ABOUT US

Meet the Organising Committee for World Rowing Masters Regatta 2023

We have a diverse team of people who are passionate and dedicated to making Africa proud of the first world rowing event in Africa.

Keith McIvor
OC Chairman

Keith is a results driven entrepreneur and business leader with a history of identifying talent and growing teams. He has extensive business experience coupled with complex project management skills.

Keith is adept at getting people to collaborate effectively to achieve great outcomes. He is committed, involved and optimistic, always seeking to strike the right balance in delivering results and contributing to a positive culture.

Keith has never rowed but has been a National Umpire for the last 6 years.

Colleen Orsmond
Event Director

Colleen started rowing at university and represented South Africa in the women's pair at the Atlanta '96 and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In 2007 she went to work for World Rowing on the events team. In 2013 she moved to Rio de Janeiro to take on the responsibility for managing the rowing competitions at the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

She went back to World Rowing in 2017 in the role of sport director before moving back to South Africa in 2019, just in time to join the organising team for the 2023 World Rowing Masters Regatta.

Carolyn Thompson
Financial Director

Carolyn Thompson graduated with an honours is Actuarial Science in 2010.

Carolyn represented Rowing South Africa at the Junior, U23 and Senior levels, racing at Junior World Champs in 2004, U23 World Champs in 2008 and Africa Champs in 2005. She also travelled to various club regattas in the United Kingdom, winning the lightweight women's single at Henley Women's Regatta in 2011 and racing Henley Royal Regatta in 2007.

Carolyn is a keen supporter of SA rowing and runs the entries, timing and results for Rock the Boat, one of South Africa’s largest regattas

Anne Kilian
Marketing and Regatta Operations

Anne Kilian has a degree in electrical engineering. She started her own business offering digital marketing services to SMEs in South Africa in 2006.

Anne is a National Umpire and a keen rower. She has been a member of VLC Rowing Club since 2013, where she was part of an energetic committee that grew the club from 12 rowers in 2012, to close to 70 masters who competed in the 2021 South African National Regatta.

Anne was also the chair of the organising committee for VLC National Sprints, one of the largest regattas in Southern Africa, attracting over 1000 athletes.

Selwyn Jackson
Venue Facilities

Selwyn is a World Rowing umpire and has been a member of the World Rowing Events Commission since 2015. He has attended many World Rowing Regattas, and knows the World Rowing requirements for hosting a regatta.

World Rowing has sent Selwyn to various countries in Africa to assist with their rowing installations. In South Africa, he has upgraded the course at Roodeplaat Dam to meet World Rowing standards, as well as helping other provinces with their rowing courses.

Selwyn is very involved with the Government and University departments assisting in water treatment and control of water hyacinth at Roodeplaat Dam.

James Thompson
Venue Services

James retired from international rowing in 2016 following a successful lightweight career highlighted by wins at both the 2012 Olympics in the lightweight four and 2014 Amsterdam World Championships in the Lightweight Double.

At a club level James was an influential member in the foundation and growth of the Tuks Rowing club that is now the home to many World and Olympic Medallists.

James launched Rock The Boat Regatta to the South African Rowing community in 2012 which brings handicap racing to athletes of all ages. Catering to over 1000 athletes it is South Africa’s largest one-day regatta.

Niamh Faherty
Venue Services

Niamh has worked at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) for the past fifteen years. She is currently the events and marketing manager.

Niamh started rowing at university in 2003 and has been involved with rowing in one way or another ever since. She is that behind the scenes person who gets things done!

Niamh is an integral part of USSA (University Sport South Africa) and has been on the organising committee of Rock the Boat. She represented South Africa as the Logistics Manager to the Student World games in South Korea in 2015. To add to this long list of achievements, Niamh is also a National Umpire.

Sam Hudson
Marketing Engagement

Sam has been rowing for over 20 years competing at school, university, club and masters’ levels.

She loves the sport and is passionate about being on the water and growing masters rowing in South Africa. She enjoys organising camps around South Africa, giving her club and friends a chance to explore new places and row in some truly beautiful rowing venues.

Sam raced at the 2017 and 2019 World Rowing Masters Regattas in Slovenia and Hungary and cannot wait to share South Africa with her fellow masters rowers.

Grant Dodds
Boat Rental

Grant is originally from Cape Town and moved up to Johannesburg to pursue his rowing coaching career.

He has had a life long involvement in rowing as a school rower, Olympic coach and sport manager. He is the Technical Performance Manager for the RMB National Squad and he also teaches high school Mathematics and Mathematical literacy.

Rowing is really a family business as his father in-law and wife are also World Rowing Umpires and both involved in WRMR2023.

Grant is passionate about all aspects of rowing from high performance to grass roots level.

Bianca van Velze
Stakeholder Engagement

Bianca is a Senior Consultant for a global professional services firm, and has a degree in Electrical Engineering.

Bianca’s involvement in South African rowing includes 6 years of school rowing and 3 years of national rowing officials experience.

She was recently elected to the executive committee of the Gauteng Rowing Officials Association (GROA), South Africa’s most active rowing province. She has ambitions of qualifying as a FISA official in the near future.

Start planning your trip today!

We look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful country. First place to start is with booking your accommodation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us and we'll see how we can help.

TSHWANE WEATHER
 
World Rowing Masters Regatta 2023 in South Africa