World Rowing Championships

History

The first event was held in Lucerne, Switzerland, in 1962. The event then was held every four years until 1974, when it became an annual competition. Also in 1974, men's lightweight and women's open weight events were added to the championships.

Initially, men's events were 2000 metres long and women's events 1000 metres. At the 1984 World Championships in Montreal, Canada, women's lightweight demonstration events were raced over a 2000-metre course for the first time. In 1985, Women's lightweight events were officially added to the schedule and all men's and women's events were contested over a 2000-metre course.

Since 1996, during (Summer) Olympic years, the World Rowing Junior Championships are held at the same time.

In 2002, adaptive rowing events were introduced for the following classes of disability: LTA (legs, trunk and arms), TA (trunk, arms), and A (arms-only). In 2009, the A category was replaced by AS (arms and shoulders), and an ID (intellectually disabled) category was added (but then removed after the 2011 Championships). From 2017, the designations AS, TA, and LTA have been changed to PR1, PR2, and PR3.

Boats

Rowing takes place in 21 different boat classes, apart from during Olympic years when only non-Olympic boat classes race. National teams generally take less interest in the non-Olympic events, as the Olympic events are considered the "premier" events.

The table below shows the boat classes, "O" indicates the boat races at both the Olympics and World Championships. "WC" indicates this is only a World Championship event. After 2007, the coxed fours (4+) no longer runs as a world championship event. Similarly after 2011 the women's coxless four was no longer included, but it was reintroduced in 2013. Lightweight men's eight was removed after 2015.

As a result of the IOC's aim for gender parity, it has been agreed that for 2020 onwards the lightweight men's coxless four will be removed from the Olympics and replaced by women's coxless four.

At the 2017 FISA Ordinary Congress there were further revisions, removing M2+ and LM4- from the World Championships, and reinstating LW2-.

For the 2025 World championships further changes were made to the roster of boat classes with the removal of the LM2-, LW2-, LM4x, LW4x and the addition of the mixed 2x and mixed 8+

Editions

World Rowing Championships have been held since 1962; first every four years, then annually since 1974 (except 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Hosts (1962–2024)

Medals

Source:

Rowing (1962–2025)

Pararowing (2002–2024)

Multiple medallists

Scull and sweep medalists

incomplete list

Martin and Valent Sinković are the first crew in rowing history that in the same composition won gold medals at World Championship in sweep and scull rowing.

Notes

References

References

1. [http://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/world-championships/ The Origins of the Championships], [http://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/ Rowing History], Australia.
2. link. (11 October 2010 , 2010 World Rowing Championships, New Zealand.)
3. "Summary of proposed changes to the FISA Rules of Racing, related Bye-Laws and Event Regulations". [[International Rowing Federation.
4. (11 February 2017). "2017 FISA Extraordinary Congress concludes". [[International Rowing Federation.
5. (2 October 2017). "Rule 36 – World Rowing Championship Programmes". [[International Rowing Federation.
6. "World Rowing - 2025 World Rowing Championships".
7. "BEST sports DB – World Rowing Championship".
8. (17 September 2018). "Sportske novosti – FOTO: MINISTAR OBRANE PRIMIO 16 VRHUNSKIH SPORTAŠA PRIČUVNIKA HRVATSKE VOJSKE, MEĐU NJIMA I BRAĆU SINKOVIĆ 'Vidim veliki napredak na svim razinama'".