FISA recommends 2011 and 2012 Championship bids

The International Rowing Federation, FISA, Council has recommended Plovdiv for the 2012 World Rowing Senior and Junior Championships and Amsterdam for the 2011 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria hosted the 1999 World Rowing Junior Championships and will be remembered for the warm weather and fast racing times. In 1999 the organising committee was led by Ivan Popov who is now vice-president of the Bulgarian Rowing Federation. The rowing course is wide enough to support eight training lanes and seven racing lanes.

Situated in the centre of the city, the venue has solid infrastructure with many hotels and hostels and is supported by an efficient local transport system. Both the local and national government have declared support for the Championships.

Hosting in 2012, the Olympic year, means that the event will cover non-Olympic senior events combined with the junior championships and the FISA Council feels that this will be a great stepping stone for Plovdiv towards hosting a future Senior World Rowing Championships.

The FISA Council reviewed two well-prepared bids for the 2011 World Rowing Under 23 Championships: Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Montemar-o-Velho, Portugal. Amsterdam has been recommended.

The Portuguese bid presented the plans for the development of a new venue. Amsterdam’s Bosbaan regatta course has recently been upgraded and since then has successfully hosted the 2005 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, the 2006 World Rowing Junior Championships and one leg of the 2007 Rowing World Cup.
The Bosbaan course is close to the centre of Amsterdam and also close to reasonably priced accommodation. The organising committee are very experienced and take pride in creating a quality regatta and positive atmosphere for all of those involved.

The FISA Council supports the development of new rowing venues, but it is the Council’s view that these must be completed before that venue is selected for a major event. The Council’s bid report states, “Whilst FISA is very positive about all the developments in Portugal… Council considers that it is still too early in the construction phase to award a World Championships to the new venue.” The FISA Council thus supports the Netherlands Rowing Federation and its Bosbaan bid.

The final decision will be made at the FISA Ordinary Congress attended by all national rowing federations in Linz, Austria, on 25 July, following the 2008 World Rowing Senior and Junior Championships.

The World Rowing team values feedback .