06 Sep 2011
33 Countries qualified for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
A total of 129 boats qualified for London in Bled with Great Britain securing the highest number of boats succeeding in 13 out of the 14 Olympic events. The only boat that Great Britain missed out on was the women's single sculls.
The successfully qualified boats mean that the country, rather than the athletes, earn a spot in the Olympic Games. Individual countries then have the opportunity to pick the most appropriate athletes for the qualified boats in the year up to next year's Olympic Games.
Of the 14 Olympic events, there are three lightweight events (men's and women's double and men's four) and 11 open events (men's and women's single sculls, men's and women's pair, men's and women's double sculls, men's and women's quadruple sculls, men's and women's eight and men's four).
There are further opportunities for Olympic qualification. The continental qualification regattas will allow opportunities for Asian, African and Latin American nations to earn spots. There is also a final Olympic Qualification Regatta, open to all countries, in May 2012. This will be held in Lucerne, Switzerland.
The 2011 World Rowing Championships also qualified adaptive crews for the London 2012 Paralympic Games. A total of 32 boats qualified for the Paralympic Games in Bled. These boats came from 19 countries. Ukraine, France, China and next year's host country Great Britain qualified the most with three boats each.
Adaptive rowing at the Paralympic Games is contested in four events; men's and women's single, mixed double and mixed coxed four. At Bled the top eight boats in each of these events qualified for 2012.
There is another chance for Paralympic qualification. The final Paralympic Qualification Regatta will be held in Belgrade, Serbia next May 2012 with a minimum of two boats in each of the four events earning spots for London.
The London Paralympic Games will be the second time that adaptive rowing has been contested.