 | |
| Sport | Rowing |
|---|---|
| Category | Sports federation |
| Jurisdiction | Worldwide |
| Membership | 157 |
| Abbreviation | WR, FISA |
| Founded | 25 June 1892; 133 years ago (1892-06-25) inTurin, Italy |
| Headquarters | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| President | Jean-Christophe Rolland |
| Vice president | Tricia Smith |
| Official website | |
| worldrowing | |
World Rowing, also known as theWorld Rowing Federation (officiallyFISA;French:Fédération internationale des sociétés d'aviron[a]), is the internationalgoverning body forrowing.[2] Its current president isJean-Christophe Rolland who succeededDenis Oswald at a ceremony held inLucerne in July 2014.
TheWorld Rowing Cup,World Rowing Championships, and other such competitions are overseen by this organization.
It was founded by rowing representatives fromFrance,Switzerland,Belgium, Adriatica, andItaly on 25 June 1892 inTurin in response to the growing popularity of the sport of rowing, and the consequent need for uniformity of regulations over such matters as race lengths, boat composition, and weight classes. Also, at the time, betting on rowing was very popular, and the rowers or coaches were themselves often taking bets. Amateur status, while widespread in England and elsewhere, was unknown in the sport in many nations, a state of affairs which could lead to corruption such as thrown races.
The first regatta organised by the newly formed FISA was theEuropean Rowing Championships and was held in 1893 inOrta, Italy. It only had 10 entries in 3 events and no professional participants. By 1925, the 27th European Championships, held inPrague, included 24 entries in 10 different events.
FISA established its headquarters inLausanne, Switzerland in 1922.[3]
FISA was the first international sports federation to join theOlympic movement. It has been on the Olympic program since the1896 Summer Olympics inAthens. (The rowing events at the 1896 games were cancelled because of high winds). Each country that participates in rowing has a federation or governing body which belongs to theWorld Rowing Congress. These federations (of which there are currently 157)[4] have overall control of what World Rowing does.
FISA decided in 1955 that only a united German team could compete at international rowing championships; this first applied toEuropean Championships and later, from the inaugural in 1962 onwards, toWorld Championships. This required that East and West Germany held selection trials, with the winning country for each boat class choosing the rowers who would compete at the championships. Over the years, the relationship between the two German countries deteriorated, and East Germany made seven application to FISA congresses to be recognised as a separate and independent country.[5] On the seventh occasion, there was insufficient time to discuss the issue at the congress held inDuisburg just prior to the men's competition of the1965 European Rowing Championships. FISA presidentThomas Keller stated that an extraordinary congress were to be held in November inVienna that would discuss the issue, and that he personally saw no problem with solving the problems.[6] In October 1965, theInternational Olympic Committee decided that East Germany was to have its own team at futureOlympic Games.[7] At the FISA congress in November 1965, the East German application found forty-six votes of support, four abstentions (from Germany and Austria), and no votes of disapproval.[8] At the same congress, Keller's proposal to not play national anthems or raise flags during medal ceremonies was also approved.[9] These changes first applied at theEuropean Championships (for women) in August 1966 and then theWorld Championships (for men) two weeks later in September.
In response to the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, World Rowing banned athletes and officials from Russia and Belarus from international competitions.[10] A year later, it started a working group tasked with reinstating Russian and Belarusian athletes.[11]
FISA is led by a president. The following list gives presidents since 1924:
At the 2022 Ordinary Congress, World Rowing admitted its 157th member.[12]
World Rowing organises a large number of international rowing events throughout the year.
World Rowing has been sponsoring the program for rowing events at the Olympic games since the initial Olympic games in 1896 in Athens. It is also responsible for running the qualification program to select the participants for the games.
World Rowing has been sponsoring the program for rowing events at the Paralympic games since the2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing. It is also responsible for running the qualification program to select the participants for the games.
Started in 1997, the World Cup comprises three regattas held in late Spring and early Summer.
A week-long regatta held every year. During Olympic years, only non-Olympic boat classes race.
Running since 1967, the World Rowing Junior Championships is for those who are under 18 by the end of the current calendar year. During Olympic years it is held at the same time as theWorld Rowing Championships. Since 2021, the name 'Under 19' has been used instead of 'Junior'.
First held in 1976, this regatta is for those too old for the Junior Championships but who do not turn 23 by the end of the current calendar year (previously categorised asSenior B by FISA). The event was originally named theNations Cup and opposed by FISA. In 2002 the name was changed to theWorld Rowing U23 Regatta and further changed toWorld Rowing U23 Championships in 2005.
First held in 2006. Races are help over 4 km and 6 km courses in coastal specific boat. Can include beach starts and finishes.[13]
First held in 2019 in Shenzhen, China. Races are started on a beach with the athlete running to their boat, before rowing a 250m slalom, then turning 180° at the far end and returning to the beach in a straight line. Upon reaching the beach the athlete leaves the boats and runs and dives to a buzzer on the ground.[13]
Editions:
World Rowing, in partnership with Concept2, USRowing and the Erg Sprints organising committee of Alexandria, Virginia, United States, announced the first World Rowing Indoor Championships to be staged in Alexandria from 17 to 18 February 2018.[14]
Editions:
Held since 1973, this event is for rowers 27 years of age or over. Men and women compete in age categories ranging from "A" (27 to 35) to "K" (85 and older). The largest annual international regatta, in 2013 it attracted approximately 3500 competitors who competed in 440 races over four days. There are also events for mixed crews – where half the crew is men and half women (excluding cox). The 2010 regatta took place in St. Catharines,Ontario, Canada, 2011 inPoznan, Poland, 2012 inDuisburg, Germany, 2013 inVarese, Italy, 2014 inBallarat, Australia, 2015 in Hazewinkel, Belgium, 2016 inCopenhagen, Denmark, 2017 inBled, Slovenia, 2018 inSarasota, Florida, USA, and 2019 in Lake Valence, Hungary. Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 regatta was a virtual competition onindoor rowers. The 2021 regatta will be in Linz-Ottensheim, Austria, 2022 inLibourne, France, 2023 inPretoria, South Africa, and 2024 inBrandenburg, Germany.
In 2025 the regatta is in Banyoles, Spain... 10–14 September.
A new idea introduced in 2002 as an attempt to bring rowing to the centre of cities. The first (and only) event took place on theSerpentine Lake inHyde Park, London and was sponsored byMercedes-Benz. Crews from Great Britain, United States, Germany, and the Netherlands took part in the 500 m race. Famous rowing champions raced, includingMatthew Pinsent,James Cracknell, andMarcel Hacker.
Each team was made up of 13 rowers (5 women, 7 men, and a cox). Events were held in Women's Single Sculls, Men's Single Sculls, Women's Double Sculls, Men's Pairs, Women's Pairs and Men's Fours. These crews then combined to form Mixed Quad Sculls and Eights.
Great Britain were the eventual winners and crowned theMercedes-Benz Sprints Champions.
The World Rowing Federation, FISA (from the French, Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron) is the governing body of the sport of rowing
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