Following the 2007 World Championships, a FISA Committee appointed by the Executive Committee (one representative each of the Athletes, Competitive Rowing and Women's Rowing Commissions) allocated 38 alternates to national federations which qualified boats for the 2008 Olympic Games.
The Committee took into account the following:
(a) the number of qualified rowers that a federation achieved at the World Championships
(b) the number of big boats that a federation qualified through the World Championships (M8+, W8+, M4x, W4x, M4-, LM4-).
In making that allocation the committee ensured that every big boat has a spare in its category, although in some cases, the same spare might have to be used as both a sculling and rowing spare.
No allocations will be made at this stage to federations which qualify small boats.
First Allocation
Men's alternates (a nation qualifying M8+, M4- or M4x): Total 19 (one each)
AUS, BLR, CAN, CHN, CUB, CZE, EST, FRA, GER, GBR, IRL, ITA, NED, NZL, POL, RUS, SLO, UKR, USA
Women's alternates (a nation qualifying W8+ or W4x): Total 8 (one each)
AUS, CAN, CHN, GER, GBR, ROU, UKR, USA
Lightweight Men's alternates (a nation qualifying LM4-): Total 11 (one each)
AUS, CAN, CHN, DEN, EGY, FRA, GBR, ITA, NED, POL, USA
Federations wishing to have more alternates may write to FISA to make their request by 30 November 2008 with an explanation. There may be additional places available and this will be discussed with BOCOG at a meeting on 6 December 2007. After this date, federations will receive responses to their requests.
National federations will be asked to confirm to FISA by 28 February 2008 whether or not they will use the alternate positions allocated to them. The remaining spares will be allocated after the Final Qualifying Regatta in June 2008 on the same basis as above.