Women’s Sport Week returns this June to celebrate a fantastic summer of women’s sport

Women’s Sports Week is back for 2017, with the campaign taking place between 19-25 June to coincide with a vintage summer of elite women’s sport

The third annual Women’s Sport Week will take place between 19-25 June 2017, to coincide with a bumper summer of women’s sport in the UK and across Europe.

With an extended women’s schedule at the Henley Royal Regatta (28 June – 2 July), the women’s cricket and rugby World Cups being hosted in the UK and Ireland, and the women’s European Football Championships and hockey championships being hosted on the continent, 2017 is set to be one of the most memorable years yet for elite women’s sport.

British Rowing has joined forces with the likes of the BBC, Sky Sports and a host of other sporting national governing bodies to support Women’s Sport Week, with the campaign aiming help more women and girls reach their full potential through sport.

Tracey Crouch, minister for sport, said: “We want more women and girls to get involved in sport and enjoy the huge benefits that being active brings to their lives.

“Women’s Sport Week is a fantastic campaign that encourages more women to try out a new sport or physical activity and celebrates the amazing achievements of our female athletes, coaches and volunteers. With a number of major events taking place, 2017 is a big year for women’s sport and I know that the nation will be right behind our inspirational female stars.”

“Women’s Sport Week is a fantastic campaign that encourages more women to try out a new sport or physical activity”

Great Britain’s female rowers took home a gold and two silvers from the Rio 2016 Olympics last summer, as well as two World Championship titles and two European Championship golds and Sport England statistics show that  the number of women taking up rowing since London 2012 has risen by 50 per cent. Women’s Para-rowing is also on a high following the 2016 Paralympic Games, with Rachel Morris taking gold in the AS single sculls and Grace Clough and Pam Relph part of the winning LTA mixed coxed four crew.

Shortly before Women’s Sports Week 2017, GB rowers will have competed at the summer’s second World Cup in Poznan and Henley Women’s Regatta (16-18 June) will have taken place on the River Thames. The Henley Royal Regatta will feature the same number of events for men and women for the first time later in June before the GB rowers jet out to Lucerne for the third World Cup of the summer. The summer of international rowing will culminate in Florida in September, with British crews challenging for World Championship titles in Sarasota.

Annamarie Phelps, chairman of British Rowing, said: “As a national governing body, we are proud to be supporting Women’s Sport Week. Alongside colleagues in other governing bodies we’ll be championing women’s sport to encourage as many people as possible to watch, listen, volunteer and get active this summer. Having the likes of the BBC and Sky Sports supporting this week is a huge boost for women’s sport and I actively encourage other media and organisations to come on-board to help us celebrate and promote a vintage summer of women’s sport.”

You can get involved in Women’s Sport Week by simply watching, listening, volunteering and taking part in sporting activities and by using the hashtag #WSW2017 on social media. Keep checking back for more information about Women’s Sport Week 2017.