2025 Pennant Regatta Season Overview

Regatta Partipation Working Group Review.

Following a thorough and consultative review process, Rowing WA has developed changes to the Rules of Racing to improve participation and racing opportunities for Pennant rowers. These changes are based on the outcomes of the Pennant Regatta Participation Working Group (RPWG), which met consistently from May to October 2024.

The RPWG, comprising representatives from all rowing clubs, conducted a deep dive into the factors contributing to the decline in regatta participation over the past decade. Their objective was to develop targeted strategies to reverse this trend and increase engagement across the sport.

The Group’s recommendations are grouped into the following key areas:

• Rule changes to grade points and pennant points: Revising the grading system to enhance fairness and competitiveness.
• Inclusion of new events within the regatta program: Expanding the program to offer more diverse and engaging racing opportunities.

Rowing Scores to Remain Dynamic Throughout the Season

Unlike in previous years, rowing scores will not be frozen mid-season for the 2025 Rowing WA Pennant Regatta Season. Instead, scores will continue to adjust based on race results throughout the entire season.

The updates to the way rowing scores are calculated are designed to ensure that crews are accurately graded according to their ongoing performance.

Under the new system, only the winning crew (the fastest across all divisions) will see an improvement in their rowing score. This is a shift from previous seasons, where multiple placing crews received score adjustments. This approach promotes fairer and more balanced racing, ensuring that crews compete in divisions that best match their abilities.

Seat Fee Caped for Pennant #1, #2, #3 and #4

We are pleased to announce the continuation of the seat fee cap initiative for the 2025 Rowing WA Pennant Regatta Season. Following positive feedback from the rowing community and a successful trial in 2024, we will maintain the capped seat fee for the four Champion Lakes Pennant regattas again this season, excluding the State Championships.

The maximum seat fee per athlete will remain capped at $44.10, equivalent to three events. This initiative provides significant benefits to both athletes and clubs by keeping costs predictable and manageable. Our aim is to make it easier for athletes to budget for regattas and to encourage greater participation in multiple events.

While Rowing WA may experience a reduction in revenue, we are confident that increased participation will help offset this, fostering a more vibrant and competitive racing environment.

2025 Pennant Season Calendar

Rowing WA pennant regattas during the 2025 season include:

Full programs for all regattas can be found here.