Individuals from across Canada came together virtually from January 23-24 for the 2026 Rowing Canada Aviron National Conference, a weekend of learning and celebration. 

To help us improve future events, please take a few minutes to complete our post-conference survey by Wednesday, February 4th. Your feedback is invaluable in shaping the next National Conference experience.

Post-Conference Survey

The conference opened with a keynote by Robert Fegg, Head Coach of the Canadian Luge Team, presenting his keynote session, “Thank You, Athletes: What you Taught Me About Coaching” – Reflections on trust, adaptation, and performance in modern coaching. 

The day continued with sessions from Richard Patterson, Mayah Golden, and Matt Bradshaw on talent identification and athlete development. Erin Davis presented “The Conversation That Changes Everything.” This session explores the concept of the transformational conversation, grounded in the question, What’s the conversation that, if we got it right, would transform how we work together in 2026?

Following those talks, Katie Clark, Steve Rosts & Dane Lawson presented on the journey of the National Team athlete, while in the Thriving Organizations stream, Brent Brandham presented on building stronger clubs with smarter protection. 

Saturday’s sessions kicked off with two exciting talks. Katie Bahain-Steenman and Jana Peachey presented on the Canadian Rowing Model Technique, while False Creek Rowing Club shared their journey on building sustainable programming.

After those sessions, the surprise panel of renowned coaches, Yasmin Farooq of the University of Washington, Dave Calder of Brentwood College, and Scott Feddery of Queen’s University, provided an in-depth discussion on how to create high-performance, competitive pathways for athletes. Simultaneously, in the other stream, Victoria City Rowing Club presented on their Junior Bursary program, and ways to grow rowing into a more inclusive sport. 

RCA’s 2025 Excellence Awards recipients were celebrated following the Saturday sessions at the Conference. View the full list of honourees and award winners HERE. 

At the Semi-Annual Meeting, the 2025 Annual Report and the Report and Recommendations of the RCA Committee on Dues and Fees was approved by the membership. Effective April 1, 2026, the Dues and Fees are as follows: 

RCA Seat Fee – $4.65
RCA Base Participant Fee – $31.75
Club Dues – $529
Special Association/Associate Organization – $664
Provincial Rowing Associations – $924 
Special Investment Fee (per Participant) – $8