Review set to start on Rockhampton Olympic rowing venue
Crisafulli said the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority would conduct the review, which would start immediately.
But, ultimately, World Rowing would decide whether the Fitzroy was an appropriate venue for Olympic competition.
Professor David Hamilton, the director of Griffith University's Australian Rivers Institute, said the Fitzroy posed legitimate concerns for competition integrity.
The former rower said the sport was 'very sensitive' to currents.
Loading
'If you're going to do something like that, you'd want to do the computer modelling of it to make sure that it wasn't going to necessarily prejudice certain lanes in the rowing field,' Hamilton said.
'It's got to be really carefully evaluated, because the last thing the Games would want is something that brought into jeopardy the ability to have an even playing field.'
Asked on Wednesday what would happen if the sport's governing body determined Rockhampton was not suitable for international competition, Crisafulli was adamant.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why a dodgy Thai buffet could save the Australian swimming team's reputation
Swimming World has reported that US star and Olympic champion Torri Huske was one athlete struck down by illness. Huske is Mollie O'Callaghan's main rival in the 100m freestyle event and an important figure for the US in their 4x100m freestyle relay team on night one. That opening night in Japan — where Australia picked up four gold medals and two world records across five events — was arguably the most dominant two-hour stretch in Australian swimming history. Sam Short and Ariarne Titmus won their 400m freestyle finals, while the men's and women's 4x100m freestyle relay teams defeated the US in memorable fashion. Since the world championships began in 1973, Australia had never claimed four gold medals on the same day. However, fans tuning into Sunday's action in Singapore should temper expectations. A repeat of Fukuoka seems unlikely. Australia's 'crazy' start in Fukuoka, in the words of since-retired Olympic great Emma McKeon, set the Dolphins on the path to a record haul of 13 gold medals, six more than their American rivals. Even half that in Singapore would be considered a strong return. The reason? Australia and the US have taken different approaches since the Paris Olympics. Most of the USA's top swimmers had a shorter break after Paris. They swim more often at big meets, and many are entrenched in the college system. For them, posting fast times all year round is a non-negotiable. The USA narrowly beat Australia on the swimming medal tally at Paris 2024, eight golds to seven. Many of Australia's elite swimmers have taken a slower path, mindful of the long road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. On the whole, swimmers' times at last month's Australian trials in Adelaide were not spectacular. Titmus is the biggest name missing in Singapore — instead calling races for Channel Nine, the publisher of this masthead — though part of her will surely wish she was racing Ledecky and Canadian superstar Summer McIntosh. McKeown, who swept the backstroke events in Fukuoka, is again Australia's leading gold medal hope in the 50m, 100m and 200m events. O'Callaghan is also hunting glory in the 100m and 200m freestyle after taking out both events two years ago. Short and Elijah Winnington, both world champions, are the best individual medal chances on night one in the men's 400m freestyle. Loading Cam McEvoy returns in the 50m freestyle after Olympic gold in Paris. Kyle Chalmers is chasing world championship gold in the 100m freestyle but will need to beat world record-holder Pan Zhanle, who took gold in Paris. There will be no shortage of global talent in Singapore. McIntosh is attempting to become the first swimmer since Michael Phelps to win five individual golds at a single world championships. And French star Leon Marchand — who trained with Australian coach Dean Boxall earlier this year and spent much of his downtime surfing — is eyeing world records in the 200m and 400m individual medley events after dropping the 200m butterfly and breaststroke events from his program. Marchand won four individual gold medals in front of his home French crowd last year - including two in one night. 'I think he needed a mental break,' said Marchand's coach Bob Bowman, who also looked after Phelps. 'I think he needed to go away to Australia to get out of France for a while.'

The Age
11 hours ago
- The Age
Why a dodgy Thai buffet could save the Australian swimming team's reputation
Swimming World has reported that US star and Olympic champion Torri Huske was one athlete struck down by illness. Huske is Mollie O'Callaghan's main rival in the 100m freestyle event and an important figure for the US in their 4x100m freestyle relay team on night one. That opening night in Japan — where Australia picked up four gold medals and two world records across five events — was arguably the most dominant two-hour stretch in Australian swimming history. Sam Short and Ariarne Titmus won their 400m freestyle finals, while the men's and women's 4x100m freestyle relay teams defeated the US in memorable fashion. Since the world championships began in 1973, Australia had never claimed four gold medals on the same day. However, fans tuning into Sunday's action in Singapore should temper expectations. A repeat of Fukuoka seems unlikely. Australia's 'crazy' start in Fukuoka, in the words of since-retired Olympic great Emma McKeon, set the Dolphins on the path to a record haul of 13 gold medals, six more than their American rivals. Even half that in Singapore would be considered a strong return. The reason? Australia and the US have taken different approaches since the Paris Olympics. Most of the USA's top swimmers had a shorter break after Paris. They swim more often at big meets, and many are entrenched in the college system. For them, posting fast times all year round is a non-negotiable. The USA narrowly beat Australia on the swimming medal tally at Paris 2024, eight golds to seven. Many of Australia's elite swimmers have taken a slower path, mindful of the long road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. On the whole, swimmers' times at last month's Australian trials in Adelaide were not spectacular. Titmus is the biggest name missing in Singapore — instead calling races for Channel Nine, the publisher of this masthead — though part of her will surely wish she was racing Ledecky and Canadian superstar Summer McIntosh. McKeown, who swept the backstroke events in Fukuoka, is again Australia's leading gold medal hope in the 50m, 100m and 200m events. O'Callaghan is also hunting glory in the 100m and 200m freestyle after taking out both events two years ago. Short and Elijah Winnington, both world champions, are the best individual medal chances on night one in the men's 400m freestyle. Loading Cam McEvoy returns in the 50m freestyle after Olympic gold in Paris. Kyle Chalmers is chasing world championship gold in the 100m freestyle but will need to beat world record-holder Pan Zhanle, who took gold in Paris. There will be no shortage of global talent in Singapore. McIntosh is attempting to become the first swimmer since Michael Phelps to win five individual golds at a single world championships. And French star Leon Marchand — who trained with Australian coach Dean Boxall earlier this year and spent much of his downtime surfing — is eyeing world records in the 200m and 400m individual medley events after dropping the 200m butterfly and breaststroke events from his program. Marchand won four individual gold medals in front of his home French crowd last year - including two in one night. 'I think he needed a mental break,' said Marchand's coach Bob Bowman, who also looked after Phelps. 'I think he needed to go away to Australia to get out of France for a while.'

Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
New Olympics board will consider rowing alternatives
Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games organisers will explore contingencies should the governing bodies for rowing and canoe events decide the planned Fitzroy River course in Rockhampton is unsuitable for competition. The revelation from Brisbane 2032 president Andrew Liveris came as he prepared to host the first meeting of the new, paired-back organising committee board in the city's CBD on Thursday. 'It's amazing how, a year ago, we were arguing about stadiums and what would happen with the stadium, and now we seem to be arguing and having this conversation on rowing – we're always going to have something,' he told this masthead. 'I'd like to remind everyone that LA was still debating venues until about six months ago. Paris was debating them until a year before, so it's the nature of the beast that the OCOG [Organising Committee for the Olympic Games] will have to very much be nimble on creating alternatives in case some of these venues don't work out.' Liveris said the delivery plan handed down by the state government in March solved '80-to-90 per cent' of venue issues and while the committee was 'working to make Rocky work' it would have to also consider contingencies should World Rowing and the International Canoe Federation deem the Fitzroy River course unsuitable. 'The idea that it may not turn out is a very big debated subject, because GIICA came out with Penrith,' he said, referring to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority's recommendation in its 100-day review to host rowing in western Sydney. 'But this government in particular – and I understand why – says, 'no, I want it in Queensland'. 'And you've got [Gold Coast] Mayor [Tom] Tate talking about Hinze Dam, and you've got all sorts of possibilities.