Oslo, Norway (June 11, 2025) – Five Norwegian rowing clubs mobilised in early June to clean up their waterways used to row, joining the Healthy Waters Clean-up Week, a national initiative led by Olympic rower and World Rowing Healthy Waters Ambassador Martin Helseth under the World Rowing–WWF Healthy Waters Alliance .
Coinciding with World Ocean Day on June 8, clubs across Norway pulled hundreds of kilograms of waste—from discarded buoys and old tyres to everyday plastics—from their local waterways.
At the national rowing centre on Lake Årungen, Helseth and WWF Norway advisor Fredrik Myhre together removed 50 kg of waste, with Myhre even rowing in Helseth’s single scull for a cleanup on-water.
Participating clubs reported staggering results:
Ormsund Roklub: 14 volunteers (rowers and freedivers) removed 350 kg of rubbish—mostly tyres—from both shorelines and underwater zones
Christiania Roklub: A team collected 200 kg of waste
Oslo Roklubb: Volunteers removed about 50 kg of mainly plastic debris
Fana Roklub: 18 junior rowers gathered ten bags of plastic waste on June 1
Os Roklubb: Seven club members spent four hours at Vinddalsvatnet lake, discovering a depot of forgotten rowing and kayak race equipment dating to the 1990s
The campaign is the first stage of a two-phase national environmental drive. Planned next is Oslo Fjord Restoration Day on August 23, 2025—a youth-led, habitat-focused restoration effort in partnership with local NGO Marea and Martin Helseth.
The World Rowing–WWF Healthy Waters Alliance encourages rowing federations, clubs, athletes, WWF staff and supporters globally to join forces to protect and restore freshwater and coastal ecosystems
The alliance aims to raise awareness of ecological threats, inspire action, and foster collaboration between sport and conservation.