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FISA Cancels Remaining 2020 International Regattas

The Bled racecourse, site of the cancelled 2020 MegaWorlds

FISA and the relevant international rowing event organizers announced this morning that the remainder of the summer and early fall international racing docket, including the "MegaWorlds" Senior/U23/Junior Worlds, the World Rowing Masters Regatta, and the World Rowing Beach Sprint and Coastal Championships regattas, have all been cancelled.

The decision effectively shuts down the international rowing docket for 2020.

FISA does plan to stage the 2020 World Rowing Masters Regatta in in Linz-Ottensheim, Austria in September 2021, and the Beach Sprint Finals and Coastal Championships in Oeiras, Portugal, on an unconfirmed date in 2021, with the salient change being that the planned 2020 locations will be used in 2021. The 2021 World Masters location of Banyoles will now host the regatta in 2025.

Read the full release below.

WorldRowing.com - Media Release of 9 April 2020 The continued consequences of COVID-19 global pandemic on the 2020 World Rowing regatta season Following the rapid expansion of the COVID-19 global pandemic during the past two weeks around the world and the recommendations of the World Health Organisation which led to the postponement of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the relevant World Rowing event organisers and FISA have been in constant communication. Based on these facts, the FISA Council and the organising committees recognise that the context has changed related to the spread of this global pandemic. Accordingly, the Council and the Organising Committees have decided that: 1. The 2020 World Rowing Senior, Under 23 and Junior Championships regatta in Bled, SLO, is cancelled and will not be re-scheduled. The OC will be in touch with teams directly which have booked accommodation in the coming days. 2. The 2020 World Rowing Masters Regatta in Linz-Ottensheim, AUT, is cancelled on the planned dates in September 2020, and will be staged as the 2021 World Rowing Masters Regatta from 1-5 September 2021 (WRMR Banyoles, ESP will move to 2025). 3. The 2020 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals and Coastal Championships regattas in Oeiras, POR, is cancelled on the planned dates in September/October 2020 and will be staged as the 2021 WRBSF and WRCC in October 2021 (exact dates to be confirmed). 4. The 2020 World Rowing Tour in American Samoa is cancelled on the planned dates in April. More information will follow if re-scheduling in 2021 will be possible. These decisions have been reached after an assessment of all possible solutions based on the current advice from the World Health Organisation and taking into account the responsibility of our community on limiting the amount of inter-continental travel. FISA strongly supports the global efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed nearly 90'000 lives and infected over 1.5 million individuals at the time of writing. All members of the rowing community are strongly advised to behave responsibly at this time and follow their local and national regulations and measures to contain the outbreak, including, where required or advised by the authorities, not participating in training or activities that could put themselves and others around them at risk of infection. These cancellations follow the previously announced cancellations of the three 2020 World Rowing Cup regattas and the Olympic and Paralympic qualification regattas that had been scheduled in 2020. Now that the dates for the Tokyo2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been confirmed for 2021, the Council is working on proposals for the 2021 World Rowing event season and the re-scheduling of the remaining Olympic and Paralympic qualification regattas. Stakeholder consultations are taking place over the next ten days.

USRowing also released the following statement:



USRowing fully supports FISA's announcement today of the cancellation of the 2020 World Rowing Senior, Under 23 and Junior Championships, as well as the 2020 World Masters Regatta, 2020 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals and Coastal Championships, and 2020 World Rowing Tour in American Samoa. As with FISA, our priority is to put the health and well-being of our global communities and athletes first. USRowing continues to thank all of the individuals working on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic for everything they are doing to keep us healthy and safe. We look forward to the chance to compete internationally next year.