Rocky rowing course passes assessment ‘with flying colours’

The controversial Rockhampton Olympic rowing and canoe course has cleared a major hurdle, with Queensland Premier David Crisafulli telling parliament on Thursday it had been cleared by the sports’ world governing bodies.

But the government has come under fire for its refusal to release the report they say cleared the Fitzroy River course for Olympic and Paralympic competition.

Crisafulli said the WaterProof Marine Consultancy report, which was not tabled in parliament or released for independent verification, found the course had passed the assessment “with flying colours”.

There were still some obstacles for the Rockhampton course to overcome. It still had to pass environmental assessments and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority’s project validation report process was still ongoing.

“GIICA will now finalise the investigations to deliver the PVR to government in the coming months with concept design well advanced at 80 per cent complete,” an animated Bleijie told parliament.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles said he welcomed the venue’s progress, but criticised the government’s failure to release the report.

“That’s always got to be the assumption when a report is referenced but not released, you’ve got to ask what else is there that they don’t want you to see,” he said.

This masthead has also sought a copy of the report – from Crisafulli’s and Bleijie’s offices, GIICA, and the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee – to no avail.

Bleijie said the Fitzroy’s “secret weapon” was the Fitzroy River Barrage.

“It forms a distinct racing environment on the water, creating a mid-river dam separating the downstream tidal saltwater section from the upstream freshwater section, where the proposed course is to be located,” he said.

“Flow velocities are low, largely uniform throughout the course. Wind speeds are low, and vessel-generated waves dissipate rapidly.”

Both World Rowing and Paddle Worldwide had endorsed the report, Crisafulli said, which found the course could provide safe, fair and consistent field of play.

To drive that home, the Crisafulli government provided comments from the governing bodies’ presidents.

“Based on the extensive analysis undertaken, we now know the Fitzroy River is capable of providing fair competition conditions during the period of the Games, consistent with the requirements of Olympic and Paralympic Rowing,” World Rowing president Jean-Christophe Rolland said.