Busy FISA weekend in Copenhagen

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22/01/2010 13:53 CET

It is a hectic few days for World Rowing in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The World Rowing Coaches Conference has just begun while the FISA Council meeting is set to run through the weekend.

The 2010 Coaches Conference returns after a one-year hiatus due to the global economic crisis. Organised by the Danish Rowing Federation and supported strongly by the Danish Sports Confederation, the conference is being held at the Danish House of Sport with the theme of “Duration, Optimisation of Rowing Performance and Training.”

With top speakers like Germany’s new head coach Hartmut Buschbacher and Olympic Champion Olaf Tufte’s coach, Tore Ovrebo of Norway, the conference has attracted a lot of interest. The conference will also include the gala dinner where winners of the 2009 World Rowing Awards will be honoured. Winners for 2009 were Male (Mahe Drysdale, NZL) and Female (Erin Cafaro and Susan Francia, USA) Crew of the Year, Coach of the Year (Tom Terhaar, USA), Adaptive Rower of the Year (Tom Aggar, GBR) and Distinguished Service to International Rowing (Don Rowlands, NZL).

The FISA Council has some weighty discussions to tackle over the three days of meetings. Following last November’s executive committee meeting at which it was decided that the Olympic and World Championship programmes would have finals over four days, the Council will be looking at the exact make up of the racing programme at these events – which boats will have finals on which days.

Having the finals over four days is aimed at achieving more media interest as current research shows that medal presentations attract interest and the length of time of the main event (the finals) needs to be less than one hour.

The Rowing World Cup programme will also be under discussion. FISA’s executive committee has suggested creation of, “a one hour block with the “blue riban” events, the singles and the eights. This block would be at the end of the finals programme, perhaps separated by a few extra minutes to allow a special introduction to the event and, at all three world cups, feature special background information on the singles and eights along with the usual introductions, races and victory ceremonies.”

The World Rowing Junior Championships is under review to change the regatta to a Thursday to Sunday format, rather than the current Wednesday to Saturday. There will also be discussion on introducing a two-day final programme to both the World Rowing Under 23 Championships and the junior championships.

The Council will also award the first Rowing World Cup regatta of 2012 to either Seville, Spain or Belgrade, Serbia. This will be the first world cup of the Olympic season and the final Paralympic qualification regatta before London 2012.

. And here is the rest of it.