Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) is pleased to announce the full schedule for the 2025 RCA Beach Sprint Tour, including four local events and the National Beach Sprint Selection Trials. Now entering its next year of growth, the Tour is designed to increase awareness of coastal rowing and Beach Sprint racing across the country—offering more racing opportunities, development experiences, and pathways to national and international competition.

Beach Sprint rowing is fast, dynamic, and spectator-friendly, combining a beach start, slalom-style sprint on the water, and an all-out run to the finish line. With its recent addition to the LA 2028 Olympic Games, RCA is focused on developing a deep and competitive group of Canadian athletes, coaches, umpires, and local organizing committees (LOCs) through initiatives like the Beach Sprint Tour.

The 2025 Tour kicks off on June 21 in Victoria, British Columbia, with the Western Canadian Beach Sprint Championships, hosted by OARCA Coastal Rowing. Held on Cadboro Beach Waterfront this year, this event brings high-energy racing to the West Coast and welcomes both experienced competitors and first-time coastal rowers. “We at OARCA Coastal Rowing are looking forward to hosting at a different location this year,” shared Regatta Chair, Michelle Boss. “Cadboro Bay is a popular Victoria beach. It will be a great place to expose the public to beach sprints.”

Also on June 21 and continuing through June 22, Ontario athletes will take to the beach in Kingston for the Row Ontario Beach Sprints Cup, hosted by Row Ontario. As Beach Sprint continues to gain traction in central Canada, this regatta will be a key opportunity for communities in and around Ontario to engage with the growing sport.

On August 16, the Tour moves to Quebec for the Cap Saint-Jacques Beach Sprint, hosted by Aviron Lachine and held at Cap Saint-Jacques Beach in Pierrefonds. This event introduces new audiences to coastal rowing in one of Montreal’s most popular recreational spaces. President of Aviron Lachine, Richard Cabana shares the excitement the club feels leading into the event. “The Lachine Rowing Club is proud to be part of the Beach Sprint Tour for 2025. As one of the pioneering clubs for ocean shell racing in Canada, we are excited to see that beach sprint rowing has made it to the Olympics, and the RCA Beach Sprint Tour is a great way to introduce this fun regatta to a wider audience.“

The final stop on the Tour will be the Cascadia Coastal Championships – Beach Sprints, hosted by the Cascadia Regatta Association on August 30 at Locarno Beach in Vancouver. Known for its scenic beauty, Locarno Beach offers the perfect venue to close out the Tour. The event will bring together top competitors from across the West Coast and beyond, and serve as a final tune-up for athletes looking ahead to international competition.

Each Tour event will include development opportunities for athletes, coaches, and umpires, further building capacity and community across Canada. More information about registration and event details will be shared through RCA and host organization channels in the coming weeks.

2025 National Beach Sprint Selection Trials

In partnership with Row Nova Scotia, RCA will host the 2025 National Beach Sprint Selection Trials at Rissers Beach in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, from July 19–22. These trials are the primary opportunity for athletes to earn a spot on the national team representing Canada internationally.

• Friday, July 18 – Course Familiarization (1:00–5:00 pm)
• Saturday, July 19 & Sunday, July 20 – Selection Trials
• Monday, July 21 & Tuesday, July 22 – Beach Selection Camp (by invitation)

International Representation:

Athletes selected from the Beach Selection Camp will earn the opportunity to represent Canada at two prestigious global competitions:

• World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals | October 23-26 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Commonwealth Rowing Association Beach Sprint Championship | November 21-23 | Bridgetown, Barbados