500 days to the World Rowing Coastal Championships & Beach Sprint Finals 2022 marked

The countdown to the event is on with flags raised in Saundersfoot and the hunt for 200 WaveMaker volunteers launched

With 500 days to go until the start of the 2022 World Rowing Coastal Championships & Beach Sprint Finals, two local, young rowers have raised flags on the harbour-front to celebrate the countdown to the event. Grace and Lottie, both keen members of the local Wiseman’s Bridge Rowing Club, are excited to see international rowing coming to Saundersfoot, Wales. Lottie said: “It’s really exciting to know that rowers from all around the world will be coming to the area where we row regularly.” Grace added, “I’m looking forward to cheering on the GB rowers and crews competing in Saundersfoot.”

With the event taking place in the beautiful natural venue of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, sustainability is a key focus for the event. The World Rowing Coastal Championships and Beach Sprint Finals is aiming to become the first World Rowing event to operate to an ISO standard for event sustainability. Throughout the build-up to the event, organisers will be aiming to raise awareness about sustainability and today pupils from Saundersfoot Community Primary School kicked off this programme by conducting a beach clean. Nick Allen, Headteacher, was pleased his pupils could get involved, “As a coastal community we are all too aware of the need to protect the environment around us. We are grateful for the opportunity to use the World Rowing Coastal Championships as a way to engage our pupils in this very important topic and look to inspire the next generation of citizens of Wales and the World.”

Jeremy Wilton, Chair of the Event, is excited to get the countdown started, “We’re delighted to be bringing elite international rowing to Pembrokeshire. The local area has a great history of delivering fantastic, welcoming international sports events and I’m very happy to see the community already well engaged with the event build-up. We’re really looking forward to working with everyone in Saundersfoot and Pembrokeshire over the next 500 days.”

In addition to the celebration in Wales, the hunt for 200 WaveMaker volunteers has begun with anyone interested invited to register their interest on the new event website at worldrowingcoastals2022.org. Leah Allcock, Volunteer Manager for the event, commented: “We are on the look-out for volunteers to help us deliver the event in 2022. You don’t need to have done anything like this before and you don’t need any rowing experience at all. There will be a huge range of roles and everyone is welcome so visit the website today to register your interest!”

The World Rowing Coastal Championships and Beach Sprint Finals 2022 will take place on the weekends of the 7-9 and 14-16 October. More details of the event will be announced in the build up and anyone interested in competing, spectating or volunteering is encouraged to sign up to the mailing list at worldrowingcoastals2022.org.