Men's Eight, Repechage, 2019 World Rowing Cup III, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Men's Eight, Repechage, 2019 World Rowing Cup III, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Following extensive discussions with all key stakeholders, the World Rowing Executive Committee has verified that the preparations of the Organising Committee (OC) of the 2021 World Rowing Cup III, Sabaudia conforms to the World Rowing requirements for 2021 regattas and has therefore confirmed that the regatta will take place from 04-06 June 2021.

As required by World Rowing’s event management guidance (Return to Regattas found here) which was successfully tested during 2020, the OC has developed a covid-19 protection plan for staging the event based on the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) & World Rowing. The plan has been carefully reviewed and approved by the Local Health Authorities. World Rowing and the OC are confident that the measures planned to be in place are appropriate to minimise the risk of transmission and infection at the event. The event covid-19 Response Plan is available online at www.sabaudiarowing.com.

Each Member Federation is responsible to exercise maximum care for its team members before, during and after the event. All participants must follow the measures in the OC covid-19 Protection Plan at all times, including the wearing of masks at all times except in the boat, on an ergometer or at meals, social distancing and regular disinfection, among the other measures published by the OC.

In addition to meeting any local government requirements, each participant at the regatta will be required to complete a Pre-Event Health Questionnaire and Member Federations are obliged to sign a consent form accepting responsibility for their team members. The forms will be sent out to Member Federations directly by the Sabaudia OC and must be completed and returned to the OC by email to covidofficer@sabaudiarowing.com. In addition, all participation conditions will be explained to participating athletes and officials in a webinar to be organised before travel to the event. To protect the health of all participants, anyone not adhering to the participation conditions will be immediately disqualified and excluded from the event, at the discretion of the World Rowing Executive Committee.

Following the announcement on 8 February 2021 that para-rowing events will not take place at World Rowing Cup III in Sabaudia due to the postponement of the Final Paralympic Qualification Regatta in Gavirate, an updated Provisional Programme for Sabaudia is available on the event page, here.

World Rowing and the Sabaudia OC continue to monitor the covid-19 situation in Italy and the latest recommendations from the WHO and local health authorities. Any further updates will be communicated to the Member Federations directly.

Decision on the Asia and Oceania Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta delayed

The Executive Committee and the Organising Committee in Tokyo have decided to delay the decision on this event until 8 March 2021. The current State of Emergency in Tokyo is scheduled to end on 7 March 2021 and an announcement on the next steps by the government authorities will be clear by then. World Rowing will announce the next steps on this decision on 8 March 2021 at 9 am CET.

Rumours on status of World Rowing Championship events

The Executive Committee has been informed of rumours about a possible change in status from “World Champion” of the World Rowing Junior and World Rowing Under 23 Championships. The Executive Committee would like it to be clear to member federations, rowers and coaches that there is absolutely no intention to change the status of these World Championship events. These two events will be evaluated approximately three months before their staging dates (12 April and 10 May) and will be confirmed when all World Rowing requirements for 2021 regattas have been have been appropriately addressed.

Member Federation Zoom Meeting

World Rowing will hold Video Conference Calls for Member Federations tomorrow, Tuesday 2 March 2021 at 09:00 hrs CET and 17:00 hrs CET to cover essential elements of these decisions and as an opportunity for representatives to ask any questions relating to these World Rowing events. Details of the Zoom Webinar with Member Federations will be sent by email.