"VAN" (Sports Desk - 21.10.2026) :: The Rowsellas have produced their best-ever World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals campaign in Qingdao, China, headlined by Isabella Scammell winning gold in the Coastal Women's Solo event.
The Australian Beach Sprint Rowing Team won one Gold, two Silver and one Bronze medal across an incredible final day of racing, with World Champion Scammell’s win securing Australia’s first-ever gold medal in the World Beach Sprint Finals.
Adding to Australia’s impressive medal tally was Sam Forbes and Maddison McLaughlin who both won silver in the Coastal Men's Solo and U19 Coastal Women's Solo events respectively. Forbes then teamed up with Elizabeth Newell, Dan Johnston, Catherine Khan and Ryder Taylor to win bronze in the Coastal Mixed Quadruple Sculls.
The successful results from this World Beach Sprint Finals also represent an important step towards LA28 where Coastal Rowing makes its Olympic Games debut, with athletes training and competing through a national high-performance pathway backed by the enduring commitment of Hancock Prospecting and Rowing Australia Patron Mrs Gina Rinehart AO.
Rowing Australia Performance Director Paul Thompson MBE congratulated the whole team on their performances throughout the event:
"It’s been wonderful to see the coming of age of the Rowsellas Beach Sprint Team. It’s been an outstanding team performance with seven of the nine competing athletes coming home with medals.
“Golden Bella Scammell was magnificent as was super Sam Forbes coming home with two senior medals, back-to-back bronze medals in the mixed quad and Maddi McLaughlin's mastery of the surf.
“These results don’t come without outstanding coaching and committed and skilled support staff. Today was great and as the team come down from Qingdao they will have their sights firmly on next year's qualification for LA2028.”
Rowing Australia Beach Sprint Head Coach James Loveday was thrilled to see athletes excelling on the world stage:
“What a day! Once a year we get to see rowers earn World Championship medals and today our team rose to that opportunity. To watch Bella be crowned world champion, see Sam rise from 7th in the time trial to claim the silver in the Men’s Coastal Solo, and witness a bronze in the Coastal Mixed Quad demonstrated true depth in our senior team.
"To also see Maddi McLaughlin step up for an U19 Coastal Women's Solo silver shows the class that exists in Australian rowing. Beach sprint is a true team event and behind each medal is a team of coaches, boat handlers and support staff who make things happen. I couldn’t be prouder of every single person on this team."
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