Golden Oar is Canberra’s celebration of rowing, held on Lake Burley Griffin. It brings crews, families and the wider community together for a weekend on the water, and Red Shed is proud to be part of it.
The Golden Oar 2026
The Golden Oar is presented by Canberra Airport and hosted by Red Shed, with support from Rowing Australia and Rowing ACT.
Not just a regatta, a festival. This year Golden Oar runs over three days for the first time, Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November, on Lake Burley Griffin. An extra day has been added to the front of the weekend, and the racing has grown with it. Every crew is mixed, equal men and women, and they come from clubs across Australia and around the world. There is more than $200,000 in prize money on the line. An international rowing event, right here on our water.
The format is an omnium, so crews race three times across the weekend and the results carry through. A 1500m buoyed race for strategy and control, a 3km time trial for endurance and pacing, then the 450m sprint showdown to finish. Rankings from the 1500m and the 3km decide who lines up where for the sprint finals.
Away from the racing there is plenty on for everyone else. Entry for spectators is free.
Friday 30 October
- Mixed Double Sculls Showcase, new for 2026. A sprint eliminator over 450m at Tarcoola Reach, from 5.00pm to 6.30pm, with heats, semi-finals and finals.
Saturday 31 October
- 1500m buoyed racing at Yarramundi Reach from 10.00am, with PR3, Masters, Club, Under 19 and Open categories running through the morning.
Sunday 1 November
- 3km time trial at Scrivener Dam, 8.30am to 10.50am.
- Sprint finals over 450m at Tarcoola Reach, 12.00pm to 2.20pm.
Across the weekend
- The Wild Swim, a relaxed swim in Lake Burley Griffin open to all ages and abilities, hosted by the local Wild Swim crew.
- The Golden Oar Pro-Am, where Olympic rowers team up with community rowers over a short course.
- The YMCA Cardboard Boat Regatta, with young crews racing boats they have built themselves out of cardboard.
- The RowNation Erg Relay, a chance for anyone to take a turn alongside elite athletes.
- A family zone with hands-on activities, face painting and games.
- Live music from local artists, afternoon DJ sets, food vans, breweries and local producers, and hand craft markets along the foreshore.
Racing categories for 2026 are Open Mixed Double Sculls, Open Mixed Quad Sculls, Under 19 Mixed Coxed Quad Sculls, PR3 Mixed Double Sculls, Masters Mixed Quad Sculls, Club Mixed Quad Sculls, and Club Mixed Coxed Eight, which is new this year for clubs with sweep rowers.
Entries are through Rowing Manager and close on 16 October 2026.
The full program, race times and entries all live at goldenoar.com.au. Head there to enter a crew or plan your weekend.