In 1993 Fernandez rowed in the four seat of the men's eight who competed at the 1993 World Rowing Championships on Racize, Croatia and placed fourth. By this time he was in residence at the Australian Institute of Sport and training with the Australian heavyweight sweep-oared squad under head coach Reinhold Batschi. In 1994 Batschi selected Fernandez and Nick Porzig in an Australian coxed four with David Weightman, Shane McLaughlin and with Brett Hayman on the rudder. They placed fifth at the World Championships in Indianapolis. That four also contested and won gold at the 1994 Commonwealth Regatta in Ontario, Canada held alongside the 1994 Commonwealth Games.