Top rowing nations to go head-to-head at Dorney
Sports fans have a treat in store when the Samsung World Rowing Cup comes to Eton Dorney from June 21-23.
Great Britain, New Zealand and Germany were the top three medal-winning nations at London 2012 and all three are signed up for the regatta taking place at the iconic Olympic venue.
“We are delighted”, said event Chairman Ben Hunt-Davis, himself a Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medallist. “I am sure we will see some fantastic head-to-heads now that these three nations are confirmed although we won’t know for another week which rowers and boats are coming from those nations”.
Around 30 nations have already expressed an interest with FISA, the World Rowing Federation, to compete at the event with entries closing on 10th June.
Australia, who topped the medal table at the season’s opening world cup in Sydney and who are perennial rivals for GB, look set to send a team.
The organising committee has already sold out tickets for Sunday – with only a few “walk-ups” remaining to be bought on the final day.
Tickets are still available but selling fast for Friday’s full programme of heats and repechages as well as Saturday when during an action-packed five and a half hours of racing spectators will witness all the events’ semi-finals or crucial repechages plus the finals of the Paralympic class events.
Friday’s events will be seen by 1500 school students from almost 50 schools in an innovative scheme devised by GB Rower Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell which has teamed local businesses with schools to pay for a “class” of students, aged anywhere from 8 – 16 years old, to attend.
The GB Rowing Team for the event will be announced this Wednesday (5th June). Rowers have already expressed their desire to compete again in front of the home crowd and to hear the “Dorney Roar” once more.
Olympic Champion Andy Triggs Hodge summed it up when he said: “My memories from the Olympics are the atmosphere generated by the spectators – who were sitting on the banks and cheering us on down the course – performing in front of a home crowd, and hearing the Dorney Roar at its loudest.
“Thankfully we’ve got another chance to recreate that with the World Cup at Dorney this month. The biggest thing that can make the difference to that event is the support on the banks”.
Anyone missing out on tickets to the event will be able to watch live on BBC TV on Sunday 23 June with BBC 2 broadcasting from 11.30 – 13.30 that day.
Outline Racing Schedule
(NB – Provisional and subject to the draw on Thursday 20 June)
Friday 21 June
08.00 – 17.00 – All heats and some repechages/quarter-finals
Saturday 22 June
08.30 – 14.15 – All semi-finals, additional repechages, and Para-rowing finals
Sunday 23 June
08.30 – 13.30 – All A & B Finals
For more information about the World Rowing Cup at Eton Dorney, including tickets, team information and how you can get involved in rowing, visit www.wrcupetondorney2013.com.
