The World Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organised by FISA (the International Rowing Federation). It is a week long event held at the end of the summer and in non-Olympic years is the highlight of the international rowing calendar.

The first event was held in Lucerne, Switzerland in 1962. The event then was held every 4 years until 1974 - when it became an annual competition. Since then, during Olympic years, the Junior World Rowing 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).

Boats

Rowing takes place in 24 different boat classes, apart from during Olympic years when only non-Olympic boat classes race. Rowers 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.

Boat		Men	Lwt Men	Women	Lwt Women
1x	Single sculls	O	WC	O	WC
2x	Double sculls	O	O	O	O
2-	Coxless pairs	O	WC	O	WC
2+	Coxed pairs	WC
4x	Quad sculls	O	WC	O	WC
4-	Coxless fours	O	O	WC
4+	Coxed fours	WC
8+	Eights	O	WC	O

Venues

• 2006 Dorney Lake, Eton, Great Britain (20-27 August)
• 2005 Gifu, Japan (28 August - 4 September)

• 2004 Banyoles, Spain (27 July - 1 August)
• 2003 Idroscalo, Milan, Italy (24-31 August)
• 2002 Guadalquivir, Seville, Spain (15-22 September)
• 2001 Rotsee, Lucerne, Switzerland (19-26 August)
• 2000 Zagreb, Croatia (2-8 June)
• 1999 St. Catharines, Canada (28-29 August)
• 1998 Fuehlingen, Cologne, Germany (12-13 September)
• 1997 Aiguebelette, France (8-9 July)
• 1996 Strathclyde Country Park, Motherwell, Scotland (5-11 August)
• 1995 Kaukajaervi, Tampere, Finland (25-27 August)
• 1994 Eagle Creek, Indianapolis, USA (17-18 September)
• 1993 Roudnice, Racice, Czech Republic (8-9 May)
• 1992 Montreal, Canada
• 1991 Vienna, Austria (24-25 August)
• 1990 Lake Barrington Tasmania, Australia (10-11 April)
• 1989 Bled, Yugoslavia
• 1988 Milan, Italy
• 1987 Copenhagen, Denmark
• 1986 Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, England
• 1985 Hazewinkel, Belgium
• 1984 Montreal, Canada
• 1983 Duisburg, Germany
• 1982 Rotsee, Lucerne, Switzerland
• 1981 Munich, Germany
• 1980 Hazewinkel, Belgium
• 1979 Bled, Yugoslavia
• 1978 Lake Karapiro, Hamilton, New Zealand
• 1977 Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 1975 Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, England
• 1974 Rotsee, Lucerne, Switzerland

• 1970 St. Catharines, Canada
• 1966 Bled, Yugoslavia
• 1962 Rotsee, Lucerne, Switzerland

External links

• 2005 World Champs Official Site (http://www.w-rowinggifu.jp/eng/)
• 2006 World Champs Official Site (http://www.wrc2006.com/)