Ramping up rowing to Beijing

By Melissa Bray

Coming into the last 400 days before the Beijing Olympics the Shunyi Rowing – Canoeing Park is all but up and running.

“We could have a regatta here tomorrow,” says FISA’s Events Director Svetla Otzetova who, along with FISA events commission chair Mike Tanner and Matt Smith, FISA’s executive director, recently checked out progress at the new regatta course in Beijing.

The course is full of water and all of the buildings are complete. Only small adjustments and inside work needs to be done. Outside more than 5,000 trees are being transferred and replanted in the park as well as the installation of 400,000 square metres of lawn.

Otzetova says there will be several tests but the first real event will be the World Rowing Junior Championships from 8 – 11 August. Already countdown clocks are set at the regatta course showing less than 100 days to the test event.

According to Otzetova the infrastructure is in line with tried and true ways although local adaptations include a larger than usual finish tower that includes space for security and emergency safety teams.

Shunyi boathouses

Finish tower and grandstand

Temporary workers barracks

Barrier painting

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