Rockhampton to host 2032 Olympic rowing and canoe spring events

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic rowing events will be held in the central Queensland City of Rockhampton, on the Fitzroy River. But as it's an ocean tidal river in crocodile country, there are concerns about whether it's a suitable location.

Transcript

00:00There's something beneath the surface here on the mighty Fitzroy River that has rowing

00:06officials on edge, and it's not the crocodiles.

00:10Rockhampton's course has been announced by the Queensland Government as the site for

00:14rowing and sprint canoeing in the 2032 Games, disregarding a recent recommendation the Olympic

00:21rowing be held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.

00:25Now crocodiles are regularly spotted here in the Fitzroy River, but Brisbane Olympic

00:29Games chiefs and crocodile experts say this issue can be managed.

00:35Rowing Australia is however more concerned about the current in the central Queensland

00:39location than crocs, being a river rather than a lake or man-made venue like the Sydney

00:45course.

00:47Currents don't run evenly, which could impact results in races or favour certain lanes,

00:52while water quality and weed management are also factors here.

00:56Now in the past, the Rockhampton Waterway has been used as a training facility for the

01:00Australian rowing team, including before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and with further plans

01:06to do the same ahead of the next Games in Los Angeles.

01:10However the rowing body fears the Rockhampton venue could fail to meet international rowing

01:15regatta standards, with the announcement made before the completion of a technical feasibility

01:20study that would confirm its ability to host national or international level racing.

01:26World Rowing is set to visit the river in May, and Rowing Australia says it would work

01:30closely with the international body, the IOC committee and Games organisers moving forward.

01:37But for now, the Rockhampton Rowing Club here on the mighty Fitzroy River is looking forward

01:42to putting on an Olympic standard rowing regatta, but with a regional take in 2032.

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