THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF
Thank you to our guests, sponsors and supporters for a memorable afternoon.
- 23rd October 2026
- 12:00 PM to 4 PM
- Star Casino 33 William Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Guest Speaker
“The people who made a difference”
Bo Hanson
Bo Hanson – is a very proud Queenslander, a passionate rowing tragic and someone who cares about our sport. Bo raced for BSHS in the 1989 and 1990 Head of the River. 5th and 6th or last were his results… 2 years later he competed in the Barcelona 1992 Olympics as Australia’s youngest-ever rowing Olympian still aged eighteen. He finished his rowing career as a four-time Olympian and 3 time Olympic medalist. In 1992 in the VIII which finished 5th 4 seconds of a gold medal, he rowed 7 seat on stroke side having swapped from bow side only 3 months prior. In 1996 Quad Bronze (stroke) having first paddled in a single scull in October of 1993.2000 4- Bronze (stroke) 2004 VIII Bronze (6 seat) both times back to bow side.
An outstanding international career, however, it is his loyalty to Queensland that endears him to so many. In 1996 he relocated to Sydney to row with Tim McLaren, his 1996 Olympic coach, in addition to following his wife Liz after she gained employment in a Sydney based investment bank; he rowed from the UTS Haberfield Rowing Club. During this time, he remained loyal to Queensland, becoming Queensland’s most capped Kings Cup oarsmen competing a record 12 times in 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 and he stroked those crews on several occasions. And in 1995 attempted the President’s Cup also.
His professional career includes founding high-performance consultancy, Team8People in 2000, which presents to corporate audiences and sporting teams ranging from NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA, D1 colleges, NRL, AFL and even multiple Olympic Rowing Programs. He regularly speaks at conferences here and in the USA where most of his Sports work is based. Within Australia, he mainly works with large scale mining and construction projects assisting their leaders and working with their individual teams to ‘make their boat go faster’. Bo has worked with more than 200,000 individuals, thousands of teams and 40 different types of sports. His clients have won everything from Major League championships, Olympic gold medals, world championships, division 1 NCAA titles and on it goes.
The foundation of all his work is about creating ways to build productive relationships and working with leaders and coaches who deeply care about their people and athletes, more so than the sport they coach or business empire they run. It’s about people, and so is today’s keynote, titled, “The people who made a difference”
panels
“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.
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.
After party venues
The QRowunion Lunch is on Level 6 and there are plenty of after party venues within the Star. You simply take the escalator or catch the lift down to Level 5 for the Sports Bar and Livewire Bar, or continue down to level 4 to access the lifts to the Skydeck on Level 23.
Level 5 - The Sports Bar
This spectacular venue is positioned high above the Brisbane River and wrapped with floor-to-ceiling glass for breathtaking views. The Sports Bar also features three exclusive VIP booths, each large enough to seat an entire footy team, providing the ultimate game-day experience.
Level 5 - Livewire
Positioned alongside the Sports Bar, LiveWire offers stunning river views and features a 19-metre-long bar, an expansive dance floor, comfortable lounges, and booth packages for those looking to make their night even more special.
Level 23 - Skydeck
Soaring 100 metres above the Brisbane River, visitors have a fantastic view across the river towards Southbank.
Clubs
What people said about our last function
table captains and guest list
Sponsors
