There may be light at the end of the tunnel for the 2020 international season according to World Rowing, who announced yesterday that the European Rowing Board (ERB) will go ahead with the European Rowing Under 23 Championships and are moving closer to decisions on the European Rowing Championships and European Rowing Junior Championships.
Photo Sanita Puspure at the 2019 European Rowing Championships, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Credit Benedict Tufnell
The ERB and the Duisburg Organising Committee (OC) have confirmed that the 2020 European Rowing Under 23 Championships will happen 5-6 September 2020.
Following the recommendations of a number of parties including the World Health Organisation (WHO), and FISA Sports Medicine Commission, the ERB and Duisburg OC have prepared Event Infection Prevention Guidelines to ensure that the event is staged with the lowest possible risk of contamination.
All athletes racing at the Under 23 championships will be required to complete a pre-event health questionnaire and all participating National Rowing Federations will be required to sign a consent form accepting responsibility for their teams before they will be allowed to compete.
Photo GER LM2x, 2019 European Rowing Championships, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Credit Benedict Tufnell
World Rowing said in their press release that there is a possibility of a late event cancellation “if the Covid-19 pandemic situation worsens.” This will be determined by local authorities in Duisburg and Germany.
Further notes on the 2020/21 European rowing season, via World Rowing:
2020 European Rowing Junior Championships, Belgrade, Serbia 26 – 27 September
The Belgrade OC and the Serbian Rowing Federation have been closely monitoring the situation with the local government authorities. Appropriate plans are being put in place for staging a safe event. The ERB and the Belgrade OC have set 24 June 2020 as a deadline for a final staging decision after assessing the latest status of the COVID-19 situation.
2020 European Rowing Championships, Poznan, Poland 9-11 October
The Poznan OC is working closely with the city government and medical authorities to implement the necessary preventive measures for a safe staging of the event. The ERB and the Poznan OC have set 31 July 2020 as a deadline for a final staging decision after assessing the latest status of the COVID-19 situation.
2021 European Rowing Season
As a result of the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to 2021 and the cancellations of events in 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, a date change for nearly all events in the 2021 European Rowing regatta season has been required.
Following an extensive consultation period with stakeholders, including National Federations and Organising Committees, the ERB and the World Rowing Federation, FISA, are pleased to announce the new dates for the 2021 European Rowing regatta season:
- European Olympic and Paralympic Continental Qualification Regatta (Varese, ITA) – 5-7 April 2021
- European Rowing Championships (Varese, ITA) – 9-11 April 2021
- European Rowing Junior Championships (Munich, GER) – 22-23 May 2021
- European Rowing Under 23 Championships (Kruszwica, POL) – 4-5 September 2021
An updated European Rowing Long Term Calendar for 2021-2024 is available online here.
2021 Para-rowing at European Rowing events
Para-rowing events will be offered at the European Olympic & Paralympic Qualification Regatta (PR1 men’s single sculls and PR1 women’s single sculls) and European Rowing Championships (all Paralympic boat classes).
Para-rowing classification for athletes with a physical impairment will be offered at European Paralympic Qualification Regatta (Varese, ITA). Athletes who want to get classified and take part in the European Rowing Championships in Varese, will have the opportunity to do so at the preceding European Olympic & Paralympic Qualification Regatta.
The 2021 event calendar has been agreed subject to the clearing of the COVID-19 pandemic and all related government measures to contain its spread. ERB and FISA continue to closely monitor the recommendations of the WHO and all recommendations for the staging of safe and healthy events.
