Countdown to Beijing
World Rowing Junior Championships to be the first
official Olympic Test event next week in China
Exactly one year before the start of the 2008 Olympic Games,
Beijing is gearing up for its first official test event in
the form of the 2007 World Rowing Junior Championships. The
custom built state of the art regatta course at Shunyi, which
will be used for rowing and flat water canoe kayak as well
as hosting a canoe slalom course will be put to the test next
week, starting Wednesday 8 August, for its first international
spotlight event.
A total of 600 young athletes have made the trip to Beijing
from as many as 49 countries. The number of athletes is slightly
higher than the Olympic quota of 550, so this event will test
the venue at full scale in preparation for the Olympic regatta
next year.
Not surprisingly, China appear in force on their home ground
event. With 44 athletes representing China in 12 events, China
will be keen to show off their new rowing blood to the world.
With the successes of the Chinese senior squad this year fresh
in the mind of rowing specialists, all eyes will be focused
on the upcoming rowing generation of the land of the Dragon.
However, it is Germany, with 49 athletes participating, which
will bring the largest contingent to Beijing. Germany, who
traditionally dominate the Junior Championships, and who last
year took 11 medals at the World Rowing Junior Championships
in Amsterdam, will again be represented in all 13 events on
the programme. Both the USA and Italy will be strongly represented
in Beijing this year with 41 and 36 young athletes respectively
entered for the two countries.
FISA Event Director, Svetla Otzetova, already on site in
Beijing said today: “The venue looks fantastic! Athletes
have already arrived, and have started to train on the course.”
She adds: “all the volunteers are very friendly here,
and they are working very hard to make this a most enjoyable
event.”
FISA’s President Denis Oswald also commented: “We
are very satisfied with the fast progress that has been made
here over the past months to bring this venue to the condition
it is in today. It is exciting to be able to test the venue
on such an important event in our rowing calendar and this
is a great opportunity for the young rowers to experience
the thrills of racing at a brand new Olympic venue.”
To compete in the World Rowing Junior Championships, rowers
must be 18 years or under. The World Rowing Junior Championships
is partly subsidised by the FISA Masters Regatta which donates
1 Euro of every Masters Regatta entry fee for supporting youth
rowing.
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