World Rowing can rub its hands: indoor rowing is gaining ground and taking full advantage of the virtual push. The international rowing body has confirmed that the next virtual world championships, scheduled for February 25 and 26, 2022, will bring together finalists from 66 countries. The event is organized by World Rowing and Concept2 for the second year in a row. The finalists qualified via one of the 19 World Rowing events or individually. The cast of finalists turns out to be very diverse, with traditional rowers, but also CrossFit enthusiasts, former NFL players, including Matt Stankiewitch (played by the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaquars), and athletes specializing in throws. The competition will also include disabled rowing races, in three categories, over 500 and 2.000 m. The dean of the World Championships is a Frenchman, Georges Basse, aged 96. The event was initially scheduled to take place in hybrid mode, in Hamburg (Germany), but the global pandemic forced World Rowing to a strictly virtual version.
