The World Rowing Under 23 Championships will showcase the rowers who could be the 2016 Olympians.A number of last year’s world under-23 medallists are now heading to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Germany and the USA will be sending the biggest teams, both with a total of 21 crews and 69 athletes. The men’s single sculls event will see rowers from 28 countries competing, the largest number of entries of any event on the under-23 championship programme. Last year’s under-23 gold medallist, Hubert Trzybinski of Germany, will be at the starting line again in Trakai.

With 22 entries, the lightweight women’s single sculls is the biggest field amongst women’s events. Last year’s silver medallist Alena Kryvasheyenka of Belarus is the gold medal favourite. Kryvasheyenka won this event in 2010 when she was just 19 years old.

In the lightweight men’s double sculls 21 nations will be represented. Last year’s gold medallist from Germany, Matthias Arnold, is racing with new partner Julius Peschel. This will be Arnold’s fourth time racing at world under-23 level.

The 2011 World Rowing Under 23 Championships were held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Of the 21 boat classes on the programme of these championships, new under-23 World Best Times were set in 19 of them. At the end of the regatta Germany finished first overall in the rankings with 13 medals.

To view this year’s entries, please click here.

During the regatta, race reports, live results and a dedicated photo gallery will be provided on www.worldrowing.com. Finals will be raced on 14 and 15 July.