Massive masters regatta tops 3,000 rowers

This year’s World Rowing Masters Regatta is heading for its biggest ever turnout with more than 3,000 competitors now registered for the September event which will be held in Vienna, Austria.

FISA’s commission chair for masters rowing, Peter Morrison writes about the lead up:

“Final preparations were under way last weekend in Vienna when the massive tasks of preparing the draw and timetable of races were undertaken. The number of entries is already the biggest ever, with far more than 8,000 seat entries counted. This means more than 3,000 competitors from about 370 clubs in 41 countries and the number of boats on site will be over 1,600.

It is fortunate that the host venue will be the New Danube rowing course, where there is enough space to accommodate this huge entry and racing can be over eight lanes. The format of the Masters Regatta means that the additional crews will be accommodated without too many more races in the programme. Germany has the highest number of entries with 839 crews. All parts of the world are well represented and it is a delight to see so many South American entries along with other faithful attendees including Australia, Japan and North America. Europe has excelled itself in its support for the event.

In the event C1x (for male scullers 43 years old or more), there are 144 crews. In the event D8+ (for male eights 50 years old or more), there are 36 crews. It will be a remarkable sight to see 288 rowers in six consecutive 1000m races, each race being only three minutes apart. In the age categories for I (75 years and over) and J (80 years and over), there are five eights and two eights respectively.

Women’s entries are also very strong with, for example, 50 C2x (43 years or over) set to race. There will be TV recordings of all Friday and Saturday races, and these will be available for sale on site and later on the internet.
Entries for the mixed events have still to be made and counted, which will make the regatta very large indeed. The planned masters party in the magnificent Vienna City Hall will remind many of the great success of the banquet there during the 1993 Masters Regatta. Vienna also hosted the very first FISA Masters Regatta in 1973 attracting 700 competitors.

The Masters Commission is both excited and filled with positive trepidation about this massive undertaking, and is pleased that the Viennese Organising Committee is so committed to the extremely busy times until early September.”

The World Rowing Masters Regatta is from the 3 – 6 September, 2009.

Find the official website here.