Malta Rowing Federation

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Submit your Entry (Register) TODAY for the 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships, presented by Concept2 – deadline 20 January 2025 at 23:59hrs CET.

This is an ONLINE event and you may race from Malta – no need to travel.

“The official 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships (WRICH), presented by Concept2, will be held virtually, and will culminate in two action-packed weekends in February 2025.

This global event brings together elite, amateur rowers, and fitness enthusiasts from around the world to compete in a virtual environment across a range of thrilling new Indoor Rowing events. The WRICH begins with the World Open Heats where entry is open to anyone of any age, ability or motivation. Participants have 9 weeks to lodge a time to qualify for the finals weekends that spans two weekends in February 2025. Event categories include 500m sprints and 2000m races and a large range of exciting new endurance and sprint Relay categories.

To be crowned official World Rowing Indoor Champion, competitors will have to make their way through four rounds of racing, proving they really are the best at what they do; World Open Heats, Continental Knockout Heats, Elimination Semi-Finals, and Grand Finals. The finals weekends start with Saturday Continental Knockout Heats where participants race in your continental time zone, ensuring that all participants from around the world can race at a time that suits them. Both Sundays are Finals days – and will be broadcast live during European evening hours, promising an exciting and dramatic climax to the weekend.”. Further information on https://worldrowing.com/event/2025-world-rowing-indoor-championships-presented-by-concept-2/

The 2025 WRICH Entry portal is here: https://worldrowing.entries.regatta-systems.com/

At internal level, rowing is administered by World Rowing (formerly known as FISA), the international governing body for the sport of rowing. World Rowing is empowered by its 150+ member National Rowing Federations/Associations (including Malta), the National Olympic Committees and the International Olympic Committee to govern the sport of rowing.

World Rowing organises various events at World level in the various disciplines including Indoor Rowing; Coastal Rowing (Beach Sprints and Endurance) and “classic” on-water rowing and para-rowing (World Cups and World Championships). As a full member of World Rowing, Malta can participate in these events as “Malta” (i.e. National Team) or, in some events, as “Club”.

Competitions open to Clubs include the World Coastal Rowing Championships and the World Indoor Rowing Championships. The full list of main events is available on https://worldrowing.com/events/. Maltese Clubs are encouraged to go through this information regularly and make full use of this internationalisation opportunity by sending their athletes to such events, particularly the World Indoor Rowing Championships and World Coastal Rowing Championships as has been done in the past.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2025 EVENTS:

• 15 – 23 Feb 2025 – The 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships, presented by Concept 2Any Concept2 Indoor Rower, SUI (held virtually), see https://worldrowing.com/events/indoor-events/world-indoor-championships/
• 9 – 13 Oct 2025 – 2025 European Rowing Coastal and Beach Sprint Championships – provisional attribution – Manavgat, TUR, see https://worldrowing.com/events/coastal-events/continental-coastal-events/
• TBC – World Rowing Coastal Championships – TBC, see https://worldrowing.com/events/coastal-events/world-rowing-coastal-championships/

It must be emphasised that it is essential that Clubs recognise the importance of such activities and take part in as many events as “Clubs” as possible, both “indoor” and “on-water”. There cannot be a good National Team without development at Club level. With this in mind, given the state of development of Rowing in Malta, participation as a Club in the Coastal Rowing Championships is by far the most ideal way to start venturing in such very high-level on-water competitions. In addition to this, World Rowing also

World Rowing also organises the well known annual World Rowing Tour which brings together rowing enthusiasts from around the world. The tour is non-competitive and designed for rowers of all skill levels, promoting the sport of rowing, cultural exchange, and the joy of exploring new places by water. Due to its popularity, in 2024 the event ran twice: Group A from October 13-21, 2024, and Group B from October 20-28, 2024. This is another excellent opportunity for Maltese Clubs to explore and participate as “Clubs” or individual athletes. Direct arrangements by the Clubs / Athletes need to be made to participate in the World Rowing Tour. Further details may be found on https://worldrowing.com/event/2024-world-rowing-tour . The 2025 tour has not yet been announced.

Malta is also part of the European setup, administered by the European Rowing Board and we can also take part in European Continental Events. These also include European Coastal Rowing Championships (open to Clubs in the Endurance events) and the Indoor Rowing Championships. Details of these Continental competitions are available https://worldrowing.com/events/rowing-and-para-rowing/continental-events/europe/ .

The 2025 European events are as follows:

Event	Location	Date
2025 European Rowing Under 19 Championships	Kruszwica, Poland	24 – 25 May 2025
2025 European Rowing Championships	Plovdiv, Bulgaria	29 May – 1 June 2025
2025 European Rowing Under 23 Championships	Račice, Czechia	6 – 7 September 2025
2025 European Rowing Coastal and Beach Sprint Championships	Manavgat, Türkiye*	9 – 12 October 2025 (13 October Spare Day)

*provisional attribution

In addition to these World/European level competitions, there are various other regattas which are run at by various entities or Clubs around the world which are sometimes open to participation from international entities (e.g. Maltese Clubs). Clubs are encouraged to be on the lookout for such events and try and develop long-term friendships and relationships with such entities. Apart from regattas advertised on the World Rowing calendar (see https://worldrowing.com/events/calendar/), the following is a non-exhaustive list of competitions and events which could be of interest to local Clubs:. It is important that Clubs plan well ahead for such events and make direct contact with the organisers, sort out travel, boat rental/transportation, accommodation, registration, etc.

Traditional Rowing Events:

The London Great River Race – https://greatriverrace.org.uk/

Venice Voga Longa – https://vogalonga.com/

World Pilot Gig Championships – https://www.wpgc.uk/

Events Organised by the Italian Fixed-Seat Rowing Federation (https://ficsf.it/)

Sliding-Seat On-Water Rowing Events

Prince Albert Challenge Coastal Rowing, Monaco – https://en.cpa2.mc/

Rowing, Para-Rowing and Coastal Rowing Events Organised by Italian Rowing Federation (https://www.canottaggio.org/), our neighbours. The calendar of the Italian FIC-sanctioned events is available on https://www.canottaggio.org/attivita-remiera/bandi-di-regata/ and is constantly updated. Most of these competitions are open to international athletes, including Maltese. Arrangements to participate in such events is best made at “Club” level.

Indoor Rowing Events

Submit your Entry (Register) TODAY for the 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships, presented by Concept2 – deadline 20 January 2025 at 23:59hrs CET. This is an ONLINE event and you may race from Malta – no need to travel. More on https://worldrowing.com/event/2025-world-rowing-indoor-championships-presented-by-concept-2/

British Indoor Rowing Championships, Birmingham UK, 6th December 2025 – https://www.britishrowing.org/events/events-calendar/bric/

Funding for travel for this event was approved by SportMalta through their International Participation Scheme

Development

Given that Malta is still considered as a developing country, there may be opportunities for athletes to be given support when they participate in World Rowing Events under their Development Programme. For effective monitoring of performance progress, the World Rowing requires athletes to carry out performance tests for evaluation of rowers participating in the development program, both to acquire credits and to obtain the authorization to participate in the 2025 Championships. Although at present the Association does not run a national training programme, we are are aware that various rowers are investing their own resources to train with a view to compete. Should any rower who wish to be considered for this monitoring, please contact the Vice-President responsible for international participation.

Coaching Opportunities

World Rowing will occasionally also provide opportunities for Coaching courses. Contact please contact the Vice-President responsible for international participation.

2025 Opportunities

National Classification & Para Level 1 Coaching Course: World Rowing with the support of Türkiye Rowing is organising, in February 2025, a National Classification Workshop followed by a Para Rowing Level 1 Coaching Course with the aim to help European Member Federations (MFs) raise the standard of Para Rowing national Classifiers and Coaches. These education opportunities aim to inform and equip MFs in Europe with sufficient knowledge on classification and coaching and assist with their planning for the 2025-2028 Paralympic Cycle.
The minimum requirements for MF nomination of participants are:
o English Proficiency.
o A strong interest in coach education, classification and development and in assisting the development of our sport in the respective nation.
o To undergo the WADA ADEL Course and World Rowing Safeguarding Course.
o To have recognised level of safety (first aid, CPR, swimming abilities).
o To undertake the online pre-courses on the WR Academy
The Programme will be rolled out as per below timeline and programme:
Arrival 13 February 2025
Para Rowing National Classification Workshop 14 February 2025
Para Rowing Level 1 Coaching Course 15 – 21 February 2025
Departure 21 February 2025 (evening) or 22 February

Contact please contact the Vice-President responsible for international participation if you are interested to participate.

Older versions of this page:

2024: Version 1 – Up to 24-Aug-2024, Version 2 – Up to 20-Nov-2024, Version 3 – Up to 13-Jan-2025