Congress Chooses Munich for 2007

The Munich 2007 team celebrate their victory

While elite athletes from 65 countries continued to familiarise themselves with the Idroscalo course and spares from each country warmed up the six lanes, across town a bevy of delegates representing all FISA nations met.

Munich, Germany had to wait longer than anticipated to be selected as the venue for the 2007 World Rowing Championships. This came after the FISA Council, that normally proposes one city for ratification by the Congress, could not decide between Munich and Aiguebelette, France, and so chose to defer to the Congress. Top quality competition and the promotion of rowing were the key criteria and the final vote gave Munich 86 votes over 69 for Aiguebelette.

The 2007 World Rowing Junior Championships will go to Beijing, China. This was accepted by Congress as the chosen bid location and there were no objections. The regatta, at the Shunyi Olympic Aquatic Park, will be a test event for the 2008 Olympic Games and the course is to be completed by 2006.

Iran, Niger and Mozambique became FISA members and brought the number of FISA affiliated nations to 118 after it was decided that these countries had abided by all the necessary criteria.

Heats for the 2003 World Rowing Championships will start on Sunday 24 September at 9.30am (CET) and live race scoring on worldrowing.com will track every race indicating each 500-metre result of the 2000 metre race.