This projects aims to reverse the present paradoxical situation regarding the sport of rowing in some countries with a historically strong maritime tradition on Mediterranean and Baltic Sea, like Italy, Croatia, Cyprus and Poland. Although their predecessors rowed on open waters centuries ago, and although these countries are internationally very successful in classic/Olympic style rowing (especially Italy, Poland and Croatia) there are not many (Italy) or just a few clubs (Croatia, Poland and Cyprus) and athletes practising coastal or open-water rowing these days. Making things even stranger is the fact that Poland, Cyprus and particularly Italy and Croatia have thousands of kilometres of coastline, lots of islands and coastal towns, making it natural and attractive to try out rowing on these seas, either recreationally or competitively.

One big step forward for coastal rowing was the introduction of FISA (International Rowing Federation)-sanctioned World Rowing Coastal Championships in 2008, inclusion of coastal rowing to Youth Olympic Games Program in Dakar, Senegal YOG 2022 and almost certain inclusion of this sport discipline to Olympic Program in Los Angeles OG 2028 (formal decision to be made at the IOC Congress).

The project will be introducing new ideas into these relatively young rowing clubs and cities, where coastal rowing has been practiced for just a few years (Croatia, Cyprus and Poland), by pairing them and working together with C.C Saturnia - Trieste from Italy, a club with more than 150 years of history, a strong rowing tradition (including coastal rowing since 2008) and with more experienced management and coaching staff.

Unlike classical rowing on sheltered lakes and artificial water courses, rowing at sea outside of channels and ports requires special attention to weather conditions, tides, water currents and general maritime traffic. Boat manoeuvring, stopping and steering skills as well as risk-management, safeguarding and capsizing drills are in many ways different than similar skills which are needed in classic/flat water rowing. All these topics, along with FISA special coastal rowing regulations and departures from FISA rules of racing and related By-Laws will be presented to clubs’ sports directors and coaching staff on the first meeting by FISA-licenced expert educator on coastal rowing.

Benefiting from this are not only these institutions, but other clubs in all four countries, as the social networking and connections in rowing communities in their respective countries are very strong. Coastal rowing requires new training methods, introduction and familiarization with a new sets of laws and regulations.

This project is hardly attainable at national levels in countries like Croatia, Cyprus and Poland, where the funding in the sport of rowing is now mostly oriented towards classic/Olympic rowing and where the coaches and sport directors are inexperienced in coastal rowing. The knowledge of the Italian partners along with the FISA expert in coastal rowing, will help our clubs in several ways.

Firstly, all coaches will attend an official FISA – sanctioned coastal rowing course and receive a certificate, making them feel “at home” while working with athletes of all ages with a desire to try out coastal rowing. The common case now is that many clubs and coaches tend to fend-off potential athletes/participants in coastal rowing, due to the fact that rowing at open water could be potentially less safe than rowing in sheltered, flat water conditions. By learning about all necessary facts in coastal rowing regulations, boat rigging, international maritime laws and working together at a number of meetings, all coaches will certainly be better “equipped” to tackle this new aspect of coaching. FISA rarely organizes its courses on national level, so this is an ideal situation to bring the coaches from 4 countries together.

Secondly, the facts mentioned above will result in more individuals/athletes (in all age categories) being able to try this adventure side of rowing, as their coaches will no longer feel that they don’t possess the knowledge and tools to work with them. This is particularly important for persons whose main objective is not competitive training and racing, but rather training outdoors in beautiful scenery and experiencing new challenges while enhancing their health by doing physical activity. On the other hand, more competitive athletes from Croatia, Cyprus and Poland will be able to travel and compete in Italy, which nowadays traditionally hosts several regattas in coastal rowing (for example, San Remo Coastal Regatta, Borin International Regatta in Trieste, Italian Open Coastal Rowing Championships etc), so this project will definitely bring a lot of benefits to all included in this project as well as in terms of EU added value.

Thirdly, working together and the exchange of ideas and practical knowledge will help in building a network of European coastal rowing clubs and their staff, making it possible and much more likely to organize joint training camps, workshops and even international regattas in coastal rowing.