Youth Olympic Games continental qualification dates finalised

• 9 – 10 October 2013, African YOG Qualification Regatta, Tunis, Tunisia.
• 13 – 17 October 2013, Asian YOG Qualification Regatta and Asian Junior Championships, Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
• 17 – 18 March 2014, Latin American YOG Qualification Regatta, Montevideo, Uruguay.

The continental qualification regattas are in addition to the main qualification regatta, the 2013 World Rowing Junior Championships, to be held in Trakai, Lithuania in August 2013.

This is the first time that continental qualification regattas have been held and FISA development manager Sheila Stephens Desbans says, “This will be the most ‘universal’ Games as far as the number of nations that should be represented and we hope it will open up opportunities to more nations via the juniors to take part. 

“Also, the decision to have continental events in the cities of Montevideo and Samarkand means going to cities that have not been used before for FISA events and this is wonderful.  The shorter course of a 1000m gives an opportunity for other venues that have good qualities to host these events.”

Four events will be contested; the men’s pair and single sculls and the women’s pair and single sculls. A total of 96 competitor spots are available through the qualification system, spread across 24 men’s single sculls, 24 women’s single sculls, 12 men’s pairs and 12 women’s pairs. Each country may only qualify one male crew and one female crew.

The first and primary qualification opportunity is at the 2013 World Rowing Junior Championships, the results of which will determine 11 men’s and 11 women’s single sculling spots and nine men’s and women’s pairs. Each continental qualification regatta then offers three qualification spots each for the men’s and women’s single and one qualification spot each for the men’s and women’s pair available.
These positions qualify the country rather than the individual athlete for a spot in the 2014 YOG, thus different athletes may compete at the YOG in 2014 compared to those that qualify the boat.

In addition to the qualification places obtained through rankings at the 2013 World Rowing Junior Championships and the continental qualification regattas, three more spots are available in the men’s single and the women’s single for allocation to ‘universality places’. In each sport, a certain number of qualification places are reserved for universality places, to ensure that every one of the 204 National Olympic Committees is able to participate in the Youth Olympic Games with at least four athletes. 

The allocation of spots will be decided through consultation between the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the World Rowing Association (FISA) and the relevant National Olympic Committees (NOCs).

The final allocation will be decided by a mixture of universality, host country representation, performance and gender equity. The final entry deadline for names of the athletes will be made by July 2014.
To be eligible to participate, athletes must be born between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 1997, thus fitting into a two year age group of 17 to 18 years old at the time of the Games.

The YOG was established by the IOC as a way to inspire young people to take up sport and also to be a platform to create a community between the youth of the world. There are 28 sports at the YOG with rowing an integral part of the Games.

The 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games is the second time that the Youth Olympic Games has been held. It takes place from 16 – 28 August 2014. Along with the YOG will be an integrated culture and education programme with the aim of spreading the Olympic spirit and encourage sport participation.

For detailed information on qualification click here.