Coastal rowing beach sprint, the new olympic discipline: sports engineering considerations

The inclusion of Coastal Rowing Beach Sprints in the 2028 Olympic program is reshaping the sport by mainstreaming racing in challenging and unpredictable open-water environments, characterized by waves, sharp turns, and constantly changing conditions. Despite its rapid growth in popularity, further systematic research on how to enhance performance, excitement and enjoyment while maintaining athlete safety remains limited. As a result, athletes, event organisers, equipment manufacturers, and governing bodies face a steep learning curve. This work highlights the key technical and safety aspects of the discipline that warrant further development and proposes conceptual solutions grounded in science and engineering. It also outlines a preliminary roadmap for future research aimed at advancing safety, performance, and the overall athlete and spectator experience in coastal rowing—an endeavour that demands collaboration between the sporting, scientific, and engineering communities.