported a Level 1 World Rowing Coastal Coach Development Course as well as a Coastal Race Module which was held from 27 November to 1 December 2022. In addition, there was a National Technical Official (NTO) education/training opportunity running in the days preceding the event.
15 coaches from Barbados, Bahamas. Mauritius, Namibia, and Zambia participated in n the Coach Education course under the instruction of World Rowing experts National Technical Officials were taken through their programme by World Rowing’s Nick Hunter.
The event was supported by the Commonwealth Games Federation, Olympic Solidarity, World Rowing, the Namibian Canoe and Rowing Federation, the Municipality of Walvis Bay, the Namibian Navy and the Commonwealth Rowing Association.
Lee Boucher, manager of the Scotland team summed up the event well: “The Namibian Organising Committee have delivered an exceptional Championships, with lots of excellent racing, and we’d like to thank them for their incredible hospitality. We look forward to seeing coastal rowing growing in the region and across the Commonwealth in the years ahead.”
Beach Sprints is a relatively new format in rowing. The format involves a head-to-head elimination style of racing. Athletes sprint along the beach, climb into the coastal rowing boat, row furiously through a slalom course for 250m before completing a 180-degree turn, rowing back to the beach and sprinting back on the beach to a finish line. It’s extreme, and it’s unpredictable – making for an engaging and exciting form of the sport.
Coastal rowing is great for nations without access to flat water. The technical skills required in the navigation around the buoys add a different component that doesn’t necessarily favour bigger competitors.
“The 2022 CRA Beach Sprints Championships have been a huge success with new and experienced athletes as well as spectators saying they love the fun but highly competitive spirit.
With Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games on the horizon, I am hoping we’ll see the Commonwealth rowing community and those Commonwealth nations not currently engaged in rowing to really take up this opportunity to compete on equal terms in a low-cost exciting discipline and re-establish rowing as a core Commonwealth Games sport. Many smaller island nations can have a real advantage with their beautiful natural venues and for their talented athletes.” remarked CRA President Peter Cookson.
Results can be found at 2022 CRA Beach Sprints Results
photo credit: Namib Times