PLOVDIV, Bulgaria - With the 2012 London Olympics completed, the world stage is being handed over to the remaining two teams yet to compete internationally this summer.
Beginning Wednesday, some 1,000 athletes from 57 countries will compete in the 2012 World Rowing Senior and Junior Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, a combined event held only during an Olympic year.
Between the two levels there are 20 boats classes, including 13 junior and seven senior classes not contested at the Olympic Games, that will compete for world titles Aug. 15-19. The United States will field entries in all events.
The lightweight men's senior sculls has entries from 26 countries. Rowing for the United States is Andrew Campbell (New Canaan, Conn.). Campbell finished fourth in the event last year.
Defending world champion, Henrik Stephansen of Denmark is entered in the field. Stephansen raced in London, where he finished 13th overall by winning the C final. Also competing is last year's silver medalist Pietro Ruta. Ruta rowed in London in the lightweight double and finished seventh overall.
Rowing in the lightweight women's single is Ursula Grobler (Pretoria, South Africa). Grobler also finished fourth last year. Twenty-three countries have entries in the event including Brazil's reigning world champion Fabiana Beltrame. Also entered is Alexandra Tsiavou of Greece, who won a bronze medal in London in the lightweight women's double.
Of the 42 junior athletes on the team, six return from the squad that took back one gold medal and one bronze from the 2011 World Rowing Junior Championships in Eton Dorney, England. The U.S. won gold in the women's junior four and bronze in the women's junior eight.
Returning from last year are Sam Helms (Snohomish, Wash), who was in the men's junior four with coxswain that finished eighth, Patrick Eble (Fort Washington, Pa.), who rowed in the eight that finished fifth, Rosie Grinalds (Southport, Conn.) who was in the women's pair that finished sixth, Mia Croonquist (Vashon, Wash), Deirdre Fitzpatrick (Cheshire, Conn.) and MacKenzi Sherman (Los Alamitos, Calif.).
Racing will begin with heats Wednesday afternoon. Repechage and quarterfinal racing will begin Thursday.