2026 Lunch | QRowunion

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the friday lunch

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QUEENSLAND’S 2026
ROWUNION LUNCH

2026 QRowunion Lunch

We are proud to welcome our valued partner as the naming rights sponsor of the 2026 QRowunion Lunch. Their generous support helps cover the costs for RQ Life Members and our guest speakers, allowing us to keep ticket prices accessible for all attendees while delivering a high-quality event.

This partnership reflects a shared commitment to the rowing community and to supporting events that bring members, supporters, and friends together. We sincerely thank our sponsor for their continued backing and contribution to the success of this lunch.

We look forward to celebrating another great year of rowing, connection, and community at the 2026 QRowunion Lunch — made possible through strong partnerships and ongoing support.

BECOME A TABLE CAPTAIN

The Table Captains are our equivalent to the “Henley Stewards”. These “influencers” are the leaders in our community – the social magnets that organize the guests and reconnect with our past alumni, and make no mistake, what really makes this function special are the guests – colleagues we may not have seen for many years.

Guest Speaker

“My Queensland Connection”

Drew Ginn

Drew Ginn OAM remains one of Australia’s most decorated Olympic athletes, from any sport, winning three gold medals and a silver from four Games as well as five golds, a silver and two bronze from eight world championships. On twelve occasions he represented Victoria in the Kings Cup (winning 8). His Olympic record – 1996 Gold Oarsome Foursome, 2000 withdrew with back injury, 2004 Gold pair with James Tomkins, 2008 Gold pair with Duncan Free, and 2012 Silver in the four.

Ginn was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1997 and the Australian Sports Medal in 2000. He was named FISA male rower of the year in 2003 (with Tomkins) and 2007 (with Free). In 2014 he was awarded the Thomas Keller Medal, the sport’s highest honour acknowledging an exceptional rowing career and exemplary sportsmanship. In October 2018, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

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“Opportunities on the Road Towards 2032”

Sarah Cook

CEO
Rowing Australia

Plans and challenges for rowing leading up to Brisbane 2032

Sarah Cook born in Ipswich, Queensland, Sarah was an eight-time national rowing champion and a two-time Olympian (2008 W2- with Kim Crow, & 2012 W8+) who represented Australia at Under-23 and Senior World Rowing Championships from 2004 to 2011. After rowing, Sarah switched sports and competed for Australia as a member of the Australian Sailing Team from 2013 to 2015, in the 470 and 49erFX classes, and is a two-time national sailing champion in the 470.

Since retiring from competitive sport, Sarah has built a diverse career across coaching, broadcast commentating, and sports administration. She has served as President of Sydney University Boat Club, a Board member of Sydney University Sport & Fitness, Rowing NSW, Baseball Australia, and from 2016 a Council member and then Board member at Rowing Australia. Sarah has been a World Rowing Broadcast Commentator since 2013. In 2018, she was the first non-British woman to be elected a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta and in 2025 was appointed onto the Management Committee. Since 2022, she has been a member of the World Rowing Council as the Continental Representative for Oceania and is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Rowing Australia. Sarah is also mum to future rowers, Astrid (6) and Max (4).

With a background in teaching, coaching, and sports administration, she is deeply committed to the growth and accessibility of sport, with a firsthand understanding of its transformative role in the education and holistic development of young people. She is equally driven by sport’s ability to create positive impact in communities and to serve as a powerful vehicle for social change.

John Bowes

Rowing Australia Pathway Transition Manager

The opportunities and impact of the US College system

John Bowes is a renowned name in the world of rowing. While Director of Rowing at Terrace (1988 – 2002) he won the Head of the River in 1994 & 1996 and then as Head Coach of Rowing at Nudgee College (2011 – 2020) he won the Head of the River in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2019. He was the Head Coach at The University of Queensland Boat Club, Sydney Rowing Club, and Commercial Rowing Club. He coached Australian Junior or U23 crews at the World Championships 14 times from 1996 – 2025. He was also the first coach of Sydney Rowing Club to win at Henley (Fawley Cup) after many, many years of trying!

Now, John works as the Pathway Transition Manager at Rowing Australia where he primarily focuses on better understanding the local and US environments in order to develop and maintain better connections with student-athletes based in the US and provide invaluable advice for athletes and parents seeking information when considering a US College experience. John will talk about the impact the US College system has on Australian and World rowing,

Phoebe Robinson

Australian rep and medallist in Flatwater and Coastal Rowing

The excitement of Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprints

Phoebe Robinson is a rising star in Australian rowing, known for her versatility across disciplines and her passion for team-based sport. Phoebe has represented Australia across junior (2018 & 2019), under 23 (2023 Bronze W4-), and beach sprint formats (2023 Gold PR3 Mixed Double with fellow Queenslander Mac Russell and 2025 Bronze Mixed Quad). Phoebe also boasts an impressive domestic record, having claimed multiple Australian Rowing Championship titles, including wins in the Under 19 and Under 21 women’s four, pair, eight, and double sculls between 2018 and 2019.

Her talents earned her a spot at the University of Texas in Austin where in 2024, she rowed in the First Varsity 4+ crew that claimed the NCAA National Championship and won gold at the Big 12 Conference Championships. She also graduating in science and kinesiology. All this achieved by an athlete who is in her mid-twenties and will have finished her Agribusiness studies at the University of Queensland’s Gatton campus by the time of our function.