The 2026 RMB South African Schools Rowing Championships, held from 6–8 March at Roodeplaat Dam, delivered three days of exceptional racing as the country’s best junior rowers gathered for the pinnacle event of the school rowing calendar.
From U14 athletes experiencing their first national championships to matric students competing in their final school regatta, the event showcased the full journey of school rowing in South Africa. Crews from around 30 clubs and schools and more than 1,000 athletes competed across the weekend, producing thrilling contests in challenging weather conditions.
Day 1: Tight Racing Despite Heavy Rain
Friday’s programme saw most of the small boat events take place, with rowers contending with heavy rain while battling for national honours.
The stakes were particularly high in the U16 and Open categories, where performances also contribute toward selection for international junior tours, raising the intensity of competition across the course.
The u16 women’s pairs really rose to the occasion with the top 3 crews breaking the course record.
In the U19 women’s pair, the St Mary’s combination of Gunning and McGregor delivered one of the most dominant performances of the regatta, winning their race by more than 20 seconds.
St Mary’s also featured strongly in the U19 women’s single sculls, where Jade Burnand demonstrated outstanding form, claiming victory by 10 seconds over teammates Manson and Moore.
The U19 men’s pair saw another powerful performance from Ramos and Rohrbeck of St Benedict’s, who have been dominant throughout the season. However, they were pushed harder than in previous regattas, with strong challenges coming from the Van der Vyver twins of KES and the St John’s pairing of Keus and Backes, highlighting the depth of talent in the field.
Day 2: Crews Rise to the Occasion
Saturday’s racing continued the excitement as some of the premier U16 boat classes took to the water.
The U16 girls’ quad title went to St Mary’s, while the U16 boys’ eight was won by St Stithians, both crews delivering strong performances in competitive finals.
Day 3: Windy Conditions and Championship Finals
Sunday brought strong winds across Roodeplaat Dam, creating difficult conditions for the championship finals. Despite the challenging weather, crews rose to the occasion and delivered some of the most exciting races of the weekend.
In the U19 girls’ quad, St Andrew’s School for Girls converted their dominant singles performances earlier in the regatta into a commanding crew result, winning the final by more than 10 seconds over St Mary’s, with DSG — stroked by Palmer — securing third place.
The U19 boys’ eight delivered the thrilling contest it had been billed to be.
St Benedict’s College ultimately claimed the national title after pushing out early and bravely defending their lead to the finish. Behind them, the race for the minor medals produced one of the closest finishes of the regatta, with less than half a second separating the next three crews.
St John’s College secured silver, while KES claimed bronze, with St Andrew’s College finishing fourth after showing significant improvement from last season.
The remainder of the final was filled by strong Western Cape crews, with SACS, Rondebosch, St Stithians and Bishops completing the lineup and highlighting the depth of rowing talent emerging from the region.
Eastern Cape Rowing Shows Strong Resurgence
The championships also highlighted a resurgence of rowing in the Eastern Cape, with several impressive performances from the region’s schools.
Among them was a standout effort from DSG sculler Wienand, who finished fourth in the U19 women’s single, while DSG also secured bronze in the U19 girls’ quad. On the boys’ side, strong performances included victory in the U19 men’s fours and a narrow fourth place in the U19 boys’ eight, underlining the growing strength of Eastern Cape rowing programmes.
Celebrating the Future of South African Rowing
The RMB South African Schools Rowing Championships once again demonstrated the depth, competitiveness and spirit of South African junior rowing.
“RMB SA Schools Rowing Champs is the bedrock of rowing in South Africa. This year’s event was another incredible showcase of the talent that we have in this country and, reminder of the unmatched spirit and comradery of South African student sport. In 2026, RMB is celebrating 10 years of partnership with Rowing South Africa and it’s fantastic to see the partnership bearing fruit so tangibly with diverse school representation from across the country at the world-class home of rowing, Roodeplaat Dam.” said Michael Edwards, RMB Sponsorship Marketing Lead
Across three days of racing — through rain, wind and fierce competition — young athletes delivered performances that reflected not only their dedication and preparation, but also the continued growth of rowing across the country.
With many of these athletes now progressing into national junior pathways and international opportunities, the championships reaffirm their role as the premier platform for the next generation of South African rowing talent.
For more visit ww.rowsa.co.za or follow @rowingrsa on Instagram
