He coached scullers and crews to three Australia national title wins and to world championships and to Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
[2] His first race was at the 1968 Australian University Championships in a four coxed by future sporting administration great John Boultbee.
[6] In 1974 and in 1975 he was the New South Wales selected single sculler to contest the President's Cup at the Interstate Regatta within the Australian Rowing Championships.
[9] He won the national men's heavyweight double-scull title on three occasions - with Haberfield's Dick Reddell in 1974;[10] with Ted Hale from Sydney Rowing Club in 1976;[11] and with his own younger brother Charlie in 1977.
[13] After retiring from competition Rowe worked in Europe for Melchior Bürgin and his Stämpfli Racing Boats business.
He was a long-time coach of Haberfield's Jennifer Luff starting with her 1990 and 1991 campaigns as the selected New South Wales single sculler for the interstate title (the Nell Slatter Trophy which she won in 1991).
[21] In 1993 he coached Luff and Marina Hatzakis in the double as well as the single sculler Emmy Snook to the 1993 World Rowing Championships.
Rowe had success as the coach of Australian U23 scullers in the Trans Tasman series with the 1992 pairing of Duncan Free and Craig Jones[23] and the 1994 combination of Ralph Cruickshank and Matthew Cordery.