Benderson Park Wins Bid for 2017 World Rowing Championships

BRADENTON – Following Sunday's final events of the World Rowing Championships in Chungju, Korea, FISA's 2013 Ordinary Congress voted unanimously to award the 2017 World Rowing Championships to Sarasota. The event will be hosted at Nathan Benderson Park in Lakewood Ranch, near the border of Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

The 1.9 million sq. ft. mixed use facility has grown into one of the finest rowing facilities in the country, and already has a reputation as one of the best such complexes in the world. Along with the economic impact of the event, supporters and local officials are hoping that the exposure will lead to more marquee events in the future.

At the same meeting, the 2018 World Rowing Championships were awarded to Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The FISA Council also announced its decision to award the second World Rowing Cup of 2015 to Varese, Italy and the third World Rowing Cup to Lucerne, Switzerland.

Three additional events were awarded by the FISA Council. The 2016 World Rowing Masters Regatta will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 2017 World Rowing Masters Regatta in Bled, Slovenia; and the 2015 World Rowing Coastal Championships for Clubs in Lima, Peru.