Bari boasts 2011 World Rowing Coastal Championships

Racing will be held on a zig-zag course, with seven turning points, one 1.5km out to sea. Rowers will then turn back to the shore before the final 1.1km dash in front of the Lungomare Nazario Sauro stretch to take the boats to the finish line. Boats racing in Bari include the coastal single, the coastal double and the coastal coxed quadruple sculls, for both men and women.  The championships have received the largest number of entries from hosts Italy, whilst France and Spain also feature large coastal contingencies. New Zealand and Canada have also sent participants. The men’s coastal double has 54 entries, making it the most hotly contested event.

The weather forecast in Bari for the weekend looks mixed. Whilst it remains bright, breezy and sunny today, temperatures hitting a high of around 23 degrees celcius, showers and stronger winds are expected tomorrow for the start of racing. Stronger winds mean bigger and better waves, so all the better for our coastal rowers who, unlike traditional rowers, hope for rough water before an event.

FISA Chair of the Rowing for All Commission and past coastal rowing champion and British Olympic silver medallist Guin Batten says: "It's really exciting to be in Bari. It's brilliant we are so close to the town and the  spectators can come out and view the rowers on the water. If the wind picks up there'll be some great racing off shore with lots of techincal turns."

Bari is the capital of the Apulia region in Italy and is its economic heart. The seafront city has a long history of coastal rowing. The local ‘Barion’ Club was founded in 1894 and coastal rowing has been practiced along the Lungomare Nazario Sauro stretch since 1906. The stunning location of the course, just on the seafront of the city, means spectator numbers are expected to be high. 

Enrico Gandola, President of the Italian Rowing Federation said of the event: “The Championships is not just a big sport event, it also generates a significant tourist stream and it’s a unique opportunity to promote Bari and its territory.”

Heats will be raced on Friday 21 October starting at 8:00am (CET). Finals will then be raced on Saturday before mixed and open events are raced on Sunday.

The World Rowing Coastal Championships were first held in 2007 in Cannes, France and have grown in numbers and status each year since, especially in Italy where coastal rowing is a long tradition.

Gandola believes that, “In the last years, thanks to the support of the Italian Federation, coastal rowing has grown significantly in Italy and our clubs have already won several medals in the last four championships.”

For more event information, please click here.