On March 30th, 2024 we organised Singapore’s first official, national-level indoor rowing championships on at The Row Space.
Nearly 120 men and women competed across 500m, 2000m and team relay categories. Here are the medallists. WOMEN’S 500M Gold: Nur Izzah Rahman 1:47.2 Silver: Noelle Yong 1:47.5 Bronze: Elizabeth Laws Fuller 1:47.9 ​MEN’S 500M Gold: Franck Schaller 1:23.2 Silver: Barath Kumar 1:23.7 Bronze: William Tan 1:28.5 ​TEAM RELAY (4X2MIN) Gold: Team Nur Izzah Rahman 2350m Silver: Team Yee Kok Pheng 2294m Bronze: Team Fidelis 2236m ​​WOMEN’S 2000M Gold: Joan Poh 7:10.2 Silver: Joanna Chan 7:25.7 Bronze: Madeline Ng 7:44.3 ​MEN’S 2000M ​ Gold: Kyle Fram 5:58.3 Silver: Franck Schaller 6:27.0 Bronze: Jeremy Tan 6:38.8 ​Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Minister of State Desmond Tan (who’s also our patron) were guests of honour, and they gamely took part in a 500m race along with Singapore Rowing exco members. 
​Three participants also walked away with lucky draw prizes from our sponsor Sodastream; and one luckiest of all won an indoor rower courtesy of Concept2.
​The event received coverage from The Straits Times newspaper as well as broadcaster CNA.
Official event photographer and videographer was Stefanus Ian of Run and Gun Media.
​​To see more pics, visit - and follow! - our Instagram account @rowingsingapore.
​We also conducted a post-event survey and these were the most common pieces of feedback and requests, in no particular order:
We hear you, and will strive to improve the participant experience at future SIRC editions. Thank you and see you next year!  On Aug 26, 2022, history was made when the National University of Singapore wrote to us, signalling its intention to set up an SRA-affiliated rowing club. Singapore has had rowing clubs or societies in ITE and international schools, but in a university? Never. NUS is also the alma mater of our only two Olympians: Saiyidah Aisyah (Rio 2016) and Joan Poh (Tokyo 2020). The latter was the main driving force behind the founding of NUS Boat Club or NUSBC - and is now its head coach, on top of being a full-time national rower training for this year’s Asian Games (and beyond). We speak to Joan to find out more. What’s the idea behind NUSBC?
Joan: In wanting to create a sustainable as well as high-performance pipeline to build up rowing here in Singapore, it was very instinctive to start a varsity rowing club. The relationship I had with NUS as a student, and now as an alumnus, plus the pride I feel for the school - these have all been huge factors too. Also not forgetting how NUS is strategically located in the west, just a 20-minute bicycle ride away from SRA’s base at Pandan Reservoir. I still fondly remember my undergraduate days where I would be down at Pandan rowing 12km and running 6km before heading to NUS and hitting the books. How did it become a fully formed sports club? It was not all smooth sailing because as much as we got tremendous support from the NUS, we still had to find our first member to move things along. Apart from reaching out to existing students, we also tried to get referrals from junior college teachers and polytechnic sports team coaches, but our efforts didn’t bear any fruit. Until Vihaan came along. He started rowing under Jim (one of our learn-to-row coaches) about three months ago, and became our first NUSBC member and student leader. Vihaan’s truly stepped up and he’s been connecting so well with new members. Who else is involved with NUSBC? I will be coaching with the assistance of two other national team members (Joanna Chan and Kang Yu Jia aka Panda). The remaining national team members will stand in for me when I’m competing or training overseas. I am also thankful for NUSBC being under the charge of NUS athlete advisor/sports officer Zulhilmi Karim, who has gone the extra mile in administrative efforts while also getting us a booth at the university’s Student Life Fair, to help us with recruitment. What kind of members is NUSBC looking for? Considering that many elite rowers on the international stage picked up rowing only in universities, we’re looking out for students who have done competitive sport and/or aspire to compete at a high level. This is also bearing in mind how rowers often compete till a much later age (late 30s for men and early 30s for women). All that said, we welcome anyone and everyone. Will NUSBC members train and compete in on-water rowing only? Since indoor rowing is going to be a pivotal training tool, it is likely NUSBC will be represented at the first Singapore Indoor Rowing Championships in 2024, too. (Editor’s note: more info on that soon!) How has interest in NUSBC been so far? We had 167 signups from the NUS Student Life Fair in August. Twenty-five came down for a first session at Pandan Reservoir; 12 are arranging to do so on another date. Those who had their first taste of rowing are already adding friends to the NUSBC Telegram group chat (https://t.me/+pr7_vD2PKb5kY2Vl). So I would say interest is growing! If I’m an NUS student, how do I sign up? What will my experience be like? Join the Telegram chat, or DM @joanpohxuehua on IG if you’re not on Tele. For now, we’re only meeting in-person every Sunday for the technical components of training. For the rest of the week, an easy-to-follow programme will be sent out to be done in small groups. We believe in the process of natural selection. If you persevere, we are very sure NUSBC and rowing will have something to offer you. A final message please. Rowing has introduced me to the grittiest, kindest; most ambitious, generous and self-driven yet team-playing of people. My vision is for NUSBC to foster a similar community. And remember, it does not matter where you are, it matters what you want to be.  Nearly a year since we first launched our contest to come up with Singapore Rowing's new logo, we can now finally unveil the winning entry.
It was designed by Rozaidi Mohamed, who emerged on top after an open call, multiple rounds of voting within our exco and even more rounds of revision and intense discussion among the leadership. We'll let Rozaidi describe his approach in his own words: The brand mark reflects Singapore Rowing’s aim to be the Pride of Singapore. It features a blade, the very piece of the oar that pushes each boat forward, and shaded blue as a symbol of unity. Central to the design is the lion, emblematic of Singapore and emblazoned in her red and white national colours. With every stroke, the lion on the blade rises and breaks the surface of the water with power and precision, instilling fear in the competition and pride in the team. “Pride” here refers to not just the feeling but also the rowers as a group, a collective that is stronger together - like lions.  By Koh Yu Han, Head (Events and Championships) The Singapore Rowing women's team picked up three gold medals at the 2023 Australian Masters Championships held in Sydney from Jun 1 to Jun 4. The racing distance across all events was 1,000m. This regatta was a good platform for the rowers to execute and review some race preparations and strategies, and we will compete in more international regattas moving forward - with the next one lined up in July. The team's last international race was in May 2021, and it has since undergone various coaching and training changes over the past year - with the last 3.5 months providing the most support and structure the rowers have ever received. It paid off with the women's quad (4X, pictured above) of Joanna Chan, Kang Yu Jia, Sherdyn Teng and Teo Zhi Xuan finishing first and seven seconds clear of their closest opponents, out of a field of six boats.
 “I have always been trying to support Singapore’s rowers,” says coach Goken Sakamoto, who's back in the Lion City for another coaching stint. The first time he was here - from 2012 to 2015 - Goken was closely involved in two historic milestones for Singapore rowing: Saiyidah Aisyah striking gold at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games; and our lightweight men’s four winning silver at the 2015 edition. Singapore Rowing's president Paul Supramaniam describes Goken as a key building block in the effort to uplift rowing to a level befitting the Singapore brand. "Our elite rowers have warmed to him," says Paul. "I've asked Goken in leading our national team, to instil in our rowers a sense that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and so to stress teamwork, shared perseverance, humility and to aim high." Also welcoming Goken's return to Pandan Reservoir is vice-president and head of training and development Steve Davies, saying: "He brings with him his past experience of working here, his knowledge of the local system and now also the international perspectives that he has built up over the last few years as an elite coach in Hong Kong and Japan." Read on to better understand Goken's role at Singapore Rowing today - and to find out more about the stoic Japanese trainer who's had no small impact on the lives of many local athletes. You’ve been brought back as a “consultant national coach”. Tell us what that means.
Goken: A typical "national coach" position requires you to focus on coaching the national team to reach its goals at target competitions, which were my jobs in other countries. Singapore Rowing requires me to also perform as a "pathway coach", which does outreach and coach development. So it’s a busy position! What led to you agreeing to this second stint in Singapore? I had a casual chat with Nadzrie (Hyckell, ex-national rower and member of the silver-winning LM4-) in December 2022 when he was at the Asian championships - and in the end, it just happened. Anyway, I have always been trying to support Singapore’s rowers, even when I was working in other countries. You've worked for the national rowing squads of regional powerhouses like Japan and Hong Kong, coaching their athletes to appearances and medals at the Olympics, World Championships, World Cup and Asian Games levels. What attracted you to Singapore, where our achievements - for now - have been more modest? The fact that Singapore Rowing is trying to rebuild its structure to bring rowing into the Singapore community, while aiming for better competition results, excites me to get involved. What are your impressions of the current crop of athletes? Hardworking and passionate about rowing. What’s your plan for them? The first step is to get into structured training and then to train consistently. Gradually we will need to improve the quantity and quality of training to prepare for competitions. There is the Asian Games this year, but that will be too close to expect any good results, so the primary target for most would be the 2025 SEA Games. Of course, we are planning to participate in more competitions in between. What do you think are the prospects for our rowers? I believe that with Singapore Rowing's new leadership, rowing is poised for growth and recognition as a sport that represents the Singapore brand. The current generation of rowers will pioneer this new era, and they have the potential to establish high-performance standards to inspire future generations. However, it's important to acknowledge that achieving success in high-performance sports takes time, and everyone involved should remain patient and focused on their tasks at hand. As rowing coaches often say, '"take one stroke at a time". You actually worked in coach development at the Singapore Sports Institute the last time you were here; and you have a PhD in engineering with a focus on the physiology of rowing. How does all of that influence your coaching? The experience at SSI helps me understand Singapore's sporting culture and structure. Rowing is a physically demanding sport, so understanding physiology certainly helps. My knowledge also allows me to collaborate with sports science and sports medicine experts. How are you settling down in Singapore, and what takes up your time outside of rowing? It’s always difficult being away from your family. Doing some exercise and meeting my old friends is all I’ve been able to do. Also, there are many Singaporean cuisines which I have to revisit!  Spot our president Paul wearing what was without question the most dapper blazer on display. On 3 December 2022, Singapore Rowing attended the Asian Rowing Federation (ARF) 2022 Ordinary Congress in Thailand. Congratulations to the newly elected ARF team for 2022 to 2026, led by incoming president Chen Chunxin, who is also vice president of the China Rowing Association.  New ARF president Chunxin flanked by our president Paul (right) and facilities head Kian. We are also proud that Singapore's own Nicholas Ee was awarded the ARF Medal of Honour, in recognition of his long and meritorious service to the development of rowing throughout Asia. We would also like to express our deepest appreciation for his work in developing rowing in Singapore and the region.  We are thankful to have met other rowing associations in the region and to learn from their experience in areas such as talent and infrastructure development. We are delighted that Semun Oh, vice president of the Asian Rowing Federation and president of the Korea Rowing Association, has offered to conduct training exchanges with Singapore and we look forward to collaborating soon. The congress was also attended by the World Rowing Federation president Jean-Christophe Rolland, who has connected Singapore Rowing with various global experts to support in areas including:
 From left: Nicholas, Paul and World Rowing president Jean-Christophe Rolland Through attending the congress and the concurrent Asian Rowing Championships 2022, Singapore Rowing has gained insights into the infrastructure required for training and competition facilities. Essential facilities include a boat house, a finishing tower, and a grandstand. Supporting facilities include a food establishment, an accommodation block, meeting areas and an area for unloading vehicles. These facilities have to be scaled with the number of athletes participating in the competition. One inspiring story we heard was of Iran, which began their rowing journey 15 years ago. Without a rowing boat or facility, they started their talent development programme and identified talent from secondary schools with support from their Ministry of Education. They scouted for talent with both the physical and mental aptitude for rowing. Since then, their rowing scene has grown, and Iran's 13 athletes won 8 medals at this year's Asian championships from 30 November to 4 December.  Singapore Rowing also participated in the championships, which were held at the Royal Thai Navy Rowing Centre in Ban Chang, Rayong Province, Thailand. We competed in various events and learnt from other athletes. The ARF Ordinary Congress and Asian Rowing Championships were overall an insightful and good learning experience for Singapore Rowing. We deeply cherish the ties and friendships built with various rowing organisations we met. Written by Head (Facilities) Lee Kian Chong  Up in the finish tower, from left: Our vice president and training and development head Steve with Paul, Nicholas and Kian.  Former Singapore Sports Council CEO Oon Jin Teik has been appointed as advisor to Singapore Rowing with effect from November 5. Mr Oon is also a former CEO of the Singapore Sports Hub and and an Olympic swimmer in his earlier days. In his role, he will guide our new leadership in defining the future state of the sport in Singapore, establishing roadmaps for talent development and sporting excellence, and serving stakeholders of the wider sports ecosystem. Read the full news release below.  Singapore Rowing is looking for a new logo, and you can help.
We're throwing this wide open: It can be a completely brand new design, with no reference to the old one. We only ask that the new logo represent - as best as possible - Singapore Rowing's core identity and purpose, which is to be: Inclusive: We want to share our love for rowing with people of all backgrounds, whether able or adaptive; and at levels from recreational to representing Singapore. Innovative: We want to create more opportunities for people to access the benefits of rowing in novel, exciting ways - be it at home, in the gym, from the beach or out at open sea. How do you think all of this looks like in a logo? Email us your design(s) at [email protected] before 31st January 2023. Our exco will pick the 5 best designs and put them up for public voting on our social media channels.
Terms and Conditions 1. The design needs to incorporate 3 elements:
3. You may submit multiple entries, either in one email or throughout the submission period. 4. Singapore Rowing reserves the right to withhold the prizes if there are fewer than 20 entries, each deemed by Singapore Rowing to be of sufficient standard and quality. 5. All decisions by SRA are final. 6. The winner will need to provide high-resolution .ai and .pdf files of their design. 7. All rights of the winning design will be assigned to Singapore Rowing. The logo will be used on rowing attire, merchandise, communications material and such. 8. The winning designer may identify themselves as the creator of the logo, and use it for their own non-commercial purposes. 
Expand the training space at Pandan Reservoir, develop the newer discipline of coastal rowing and more: President Paul, vice-president/head of training and development Steve and athlete Joan shared in a CNA TV report on Oct 6 some of Singapore Rowing's near to mid-term priorities.
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