Ben Cureton

Swan River Rowing Club (WA)

Ben Cureton, from Western Australia, is a distinguished rower whose career spans a wide range of successes, particularly in the lightweight category. From junior competitions to representing Australia in the Olympics, Cureton's journey has been marked by a series of remarkable accomplishments. His experience and achievements in the Lightweight Coxless Four and Lightweight Coxless Pair helped shape his legacy in Australian rowing, making him one of the sport’s key figures over more than a decade.

Cureton’s international rowing career began in 1999 when he competed in the World Rowing Junior Championships, representing Australia in the Quad Scull and finishing 4th. This early result showed his promise, and it laid the foundation for a successful career.

In 2000, Cureton stepped up to compete at the World Rowing Championships in the Lightweight Eight, where his crew secured a 3rd place finish, earning a bronze medal. This was a breakthrough for Cureton on the global stage and showed his potential at the senior level.

By 2001, Cureton had already established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the lightweight rowing category. He won the National Championship in the Lightweight Coxless Pair, marking the beginning of a successful domestic career. At the 2001 World Rowing Cup IV, he raced in the Lightweight Coxless Four, finishing 7th, and at the World Rowing Championships, he competed in both the Lightweight Eight (6th) and Lightweight Coxless Four (9th), showing his versatility across multiple boat classes.

The 2002 season proved to be a pivotal one for Cureton. He won the National Championship in the Lightweight Coxless Pair and claimed 2nd place in the World Rowing Cup III Lightweight Coxless Four. At the 2002 World Rowing Championships, Cureton’s Lightweight Coxless Four finished 4th, just missing out on a medal but showing that he was now one of the top lightweight rowers in the world.

Cureton’s career reached new heights in 2004 when he and his crew in the Lightweight Coxless Four finished 3rd in World Rowing Cup III, setting the stage for the Athens Olympics. At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the Australian Lightweight Coxless Four crew raced to an incredible 2nd place, earning the silver medal and marking Cureton's first Olympic medal—an achievement that solidified his place among the elite in the sport.

2004 Silver medal winning Olympic Lightweight Four - Ben on the right
Photo from the Hebfotos collection

In 2005, Cureton had another dominant year, winning both the National Championship in the Lightweight Coxless Pair and the Lightweight Coxless Four, continuing to showcase his dominance at the national level. He repeated this success in 2006, winning the National Championship in the Lightweight Coxless Pair and finishing 3rd in World Rowing Cup I and 2nd in World Rowing Cup II with his Lightweight Coxless Four. However, at the 2006 World Rowing Championship, the Australian Lightweight Coxless Four finished 6th, just missing out on the podium.

The 2007 season saw Cureton maintain his strong form. He won the National Championship in the Lightweight Coxless Four and the Men’s Interstate Lightweight Four Penrith Cup. In international competition, his Lightweight Coxless Four crew finished 5th at World Rowing Cup III and 7th at the World Rowing Championship, while also competing in multiple World Cups that season.

In 2008, Cureton and his crew in the Lightweight Coxless Four claimed victory in both the National Championship and the Men’s Interstate Lightweight Four Penrith Cup, further asserting their dominance in the lightweight category. At the 2008 World Rowing Cup III, they finished 3rd, but at the Beijing Olympics, the team had a tough race and ended up 9th—a challenging outcome that fell short of their medal aspirations.

Despite this setback, Cureton continued to remain at the top of his game. In 2010, his team achieved 2nd place at the World Rowing Championship in the Lightweight Eight, showing his continued excellence at the senior international level.

The year 2011 marked another high point in Cureton's career as he and his Lightweight Coxless Four won the World Rowing Championship, achieving his first World Championship gold. This victory was the culmination of years of hard work and a testament to Cureton’s skill and determination.

Cureton's final Olympic appearance came in 2012 at the London Olympics, where he competed in the Lightweight Four and finished 4th—a heartbreaking result for a crew so close to the medal podium but still an outstanding performance at the highest level of international competition.

2012 Olympic Lightweight Four in final - Ben in 3 seat
From the Hebfotos collection

In addition to his Olympic achievements, Cureton also won the National Championship in the Open Coxless Four in 2012, continuing to be a dominant figure in the domestic rowing scene.

Ben Cureton’s career is defined by his achievements in the Lightweight Coxless Four and Lightweight Coxless Pair, including a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and a World Championship gold in 2011. His dedication to the sport, both in domestic and international arenas, has made him one of Australia’s most respected lightweight rowers. His career is a testament to resilience and excellence in a highly competitive field, and his legacy continues to inspire future generations of rowers.

Some rowing highlights

1999 World Rowing Junior Championships Quad Scull – Fourth

2000 World Rowing Championships Lightweight Eight – Third

2001 National Championship Lightweight Coxless Pair – First

2001 World Rowing Cup IV Lightweight Coxless Four – Seventh

2001 World Rowing Championships Lightweight Eight – Sixth

2001 World Rowing Championships Lightweight Coxless Four - Ninth

2002 National Championship Lightweight Coxless Pair – First

2002 World Rowing Cup III Lightweight Coxless Four – Second

2002 World Rowing Championships Lightweight Coxless Four – Fourth

2004 World Rowing Cup III Lightweight Coxless Four – Third

2004 Athens Olympic Games Lightweight Coxless Four – Second

2005 National Championship Lightweight Coxless Pair – First

2005 National Championship Lightweight Coxless Four – First

2006 National Championship Lightweight Coxless Pair – First

2006 World Rowing Cup I Lightweight Coxless Four – Third

2006 World Rowing Cup II Lightweight Coxless Four – Second

2006 World Rowing Championship Lightweight Coxless Four – Sixth

2007 National Championship Lightweight Coxless Four – First

2007 National Championship Men's Interstate Lightweight Four Penrith Cup – First

2007 World Rowing Cup III Lightweight Coxless Four – Fifth

2007 World Rowing Championship Lightweight Coxless Four – Seventh

2008 National Championship Lightweight Coxless Pair – First

2008 National Championship Men's Interstate Lightweight Four Penrith Cup – First

2008 World Rowing Cup II Lightweight Coxless Four – Seventh

2008 World Rowing Cup III Lightweight Coxless Four – Third

2008 Beijing Olympic Games Lightweight Coxless Four – Ninth

2010 World Rowing Championship Lightweight Eight – Second

2011 World Rowing Cup III Lightweight Coxless Four – Fourth

2011 World Rowing Championship Lightweight Coxless Four – First

2012 National Championship Open Coxless Four – First

2012 World Rowing Cup II Lightweight Four – Seventh

2012 World Rowing Cup III Lightweight Four – Second

2012 London Olympic Games Lightweight Four – Fourth

Jack Hargreaves
May 2025