News

Posted: 30 July 2026

Scottish Rowing joined organisations from across the country at the national Water Safety Open Day at Loch Lomond Shores on Saturday 25 July.

Organised by Water Safety Scotland to mark World Drowning Prevention Day, the event brought partners together to raise awareness of drowning prevention, share practical safety advice and encourage safer behaviour around Scotland’s waterways.

Although Scottish Rowing has been a member of Water Safety Scotland since 2022, this was our first official presence at the annual Open Day.

Scottish Rowing Club Development Manager David Smith was joined by Young People’s Panel members Dom and Giacomo, who welcomed visitors to our stand and invited them to take on a 150-metre sprint challenge on one of two rowing machines. David said:

Scotland’s new Drowning Prevention Strategy

The Open Day coincided with the launch of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy 2026–2030, which sets out the national vision:

Towards zero drownings: building a future where everyone in Scotland can be safe in, on and around the water.

The strategy focuses on strengthening water safety education, increasing public awareness of water-related risks, improving the use of data and building greater collaboration between organisations involved in prevention and emergency response.

Scottish Rowing is among the Water Safety Scotland member organisations supporting the strategy, while our Honorary Safety Adviser, Martin Claxton, contributed to its development.

Water safety is everyone’s responsibility

As regular users of Scotland’s rivers, lochs and coastline, rowing clubs and their members have an important role to play in promoting safe and responsible behaviour around water.

RowSafe Scotland provides guidance for rowers, clubs, coaches and competition organisers, but a positive safety culture depends on everyone taking responsibility for their own actions and considering the safety of others.

We encourage everyone across the Scottish Rowing community to remain familiar with their club’s local safety rules and risk assessments, take account of changing conditions and personal limitations, and speak up when they have a concern.

Incidents and near misses should also be reported through the Scottish Rowing Incident Reporting System. Reporting is not about attributing blame; it allows the sport to learn from what happened, share that learning and help prevent more serious incidents in the future.

Our involvement with Water Safety Scotland directly supports the vision in our new Strategic Plan of creating a safe, welcoming and thriving rowing community. It also reflects our commitment to working with partners and connecting people responsibly to Scotland’s water, natural environment and communities.

Our thanks go to Water Safety Scotland and all the organisations involved in delivering the Open Day, as well as David, Dom and Giacomo for representing Scottish Rowing.

Further information

• Read Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy 2026–2030
• View RowSafe Scotland
• Report an incident or near miss
• Find out more about Water Safety Scotland