13 Dec 2011
Rowing completes Olympic Qualification Process
A grand total of 100 nations competed in rowing’s Olympic Qualification process which began at the 2007 World Rowing Championships in Munich and continued through 2007 and 2008 with continental qualification events around the world, culminating in the final Olympic Qualification regatta in Poznan. This is 15 nations more than the 85 from Athens and 75 from Sydney, and is a huge step forward in rowing’s global appeal.
Fifty-eight nations will be represented in the sport of rowing this summer in Beijing, three more than at the Athens Olympics in 2004. The 29 boats qualified today bring the tally that will compete in Beijing to 204 and the total number of athletes to 550.
It was a good day for the Netherlands, Canada and Australia, each qualified three more boats for Beijing. Australia now has a full house with 14 boats qualified, while Germany and the USA will each send 13 boats to Beijing. It was also a good day for Portugal and Lithuania: both nations came into the regatta with no Olympic qualifications but the gutsy performances of the Portuguese lightweight men’s double and Lithuanian men’s single sculler secured their countries’ entry ticket to the Shunyi Olympic Rowing and Canoeing course.
The boats that qualified in the 14 Olympic boat classes today are as follows:
| W1x | AUS, ITA, SRB | LW2x | NED, USA |
| M1x | USA, LTU, EST | LM2x | NZL, POR, CAN |
| W2- | FRA, GBR | LM4- | GER, IRL |
| M2- | CAN, ITA | W4x | RUS |
| W2x | UKR, AUS | M4x | BLR, SLO |
| M2x | CHN, RUS | W8+ | CAN, NED |
| M4- | AUS, CHN | M8+ | NED |
The regatta programme also included four adaptive rowing events, which provided adaptive crews with their last chance for international competition before the Paralympic Games in September. Great Britain won two gold medals, in the Men’s Adaptive single and the Adaptive coxed four while Ukraine won gold in the Women’s Adaptive single. Host nation Poland won gold in the Adaptive double.
For full regatta results, click here.
Most crews will head home immediately from the regatta to begin final preparations for the Olympic Regatta, which starts on August the 9th, just 51 days from now. Some crews will stay on to race in the final stage of the Rowing World Cup series, which runs from 20 to 22 June. This regatta will see one crew become the Cup winner in each of the 14 Olympic boat classes and one nation receiving the overall World Cup.
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