Africa opens the qualifiers for 2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships

The African Rowing Indoor Championships, hosted by the St. Andrew’s School for Girls (Gauteng, South Africa), will double as the continental qualification event for the 2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships.

“This is pretty big for African nations,” says Jamie Croly, head coach for St. Andrew’s rowing squad and chief organiser for the upcoming event. “Part of the enthusiasm is that the event is both a continental championships and a qualification event for the World Rowing Indoor Championships.

“If you do well, you can call yourself ‘champion of Africa’. That is exciting both for rowers and their National Olympic Committees. Many nations can hopefully use participation to leverage funding for Tokyo.”

With logistical support form Dutch rowing technology firm Time Team, the event will run as virtual ‘live’ (real-time) races. “Each club or organisation that enters will arrange their own set up,” says Croly. “At our school, we are going to set up 6 or 7 ergs. They will race their heat together and also have a screen to watch each other.

“The idea from World Rowing and Time Team is that anyone can race. You can do it from anywhere; all you need is an erg. We have people from school, clubs and CrossFit gyms and they will each make whatever arrangements they need.”

The virtual format will allow for participants from around the continent as well as African citizens living abroad to race head-to-head. For all that, the idea of a South African location hosting an indoor rowing event was practically unheard of before the current pandemic, says Croly.

“Our school normally has an erg regatta in the spring and it is the only one in South Africa,” says Croly. “In South Africa, you can row on the water 365 days a year. During lockdown, when you could only erg at home, this regatta sounded extremely attractive.”

With over 500 entries from across Africa, including a number of citizens of African nations, who are living overseas, the event is shaping up to be an exciting showcase of the continent’s top rowing talent.

Find more information about the 2020 African Indoor Rowing Championships and 2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships African Continental Qualifier here.

 The event will be livestreamed. Make sure to follow racing live here.