London to host international university rowing championships in 2026
Rowers from more than 20 countries will be in the city for the world championships
More than 300 high-performance athletes will be headed to London in two years for the world university rowing championships, officials announced on Monday.
The FISU 2026 championships are expected to draw rowers from more than 20 countries to Fanshawe Lake at the Western Mustangs' rowing facilities.
"After years of pandemic postponements and cancellations, we look forward to welcoming the world to London and showcasing what makes our community such a strong sport hosting destination," said Zanth Jarvis, the director of sport tourism with Tourism London.
London was originally supposed to host the event in 2022 but it was rescheduled because of the pandemic.
The city has long been a hotbed of rowing talent and was home to Rowing Canada's national training centre and the Canadian national women's team for more than three decades before it was moved to British Columbia, where the men's teams train.
The move was a blow to the local rowing community.
But organisers of the university event say they're looking forward to the 2026 event and keeping London on the world stage.
"Western has a beautiful rowing facility located at Fanshawe Lake and our Mustangs Rowing program has produced numerous international champions," said Christine Stapleton, the university's director of sport and recreation.
Canada has previously hosted cross country, wrestling, and judo world university championships.
"Hosting the 2026 FISU World University Rowing Championship on Canadian soil is a remarkable opportunity for our athletes to compete at home and showcase their talents to the world," said Jennifer Fitzpatrick, director of partnerships and sport development and the interim head of Rowing Canada Aviron.
"This event not only allows the athletes to compete in front of a Canadian crowd but will also inspire the next generation of rowers to pursue the sport. We look forward to welcoming the world to London and celebrating the spirit of international competition on Fanshawe Lake."