2026 Rowing NSW Sprint Eliminator
The Rowing NSW Sprint Eliminator makes its much-anticipated return in 2026. You can find all the details on this page.
The Women's Sprint Eliminator will be held during the lunch break of the 2026 Schoolgirl Head of the River on 14 March 2026.
The Men's Sprint Eliminator will be held during the lunch break of the 2026 Schoolboy Head of the River on 15 March 2026.
The Rowing NSW Sprint Eliminator is a set of 250-metre races.
Nine athletes contest the first race, and whoever finishes last is eliminated.
There are five minutes between races - anyone not ready for the next race is eliminated.
Racing continues, with last place being eliminated each time, until two athletes are left.
This means the top two athletes will race a total of eight times, or 2km total.
The winner of the final race wins the Sprint Eliminator.
There are 9 athletes for each gender:
1 defending champion - last year's female and male champions return.
5 Rowing NSW selections - these are marquee, high-performance athletes.
1 qualifier from the CDRA Sprint Championships regatta (9 November 2025) - a qualifying race specifically for the Sprint Eliminator will be held, with the top finisher for each gender qualifying
1 qualifier from the RNSW Sprint Championships regatta (30 November 2025) - a 500m qualifying race specifically for the Sprint Eliminator will be held, with the top finisher for each gender qualifying
1 qualifier from the PLC/Kings/Rowing NSW regatta (7 February 2026) - a 500m qualifying race specifically for the Sprint Eliminator will be held, with the top finisher for each gender qualifying
The field of athletes will be updated here as it is announced:
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| Men's Race |
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For each gender, the prizes are as follows:
1st Place - $10,000
2nd Place - $4,000
3rd Place - $3,000
4th through 9th Place - $250
How can I watch the Rowing NSW Sprint Eliminator live?
The races will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel, and we'll have wall-to-wall coverage on all our socials.
Who can enter the Sprint Eliminator?
Anyone can qualify via the qualifying races, whether you're a Masters, school, HP or club athlete. Fast enough = you're in.
Who gets the prize money?
The winning athletes! The Rowing NSW Sprint Eliminator features the highest per-athlete prize on offer for a rowing race in Australia.
Women's Race
Men's Race
If you have any questions about the Sprint Eliminator, please email office@rowingnsw.asn.au