The countdown has begun for the World Rowing Coastal Championships & Beach Sprint Finals, the world championships of coastal rowing that will take place in Genoa, in the waters off Corso Italia, at San Nazaro Beach, from September 6th to 15th.
The event, which is part of the Genoa 2024 European Capital of Sport program, will bring top-level athletes to the city starting next Friday, many of whom are fresh from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Over the approximately 10-day event, there will be many opportunities in the city to get up close and personal with the champions of the two coastal rowing disciplines that will take center stage in this double world event: endurance and beach sprint.
‘The Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprint World Championships are approaching, and our city is ready to host a truly unique and fascinating event that will launch the Olympic dreams of many athletes. A long wave that, from Genoa 2024 European Capital of Sport, is ready to carry them to Los Angeles 2028, where the Beach Sprint will make its official debut’, says Alessandra Bianchi, the Councilor for Sport and Tourism. ‘Our city is increasingly establishing itself as an ideal destination for major sporting events and more. All participants, along with their families, staff, and enthusiasts, will be able to enjoy truly special days dedicated to sport and the discovery of the artistic and natural excellence of our Genoa, which, in the meantime, is already achieving a historic milestone. In fact, more than 40 nations will be represented with over 800 athletes from five continents, including Olympic champions, as well as coaches and staff from around the world: record numbers never before seen for a Coastal Rowing World Championship, which Genoa will be hosting as the capital of rowing for over a week for the first time.’
Among the champions who will be in Genoa: the Genoese Davide Mumolo, Olympic reserve in Paris; Valentina Rodini, Olympic champion at Tokyo 2020 in the women’s lightweight double sculls; the Dutch athletes Karolien Florijn, Olympic champion in the women’s single sculls at Paris 2024, Finn Florijn, Olympic champion in the men’s quadruple sculls at Paris 2024, Lennart Van Lierop, Olympic champion in the men’s quadruple sculls at Paris 2024; Jan Van Der Bij, silver medalist in the men’s eight at Paris 2024; the New Zealanders Francis Broke, who placed second in the women’s double sculls in Tokyo and Olympic champion at Paris 2024, and Lucy Spoors, second in the women’s double sculls in Tokyo and Olympic champion at Paris 2024; the Italian Giacomo Gentili, second in the men’s quadruple sculls at Paris 2024.
‘It’s a major event that will host many Olympic champions returning from Paris,’ says Giulio Basso, Technical Director of the Federal University Rowing Center of Genoa. ‘This is a moment where the city will be able to see these extraordinary athletes up close and experience the beauty of our sport firsthand. The endurance world championship course will be spectacular as it will be close to the coast with many buoys, making it highly exciting. As for the Rowing Beach Sprint finals, the coastline of Corso Italia will transform into a true rowing arena where crews will compete one-on-one, starting with a run from the beach, getting into the boat, and navigating through buoys on the way out and back, before running back to the starting point on the beach. With so many crews registered and nations participating from every continent, it will undoubtedly be great publicity for Genoa and all of coastal rowing.’
Starting on September 4, morning rescue drills will take place at sea, followed by crew training sessions in the afternoon, which will also continue the next day. On Thursday, September 5th, at 7 p.m., the opening ceremony of the World Championships will be held at Palazzo della Borsa. On Friday, September 6th, after a morning training phase, the competition will kick off with qualification races for single, double, and quadruple sculls from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., continuing at the same times the following day. Sunday, September 8th, will feature the finals of the World Rowing Coastal Championships starting at 8 a.m., followed by the awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m. on Corso Italia. The following week, on Thursday, September 12th, training for the approximately 40 nations participating in the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals will take place. The crews will be presented on September 13th at Palazzo Tursi following a parade through some of the city’s main streets. Qualification races will begin at 5 p.m., continuing the next afternoon. The finals will take place on Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with award ceremonies concluding each day.
The World Rowing Coastal Championships is the highest international competition for clubs, while the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals will feature one crew per nation in the first World Championship since this discipline was added to the Olympic Games program and will debut at Los Angeles 2028.