Nagambie misses out on Games with lake rowing left off the list

The picturesque Lake Nagambie and its surrounds will not play a part in the 2026 regional Victorian Commonwealth Games, after the state government last week confirmed flat-water rowing would not be included in the final list of sports.

Instead, the organising committee opted for coastal rowing, with the discipline set to make its Commonwealth Games debut at a seafront location.

This comes as a major blow to Strathbogie Shire and Nagambie Rowing Club, who pushed hard for the world-class facility to be utilised as part of the 2026 Games.

Lake Nagambie showed it was capable to host an event of this magnitude in March, when it was thrust into hosting the Australian Rowing Championships at the last minute and put on an incredibly successful regatta.

But that wasn’t enough to sway organisers to include it in the program, as Deputy Premier and Commonwealth Games Delivery Minister Jacinta Allan explained why traditional rowing was left out.

“Coastal rowing has been announced as an event for the 2026 Games and in its definition needs to be held at a coastal location,” Allan said.

“When it comes to the more traditional rowing activity, the advice through the expression of interest process was that World Rowing did not nominate traditional rowing as a sport for consideration.

“So whether it’s the Victorian local organising committee, Commonwealth Games Australia or Commonwealth Games Federation, we could only consider the sports that were nominated and traditional rowing was not one of those.”

Commonwealth Games Australia chief executive Craig Phillips then went on to explain why coastal rowing was seen as the better fit for the 2026 Games.

“World Rowing saw coastal rowing as the opportunity for these Games and a way of expanding its footprint in the expanding world, especially the Commonwealth nations,” Phillips said.