Who checks that my child can swim well enough, and what else must the school or club confirm?

The school or club is responsible for ensuring and certifying that each rower meets the swimming standard, and must be able to provide evidence if Rowing Australia asks. (At the Australian Masters Rowing Championships and the Australian Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprints Championships, the individual rower is responsible instead.)

Each club or school must also ensure the rowers it enters have a state of health and fitness that allows them to compete at the level of the event, and that its rowers can develop and compete free from discrimination, harassment and abuse.

Any pre-existing condition that could incapacitate a rower during training or competition must be notified to the Event Medical Officer before racing.

Source: Rowing Australia Rules of Racing (2025 Edition, updated January 2026), Rule 23 and its By-Laws.