Making waves: A Preview of the 2024 World Rowing calendar

With the calendar turning to a new year, its time to point ourselves to the year ahead and all that it will bring. 2024 will mark an important year in Rowing – the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the first edition of the Beach Sprint Finals since the discipline was announced as Olympic, 50 years of women’s World Championships, and more! Here’s what the calendar has in store:

Classic Rowing

Senior Events

The 2024 World Rowing Cups begin early this year, spread out from early April to mid-June.

After a successful World Rowing Cup III in 2023, crews are heading back to Varese, Italy for the 2024 World Rowing Cup I from 12 to 14 April. While the first World Rowing Cup of the season generally has fewer crews contesting it, this will be the first chance for rowers to size themselves up against their competitors for the season.

It seems the season would not be complete without a stop in Lucerne, Switzerland. The ‘Lake of the Gods’ will play host to the 2024 World Rowing Cup II from 24-26 May, just shortly after it hosts the 2024 World Rowing Final Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta from 19 to 21 May. Expect both of these regattas to be hotly contested.

The last chance for crews to test themselves internationally before the Olympic and Paralympic Games will come in slightly more than a month earlier in Poznan, Poland for the 2024 World Rowing Cup III. For some teams, this will help set their final lineups for the Games. For other teams, they prefer to send a development squad as their senior squad launches into final preparations for the Games.

Olympic Rowing returns to the city of its first edition* this year, with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Regatta taking place from 27 July – 4 August. Paralympic Rowing takes place from 30 August to 1 September. Just a short RER ride from the French capital, Vaires-sur-Marne will be the epicentre of the sport as crews search for the title of Olympic or Paralympic Champion.

*While rowing was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, the competition had to be cancelled due to the weather. The first Olympic Rowing Regatta took place in Paris in 1900.

Under 23 and Under 19 Events

For the Under 23s, Under 19s, as well as non-Olympic and non-Paralympic boat classes, the big test will come in late August as the rowing world turns its attention to St Catharines, Canada. It has been 25 years since the ‘Canadian Henley’ course has hosted a World Rowing Championships, and they are, no doubt, ready to put on a show. The 2024 World Rowing Senior, Under 23 and Under 19 Championships will take place 18 – 25 August.

Master Events

The 2024 World Rowing Masters Regatta is headed to Brandenburg, Germany! The top Masters event of the year, this is one to add to your calendars. Over 3000 rowers are expected to come compete over the four days of competition from 11-15 September. Registrations open late March.

Coastal Rowing

With the news that Beach Sprint Rowing is now an Olympic discipline, Coastal Rowing is on the rise.

Crews will test their endurance at the 2024 World Rowing Coastal Championships in early September in Genoa, Italy.

Taking place in Genoa just one week later, the 2024 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals will welcome the top senior and Under 19 Beach Sprint athletes to the Italian shores as they vie for titles in the 5th edition of the championships.

Indoor Rowing

Following the tremendous success of the 2023 edition, World Rowing, the governing body of the sport of Rowing, announced that the 2024 World Rowing Indoor Championships, presented by Concept2, the pinnacle event for the indoor discipline, will enable greater and wider participation. For the second time in World Rowing’s history, the Championships will be staged as a hybrid event. The Championships will be a joint event with the 2024 European Rowing Indoor Championships. They will take place on the weekend of 23-24 February 2024.

Continental Events 

Before the Final Olympic and Paralympic Regatta in May, athletes have the possibility to qualify for the games through one of the continental qualification regattas. The African Continental Qualification Regatta took place in November in Tunis, Tunisia. Next on the calendar is the Americas Continental Qualification Regatta in March, followed by the Asian and Oceanian Qualification and European Qualification in late April.

Classic

The continental Championships are spread across the year, with the 2024 European Rowing Championships up first, set to take place 25-28 April in Szeged, Hungary. The South American Championships will take place from the 19th to the 22nd of March in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the African Championships in September/October (exact date and location tbd).

Coastal

The Americas Beach Sprint Championships will take place in May in Punta Leona, Costa Rica. Both the African Beach Championships and Asian Rowing Beach Sprint Championships will take place in November.