Photo of International Peace Gardens straddling the Manitoba-North Dakota border. Photo from Tourism Brandon.

It is a crazy world right now. Climate change, conflict and now trade wars. Rowers, rowing clubs and rowing businesses around the world are impacted to different degrees and in different ways to greater extremes and frequencies of floods, droughts and water quality issues wrought by shifts in weather as the globe heats. Distressing and sometimes heartwarming stories emerge from rowers in areas of war and violence. Now we are also contending with uncertainty, real and potential job losses, likely inflation, market volatility and the spectre of recession as the American government unleashes a trade war and makes territorial threats, including against many of its allies. What will be the impact of these tariffs on rowing?

I own and operate two rowing travel businesses. 2024 was the last full year of group and guided rowing tours by Rowing The World, although future trips are possible. In March 2025 we are off for an inaugural rowing trip in Japan. Travel2Row is growing with more flexible and independent Rowing Experiences in eight different countries. I am also Canadian and Canada has been particularly targeted by Trump and his administration with taunts of the 51^st state.

Impacts on rowers and clubs

Tariffs lead to price increases, which will affect everyone including rowers, even those in higher income brackets. Economic uncertainty and stock market losses decrease consumer confidence. Rowers may decide to postpone travel to a regatta or camp or put off the purchase of electronics or new rowing kit. A protracted trade war could impact the number of people able to afford club membership and prudent clubs may wait to purchase new boats. Trump has threatened to remove or reduce funding for some universities and colleges in the USA, which will have budget impacts on varsity sports including rowing. Even for those individuals and organizations willing and able to make purchases and travel, supply chain issues may limit availability.

Impacts on rowing businesses

The Rowing Industry Trade Association (RITA) had a Roundtable discussion recently on what the tariffs mean for members. Many are manufacturers. Their products may be imported from other countries hit by tariffs, they may depend on the importation of materials to build their products and they may export to countries raising counter-tariffs in response to those levied by the United States.

Rowing businesses which survived the pandemic are well managed and tough. They developed strategies and carried out plans that also got them through 9/11 and the 2008 recession. That is the approach that they are taking now, although the constant announcements and flipflops and on-again off-again uncertainty makes planning with any confidence extremely challenging. It is impossible to predict how long the trade war will last and to anticipate all the ripple-on effects. Businesses are examining the short-term impacts, hoping that this trade war will not last long, while remaining mindful that longer term strategy changes and action may be needed to mitigate the impacts.

It’s a lot of extra work for companies to stay on top of all the changes and also to interpret exactly what is going to be taxed with the tariff. Materials, elements and parts within one product may all have differing tariffs applied to them. There are also compounding duties and tariffs to sort out. And all of this needs to be made clear to the customs officials reviewing paperwork, payments and clearances. For example, an American-made rowing electronic might have materials and parts that were hit by tariffs when those items were imported to the USA to build the electronic. The electronic product is then exported to a different country and may be subject to countervailing tariffs. The rowing electronic is then built into a rowing shell, which is then exported to the USA at which point all or some of the shell may have varying tariffs applied, even against the American-built electronic. It is all very confusing and fundamentally ludicrous.

Rowing businesses on the RITA Roundtable indicated that they will not rush to increase prices. But there are many factors and variables to consider in this ever-changing environment.

To our American rowing friends

Countries hit by new American tariffs and escalating threats are responding both at the governmental level and by consumer and citizen actions. Canadians are deeply worried about what it will mean for our economy and especially we are very, very angry about the attacks on our sovereignty. A couple of companies on the RITA Roundtable indicated that they have received cancellations from Canadians. Often this consumer response is made with personal sacrifice – who really is keen to give up their long-anticipated trip to a rowing camp in the USA?

If Canadians do not come to your regatta or cancel their plans for a visit or cancel an order, please understand that this is not directed at you personally, our American rowing friends. We recognize that our actions may cause you consternation, concern and maybe a little economic hardship. There are at least two reasons why Canadians are doing this. The first is it is one thing that we can actually do and a statement that we can make in what otherwise feels overwhelming and paralyzing. But more importantly, we hope that you do notice and understand and that you will convey the message to your politicians that this trade war is a very dumb idea to quote the Wall Street Journal and our former Prime Minster Trudeau. No one wins in a trade war. Let’s do what we can to end it and return to our positive trade and rowing friendships.