A record entry of 223 crews has been announced for the 2010 European Rowing Championships from 10 to 12 September 2010 at the beautiful, new International regatta course in Montemor-O-Velho, Portugal. This is the fourth staging of the event since it was reinstated in 2007.
Among the 618 competitors entered in the competition, a big number of top international athletes from national senior A teams will be competing. Germany bring along a very complete team of 53 athletes, among which the men's double sculls 2009 World Champions Eric Knittel and Stephan Krueger, and the reigning World Champion in the lightweight men's four.
Italy also come to Portugal with a large contingent of 57 athletes including last year's European Champion in the women's double Laura Schiavone, who is this year teamed up with Elisabetta Sancassani in the same event. The two will also double up as part of the women's quadruple sculls. Italy shall also be represented by Niccolo Mornati and Lorenzo Carboncini in the men's pair as well as Simone Raineri and Alessio Sartori making up half of the men's quadruple sculls together with Matteo Steffanini and Simone Venier.
A strong reperesentation in the women's double sculls will see 2007 World Champion Yuliya Bichyk team up with Tatsiana Kukhta for Belarus, Sanna Sten represents Finland with partner Minna Nieminen and Poland is represented by reigning world champions Julia Michalska and Magdalena Fularczyk in this event.
In the women's single sculls, top international scullers Ekaterina Karsten Khodotovitch (BLR), Mirka Knapkova (CZE), Julia Levina (RUS), Frida Svensson (SWE) will provide substance for a great battle in this flagship event. The men's single can take pride with the presence of Olympic champion Olaf Tufte (NOR), World Cup winner Ondrej Synek (CZE) and Olympic games finalist Lassi Karonen (SWE), to mention only some of the current top names in the discipline.
The unusually high entries (34 nations) could be linked to the late date of the 2010 World Rowing Championships which will, this year, take place in November in New Zealand. Additionally, the larger interval between the end of the Rowing World Cup series and the World Rowing Championships allows participation for more teams than usual. Participants also have the opportunity to race in international events which are not considered part of the Championships.
The revival of the European Rowing Championships took place in May 2006 after a vote by the European member national rowing federations. The event was originally started by FISA in 1893 and was staged annually through to 1973 when it was discontinued in favour of an increased frequency of the World Rowing Championships. It was re-started as a means to better promote the sport in Europe and offer more competition opportunities for European rowers. It is managed by the European Rowing Management Board consisting of seven members, four elected by the national federations and three appointed by the FISA Council. A General Assembly of the member national federations is held each year at the Championships to attribute future events and discuss the rules and regulations of the events. In total, 43 member federations are eligible to be part of the European Rowing Championships.
A full list of entries and an updated provisional timetable can be found here. Full reports, live audio streaming, live results and features will be available on www.worldrowing.com during the event.
The Finals will be host broadcast by the Portuguese Television Network and will be seen on Eurosport and several channels in Europe. It may also be see live on internet video streaming on Sunday, 12 September, on the www.worldrowing.com website.