More YOG places decided

The next round of qualification places for the Youth Olympic Games, YOG, are now decided with 16 athlete places being reallocated.

The International Olympic Committee, IOC, released 16 ‘universality places’ back to FISA, the International Rowing Federation, for FISA to attribute according to rankings at the 2009 World Rowing Junior Championships. The new qualification places include four pairs (two men’s and two women’s) and eight singles (four men’s and four women’s).

This round of qualification has added six new countries to the YOG rowing regatta: Denmark (men’s single), India (men’s pair and women’s pair), Japan (women’s single), Latvia (women’s single), Slovakia (men's single) and Thailand (women’s pair). It also includes an extra crew for the following countries: Croatia (women’s single), Serbia (women’s single), Belarus (men’s pair), Netherlands (men’s single) and Russia (men’s single).

This leaves six universality places still to allocate at the end of the qualification period – three spots in the junior men’s single and three spots in the junior women’s single. Countries will be allocated these final six positions after the IOC looks at which National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have not yet qualified at least four athletes for the Youth Olympic Games. These NOCs will then be eligible to apply for qualification places in their preferred sports.

FISA’s contact person for the YOG, Colleen Orsmond, describes the next step: “FISA must now wait to see if the NOCs accept the places that have just been reallocated. If any are not accepted, FISA will reallocate them based on performance. Regarding the six universality places still available FISA will have to wait until the end of the qualification period (June 2010) when the IOC will determine which NOCs have not yet qualified four athletes for the YOG. These NOCs will be eligible to apply for universality places and then we will see if anyone applies for the rowing places. If these are not allocated to universality places, they will come back to FISA and FISA will allocate them according to performance at the 2009 World Rowing Junior Champs.”

The Youth Olympic Games will take place in Singapore from 14 to 26 August. This is the first ever Youth Olympic Games and came about as the IOC aims to create a way of connecting with the youth of the world and encourage Olympic values.

Rowing at the YOG is for 96 athletes aged 17 and 18 years old and will be raced over 1,000m distance. The rowing events include four events – men’s and women’s single and men’s and women’s pair. A maximum of one male boat and one female boat per nation is permitted.

Website:  http://www.singapore2010.sg
Qualification system: http://www.worldrowing.com/index.php?pageid=173

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