2026 World Rowing Coastal Championships and Beach Sprint Finals – Qingdao, China
The 2026 World Rowing Coastal Championships were conducted in Qingdao, China on 11-13 October 2026. and the 2026 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals were conducted also in Qingdao, China the following week on 18-21 October 2026. The Beach Sprint Finals were a great result for Australia.
Billy Johnson reported for RA on its website on 21st October 2026 as follows:
The Rowsellas have produced their best-ever World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals campaign in Qingdao, China, headlined by Isabella Scammell winning gold in the Coastal Women's Solo event.
The Australian Beach Sprint Rowing Team won one Gold, two Silver and one Bronze medal across an incredible final day of racing, with World Champion Scammell’s win securing Australia’s first-ever gold medal in the World Beach Sprint Finals.
Adding to Australia’s impressive medal tally was Sam Forbes and Maddison McLaughlin who both won silver in the Coastal Men's Solo and U19 Coastal Women's Solo events respectively. Forbes then teamed up with Elizabeth Newell, Dan Johnston, Catherine Khan and Ryder Taylor to win bronze in the Coastal Mixed Quadruple Sculls.
The successful results from this World Beach Sprint Finals also represent an important step towards LA28 where Coastal Rowing makes its Olympic Games debut ... .
The Australian team was selected in September 2026 and attended a pre-departure camp from 5-10 October.
Medal Standing
The full 2026 medal standing can be found through this link. Australia finished third, and by total medal count, second.
| Rank | NOC | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank by total |
| 1 | CHN | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 2 | ESP | 2 | 1 | 3 | =3 | |
| 3 | AUS | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| 4 | GER | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | =3 |
| 5 | USA | 1 | 1 | 2 | =5 | |
| 6 | GBR | 1 | 1 | =7 | ||
| 7 | FRA | 1 | 1 | 2 | =5 |
Competition summaries by event
Australian Beach Sprint Team
Men's Solo - Silver
Samuel Forbes (QLD)
Women's Solo - Gold
Isabella Scammell (NSW)
Mixed Double Scull - 13th - Eliminated in knock stage - last 16
Bow: Oscar Scheel-Gamborg (NSW)
Str: Isabella Scammell (NSW)
Mixed Quad Scull - Bronze
Bow: Elizabeth Newell (QLD)
2: Dan Johnston (NSW)
3: Catherine Khan (ACT)
Str: Samuel Forbes (QLD)
Cox: Ryder Taylor (NSW)
Reserves (non-travelling)
Marcus Della Marta (NSW)
Liam Davis (WA)
Zara Turner (ACT)
U19 Beach Sprint Rowing Team
U19 Coastal Men's Solo - 13th - Eliminated in knock out stage
Harrison Braithwaite (ACT)
U19 Coastal Women's Solo - Silver
Maddison McLaughlin (QLD)
U19 Coastal Mixed Double Scull - 5th - Quarter-finalist
Bow: Harrison Braithwaite (ACT)
Str: Maddison McLaughlin (QLD)
Coaches
James Loveday (Beach Sprint Head Coach)
Spencer Turrin OAM (Beach Sprint Lead Coach)
Performance Director: Paul Thompson (RA)
Team manager: John Hukins (RA)
Samantha Blanchard of the Commercial Rowing Club in Brisbane competed in the World Rowing Coastal Championships in the Women's Solo over the 4km course. She finished 15th in the A final. No other Australians competed in these Championships.
Isabella Scammell wins the Women's Solo
Photo: World Rowing website. Photographer: Detlev Seyb
Rankings by event
Sources
- World Rowing website
- Rowing Australia news item announcing the team on 30th September 2026