European Rowing Championships one week away

Coming hot on the heels of the World Rowing Championships, the 2011 European Rowing Championships get underway from 16-18 September in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Over 400 competitors are due to take part in this year’s championships, representing 29 different nations.

A number of newly-crowned world champions will be attending the event, with the Czech Republic’s Mirka Knapkova looking to add the European crown to her World Championship gold medal in the women’s single sculls, and Italian duo Niccolo Mornati and Lorenzo Carboncini making an appearance after their triumph in the men’s pair in Bled, Slovenia.

Greek lightweight doubles World Champions Christina Giazitzidou and Alexandra Tsiavou will take to the water in Bulgaria, in a programme that includes the 14 Olympic boat class events.

Germany were the top nation at the 2010 European Rowing Championships – which were held in Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal – and have entered five crews into this year’s tournament.

The GB Rowing Team, meanwhile, will enter six crews; in the Men’s Pair, Double, and Four; the Men’s Lightweight Double; the Women’s Lightweight Double; and the Women’s Eight.