Victoria Harbour readies for World Rowing Coastal Championships

For immediate release
Lausanne, 16 October 2019

The World Rowing Coastal Championships in Hong Kong, China has received the greatest number of entries for a coastal regatta hosted outside of Europe.

Hailing from 28 countries and regions, just under 500 rowers are entered with France sending the most boats (outside of local hosts, Hong Kong). The largest number of entries is in the men’s solo (single).

The men’s solo has 45 competitors participating and last year’s World Champion Eduardo Linares Ruiz is back. Up to now, Linares Ruiz represented a Peruvian club but he is representing a British club this year. Linares Ruiz will face 2018 silver medallist, Lars Wichert of Germany and bronze medallist Simone Martini of Italy. Martini most recently raced at the 2019 World Rowing Championships in the men’s single sculls. Wichert is also a flat-water rower racing on the German national team last year in the lightweight men’s single sculls.

The mixed double sculls has attracted a large number of entries with 39 boats represented. Back to defend their 2018 win is Janneke van der Meulen and Mitchel Steenman of the Netherlands. They will face last year’s silver medallists from France, Pierrick Ledard and Edwige Alfred. Bronze medallist from Spain, Ander Martin has teamed up with a new partner, Maria Del Mar Ferrer Sanchez.

Diana Dymenchenko of Ukraine is back to defend her title in the women’s solo and, in the men’s coxed quadruple sculls, Italy’s World Champion crew from CC Saturnia return to defend their title.

“Hong Kong and Victoria Harbour will prove to be a spectacular location for these Championships – an iconic waterway in the middle of one of the world’s great cities,” says World Rowing Federation President Jean-Christophe Rolland. “The visibility that this will bring to the event will be of great benefit and will showcase the exciting nature of coastal rowing to the crowds.”

Leading up to the World Rowing Coastal Championships will be the inaugural World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals. This will be held in Shenzhen, China from 25-27 October and many of the athletes attending the coastal championships will also compete in Shenzhen.

The World Rowing Coastal Championships will go from 1-3 November 2019 with racing taking place on Victoria Harbour. The course length is 4km for heats and B-finals and 6km for A-finals. It includes buoy turns. This is the first time that the World Rowing Coastal Championships has been staged in Asia since the event was launched in 2007.   

There will be a full television production of the A-finals that can be watched online at www.worldrowing.com. The World Rowing website will also have start lists, results, photos and stories.

For entries click here.