Row, row, row your boat all the way to The Dock this Olympic season.
You can cheer on the Australian rowing team across four patriotic nights at the Kingston foreshore venue, within a stone’s throw of the lake on which many of them trained.
The rowers representing Australia at the Paris games have spent the past few months training at the Reinhold Batschi National Training Centre right here in the capital, meaning the team has plenty of friends and family eager to rally behind them.
The Dock co-owner Glen Collins says he is excited to decorate the bar in anticipation of their success in Paris.
“We’re going to have the entire place decked out in green and gold for the duration of the games,” he says.
“The rowing is particularly exciting for Canberra. For the Tokyo Games, we had friends and family of the Oarsome Foursome come to watch it, which was great, and they’re excited to come back again to support the Aussies once more.
“The rowing is a great event to watch, but we’re also going to have as many games on as possible. Whether it be live or repeats, the screens will have a competition on at all times.”
This year, the rowing team comprises 37 rowers from across the country, including six making their third Olympic Games appearance, 20 at their second and 11 making their Olympic debut.
Rowing Australia chief executive officer Sarah Cook started her rowing career with the Rowsellas in 2004 and says events like viewing parties at The Dock make all the difference to the community.
“Having a meeting place for our community to celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic Games together is really important, and we have such a strong and dedicated rowing community in Canberra,” she says.
The rowers representing Australia have spent the past few months training at the Reinhold Batschi National Training Centre, a place close to Sarah’s heart.
“Being in Kingston and on the foreshore of Lake Burley Griffin is also very appropriate, as we know our athletes have rowed thousands of kilometres on the lake preparing for the games,” she says.
Sarah says that, from her own experience, Canberra is the ideal place to learn the sport.
“As a Canberran, I spent many years learning to row and training on Lake Burley Griffin. Notwithstanding the chilly winter mornings, it is one of the best waterways in Australia to row and train,” she says.
“We as a community just love Canberra. It has so much to offer the sport.”
The rowing viewing parties will be taking place from Wednesday, 31 July, until Saturday, 3 August, from 5 pm.
To tap into your Olympic spirit, visit The Dock.