President Jean-Christophe Rolland: A Vision for the Future of Rowing  

Fresh from the 2025 Quadrennial Congress, President Jean-Christophe Rolland reflects on a transformative period for World Rowing — and looks ahead. In this exclusive interview, he outlines his strategic vision for the sport of Rowing, touching on key reforms, Olympic ambitions, and the evolving identity of Rowing in a rapidly changing world.

With the announcement of his candidacy for a final mandate as President, Rolland reaffirms his commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth across all disciplines of Rowing.

President Rolland, World Rowing has just concluded its Quadrennial Congress with several key changes. From your perspective, what were the most significant decisions taken, and how will they shape the future of Rowing?

The 2025 Quadrennial Congress marked a pivotal moment for our sport, with substantial changes aimed at securing Rowing’s future in a fast-changing world and a more than ever challenging world of Sport. In short, we are strengthening our foundation with a strong commitment, and a strategy now adopted, to broaden our reach, enhance our image, and diversify our revenue streams. Key decisions included the introduction of mixed boats at World Rowing events, the revision of the progression system for Classic Rowing events, and the proactive development of Coastal and Indoor disciplines. These changes, supported by a strong consensus within our community, demonstrate our readiness to adapt to a dynamic world while safeguarding our sport’s essential values.

One of the central changes was the introduction of mixed boats at World Rowing events, including the World Championships. Can you tell us more about the reasoning behind this decision, and how it aligns with the broader vision for gender equality and inclusivity in our sport?

The introduction of mixed boats (Mixed Double, and Mixed Eight) reflects our commitment to gender equality and innovation. Rowing has long been a leader in gender balance, and this step reinforces that position. It also aligns with a broader sporting trend towards mixed-gender events, which have proven highly popular with audiences and partners across a multitude of sports and disciplines. Beyond promoting equality, it adds a new dimension of excitement and strategic depth to our competitions, making them more attractive to fans and broadcasters alike.

Following the latest announcement from the International Olympic Committee, how would you assess Rowing’s position within the Olympic Movement heading towards LA28 and beyond? In a world of increasing competition between sports, how can Rowing strengthen its relevance and visibility within the Olympic Movement?

Rowing remains a highly respected and influential sport within the Olympic Movement, recognised for its strong values, universality, and sporting excellence. However, the competition for visibility and relevance is fierce for all sports, no matter their history within the Olympic movement. Clearly, no matter how great is our history, it does not guarantee our future. To remain at the forefront, we must continue adapting and innovating — through formats such as Coastal Beach Sprints for instance, but also through greater digital engagement, and enhanced storytelling around our athletes and events. We must also demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, gender equality, and accessibility — key priorities for the future of the Olympic Movement. We certainly expect that some of the changes brought to our own events, such as progression system and mixed boats, will carry over to the Olympic Games.

The Congress approved a very substantial revision to the progression system for Classic Rowing events. Why was this update necessary, and what should athletes, teams, and fans expect to see?

The revision of the progression system was essential to enhance the competitiveness and visibility of our events. The new system makes the whole competition easier to follow for fans and broadcasters, while ensuring fairness and opportunities for all crews. It also helps optimise the event schedules, reducing the overall number of races, and allowing athletes to channel all their workload into fewer and more exciting races. In short, it makes our sport more dynamic, understandable, and accessible — key factors for growth in today’s sporting environment. It also contributes to reduce the cost and complexity of delivering our events, another key challenge to address.

The work does not stop there – our Strategic Event & Calendar Review, implemented to grow attractiveness of our events for hosts, partners and fans, has been continuously working over the last two years on the revised programme for all World Championships, but also on a sportive incentive scheme for the World Cups, and a reshaped World Rowing Event Calendar, including a new World Cup Series. The results are expected to be implemented in this Olympic Cycle.

Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprint events are gaining momentum, especially with their inclusion in the Youth Olympic Games (Dakar 2026) and their future debut at the LA28 Olympic Games. How is World Rowing preparing the overall sport of Rowing and its stakeholders for this exciting transition?

Inclusion in the Olympic Programme, as a result of our Olympic Strategy, is certainly an incredible milestone and at the same time it gives us a clear responsibility to deliver at the expected level.  Coastal Rowing, and particularly the Beach Sprint format, represent a major opportunity for the future of the sport. We are working intensively to elevate the discipline to Olympic standards— in terms of athlete preparation, competition delivery, and promotion. This includes working closely with National Federations, investing in new events, and creating pathways for athletes. We are also innovating with event presentation to make the discipline even more spectacular and appealing for new audiences. It’s an exciting time for our community and a new chapter for our sport.

On the Indoor/Connected Rowing front, World Rowing made some significant enhancements lately, from the World Rowing Indoor Championships to hosting the Virtual Sports Forum in Tokyo last month. How do you see the future of Indoor Rowing evolving with the Olympic Esports Games on the horizon?

Indoor Rowing is a powerful tool for the development of our sport. It is accessible, intergenerational, and can be fun with innovative interfaces. It will help to reach new audiences and connect more people to our Sport. We are structuring it by creating bridges between mass participation and elite competitions, considering the sport’s specific health and fitness benefits for youth and the broader society, developing new  formats through various partnerships, etc. Our objective is clear: to make Indoor ‘Connected’ Rowing a pillar of our global strategy, with the ambition of having it recognised in major future sporting events, including the Olympic Esports Games.

Looking at the broader strategic horizon, how is World Rowing ensuring the long-term sustainability and global development of the sport – both on and off the water?

We are building a sustainable model based on three pillars: strong governance, diversified partnerships, and an inclusive approach to development. This includes strengthening our presence across continents, and providing tailored support to Member Federations. We aim for every rower, regardless of country or level, to find their place in our global community.

Financial sustainability has become an increasingly important focus for International Federations. How is World Rowing approaching the diversification of its revenue streams, and what role do commercial partnerships and investment initiatives play in this strategy?

World Rowing has embarked on a bold journey to diversify its financial model beyond traditional sources such as Olympic revenues. We are actively developing strategic commercial partnerships, exploring new investment avenues, and initiating philanthropic efforts — all with a clear purpose: to reinvest into the sport and create lasting value for our entire ecosystem. This includes supporting our Member Federations, our boat and equipment manufacturers, developing our event portfolio, and enabling innovation where possible. Our goal is a sustainable, resilient financial foundation that empowers the global Rowing community and secures the sport’s future across all disciplines.

As President, you’ve placed strong emphasis on collaboration with Member Federations. How crucial is this partnership in executing World Rowing’s strategic objectives?

Our Member Federations are at the heart of our efforts. They are the ones developing Rowing at the grassroots level, training athletes, and organising local and national competitions. Our role is to support them, listen to them, and build a coherent global strategy together. My approach has consistently been to engage with the Member Federations, to foster close collaboration by involving them from the outset in a process of discussion and consultation, ensuring they are fully integrated into the decision-making process. The Quadrennial Congress demonstrated it clearly: when we work together, we move the sport forward with ambition and solidarity.

You’ve led World Rowing through a transformative period, marked by innovation, modernisation, and a strong commitment to diversity. As we look ahead to the next cycle, would you consider continuing your leadership beyond 2025?

Yes, it would be an honor to pursue my commitment for a last mandate as President of World Rowing. This decision to stand for reelection has been carefully matured. While we may rightfully take pride in the progress achieved thus far, I am equally conscious that significant work still lies ahead. Internally, I believe I can rely on a committed and dedicated group of people, strongly motivated to continue adapting and evolving. Externally, I believe I have built strong relationships with the Olympic Movement and the wider sports community, which will allow me to continue advocating effectively for our interests.
If elected, this final mandate will allow me to consolidate the foundations for a strong, stable, and ambitious future for our sport.

What would your priorities be in this final mandate? What legacy do you hope to leave behind as President of World Rowing?

My priority will be to complete the strategic transformation of our sport that has been set in motion this past term. I want to strengthen each discipline’s place within the global sporting ecosystem, secure and diversify our revenue streams for reinvestment, and ensure a modern, transparent, and efficient governance structure. I hope to leave behind a sport that is stronger, more visible, and deeply connected to the younger generations, while staying true to its core values which makes our Sport unique.

World Rowing’s vision has been evolving to embrace both tradition and innovation. How would you define your strategic vision for the sport over the next decade?

Our sport is built on a delicate balance between tradition and innovation. Over the next ten years, I envision a global movement, present across territories, platforms, and disciplines. We must stay true to our roots while daring to invent new formats, forge new connections with audiences, and create new opportunities for athletes of all ages and abilities.

Finally, what message would you like to share with the global Rowing community as we move into this new era together?

To the entire Rowing community — athletes, coaches, volunteers, referees, and fans — I want to say thank you. Your commitment is our greatest strength. Together, we have shown that Rowing is resilient, united, and ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Let’s continue to innovate, to grow, and to share our passion with the world. The future of Rowing is being built today, by you and for you, and as importantly, for the generations to come.