8 September

Today, the 2016 World Rowing Master Regatta starts at Lake Bagsvaerd, outside Copenhagen. The regatta will go on until Sunday, 11 September.

Rowing as a sport has a long and proud tradition in Denmark. The two first rowing clubs, Roforeningen KVIK and Københavns Roklub, were founded in 1866. Dansk Forening for Rosport, the Danish Association of Rowing, was established in 1887, which was five years prior to the International Rowing Federation, FISA. Early on, women rowed in Denmark and the first women’s rowing club was formed in 1901 and still exists today as Hellerup Dameroklub.

It was in 1930 the first international regatta was organised on Lake Bagsvaerd on a 1,700-metre course. Five years later, 300 metres were added to the course, making it to international standard, 2,000 metres. Through the years, several Nordic Championships (open to rowers from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden – the regatta is also open to Iceland, but they rarely send rowers) have been held on the lake. A couple of times, the European Championships have been organised at Bagsvaerd, and also the World Championships.

Today the 42nd World Rowing Master Regatta (WRMR2016) starts on Lake Bagsvaerd and runs until 11 September. It is the first time Bagsvaerd is host for a master regatta of this caliber.

Here is the regatta in numbers:

Entries: 3,384
Rowers: 2,828
Clubs: 586
Nations: 47
Oldest rower: 91
Volunteers: 400

You will find more information about WRMR2016, here.

The weather forecast looks good for the regatta.

During Thursday, 8 September, and Friday, 9 September, HTBS will have a two-man team on the spot, writer Göran R Buckhorn and photographer Jan Servin.