Who to watch and how to follow the Masters Regatta

The Masters Regatta always boasts a mix of former Olympic rowers, former collegiate rowers, novices to the sport of rowing and, of course, the octogenarians. The octogenarians are celebrated for still competing in the sport over the age of 80. Competitors will hail from all corners of the world, from a total of 860 rowing clubs.

Notable names in the sport of rowing include many Olympians. Ellen Becker and Iris Volkner, the bronze medal winning women’s pair for Germany at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles will both compete, albeit in different boat classes. Also from Germany, the 1987 World Champion lightweight men’s four of Gerd Meyer, Erik Ring, Thomas Palm and Sebastian Franke will reunite on Lake Bled to compete.

Several Olympians from the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games are set to compete including Pauline Bird (GBR), Dandi Kirby (CAN) Zdena Norkova-Ticha (CZE), Olina Pekna (CZE) and Tone Pahle (NOR), Helmut Krause (GER), Uli Schmied (GER) and John van Blum (USA).  

The Slovenian medalists from the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona have also come out in full force, putting together two different crews to compete on home waters. All of these World and Olympic athletes will be joined by thousands who have taken up the sport later in life. It will be great to see who manages to get a medal in 2017.

So, how to follow this fast and furious racing?

1. Please visit the OC website here for the following: 

   – Startlists / Schedule
   – Results

2. News and Photos will be available on www.worldrowing.com 
3. Follow us on Facebook Masters, Twitter and Instagram for behind the scenes interviews, live updates, photos and more.
4. Join the conversation …
   – Use the hashtag #WRMasters