Under 23 world rowing championships this weekend - big stakes!

Participation is still on the rise for the world's Under-23 rowers as over 880 athletes have confirmed participation in this month's World Rowing Under 23 Championships to take place in Brest, Belarus from 22 to 25 July. In total, 56 nations have entered along with New Zealand. In 2009, 830 athletes from 56 countries were present, making this year yet another record breaking entry since the event took on World Championship status back in 2005.

Formerly known as the Nation's Cup and the Match des Séniors, this is the sixth year that this regatta for rowers under 23 years of age has had "World Rowing Championship" status. It started in 1976 with 11 nations and 65 rowers participating. The event acts as a stepping stone for athletes on their way to the elite level, but who are still refining their skills.

The men's double scull registers the highest number of entries with a total of 25 crews. Coming in just behind, with 24 boats entered, the lightweight men's single scull is also one of the most popular events for this regatta. Germany and USA bring the largest teams to Belarus, each with 69 athletes distributed among 21 boats. Unsurprisingly, host nation Belarus will be strongly represented by 18 crews and 61 senior B athletes. New Zealand is up there though with a healthy crop of boats and an enviable record in the championship, with three gold medals last year.

For the first time this year, the finals of the World Rowing U23 Championships shall be rowed over two days: the women's four, men's coxed four, lightweight women's quadruple scull, women's pair, women's double and women's quadruple sculls shall all be raced on Saturday after 16:30 (local time), allowing some athletes the chance to double up in a Sunday final.

The World Rowing Under 23 Championships is a major stepping stone for athlete participating through FISA's Development Programme. This year, 40 athletes from 11 developing rowing nations are benefitting from the support of the local organising committee and FISA to enable their participation.

The New Zealand team have been training in Racice and all is going to plan, says team manager James Sheehan. "Well it has certainly been an absolute scorcher over here, with constant temperatures of 40 to 43 deg Celsius. The crews have adapted well to the temperatures and settled into their training. Generally they are on the water by 6.45am after a light breakfast then have a further row away from the prime mid afternoon sunshine at around 4.30 pm.

"Earlier in the week after a full morning of inter team racing we headed into Prague. Such a beautiful city but it has the prices to match. The team enjoyed the brief 1 hour 30 guided tour of the main city sites including the Cathedral and former President's residence from the communist days. Magnificent architecture and gardens.

"We'll have a final row on Saturday before the boats are packed onto the trailer for the extremely arduous trip through Poland and into (hopefully!) Brest. That'll be 17 plus hours driving for the coaches towing the trailers."

The Brest regatta course is one of the training grounds of the two-time Olympic Champion and six-time World Champion single sculler Ekaterina Karsten-Khodotovitch. Karsten was Belarus' first athlete to win an Olympic medal, making her a national hero.

Entries, timetable, full reports, live audio streaming, live results and features are available on www.worldrowing.com.

Under 23 Women’s Quad Scull

Ali Burnside (Southern RPC, Canterbury RC)
Lucy Spoors (Southern RPC Canterbury RC)
Laura Fischer (Waikato RPC, Rotorua RC)
Sarah Gray (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
Marion Horwell (Coach)

Under 23 Women’s Eight

Kelsey Bevan (Auckland RPC, Counties Manukau RC)
Zoe Stevenson (Waikato RPC, Tauranga RC)
Hayley Hoogeveen (Waikato RPC, Hauraki Plains RC)
Kylie Wright (Central RPC, Wairau RC)
Fiona Bourke (Southern RPC, Otago Uni RC)
Jess Loe (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Genevieve Behrent (Southern RPC, Waihopai RC)
Tarsha Williams (Central RPC, Wairau RC)
Francie Turner (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Ian Wright (Coach)

Under 23 Women’s Lightweight Double Scull

Lucy Strack (Southern RPC, North End RC)
Julia Edward (Waikato RPC, Rotorua RC)
Gary Hay (Coach)

Under 23 Lightweight Single Scull

Leah Stanley (Auckland RPC, North Shore RC)
Dave Hill (Coach)

Under 23 Men’s Coxed Four

Tobias Wehr-Candler (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)
David Mabbott (Auckland RPC, North Shore RC)
Adam Tripp (Auckland RPC, Hawkes Bay RC)
Tufi Sele (Central RPC, Wellington RC)
Ivan Pavich (Waikato RPC, Waikato RC)(Cox)
Mark Stallard (Coach)

Under 23 Men’s Double Scull

Karl Manson (Central RPC, Wairau RC)
Robbie Manson (Central RPC, Wairau RC)
Mark Stallard (Coach)


Under 23 Men’s Lightweight Coxless Four
Graham Oberlin-Brown (Waikato RPC, Te Awamutu RC)
James Lassche (Southern RPC, Avon RC)
Finian Scott (Southern RPC, Timaru RC)
Curtis Rapley (Waikato RPC, Tauranga RC)
Dave Hill (Coach)

Team Manager
James Sheehan