2013 World Rowing Championships
"Soon, the attention of rowing fans around the world will be turning to Chungju, Korea. I am confident that Chungju will jump up to be the Mecca of the domestic water sports industry and a global rowing city through the most prestigious World Rowing Championships."
On August 12, North Chungcheong Province Governor Lee Si-jong, the chairman of the organizing committee for the 2013 World Rowing Championships, said, "2300 players from 80 countries will participate in the competition held from August 25 to September 1, which will be the biggest one so far," adding, "We already finished all the preparations for transportation, accommodation, and safety to host this tournament successfully."
On August 31, 2009, Chungju was chosen as the host of the 2013 World Rowing Championships at the 2009 Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron (FISA) Ordinary Congress held in Poznan, Poland. This is the second time the competition has been held in Asia, after the 2005 World Rowing Championships in Gifu, Japan. Rowing, one of the many water sports, is called "a marathon on the water" since it uses the entire body and requires a high output of physical energy. It is one of the oldest sports in the world. In particular, the World Rowing Championships is so well-liked that 3 billion people watch the games on TV.
North Chungcheong Province hosted four rowing competitions: the 2012 9th Asian Indoor Rowing Championships, the Asian Continental Olympic Qualification Regatta, the 2012 National Adaptive Rowing Competition, and the 2nd National Chungju Tangeum Lake Cup. The province is confident that it has the experience to make the upcoming events a success. This year, it has been thoroughly preparing for the competition by holding two competitions, including the 29th National President Cup.
Governor Lee said, "Chungju Tangeumho International Rowing Stadium, where the Championships will be held, was highly praised by FISA as an extraordinary one with superb natural landscapes." In fact, the stadium is fully equipped with latest facilities, such as a grandstand with a seating capacity of 1100, a tower for the finals modeled after National Treasure No. 6 Chungju Toppyongri's seven-story pagoda, a Marina Center with doping centers, and a boathouse with storage capacity for 200 racing rowboats.
A relay road on the water is the cream of the crop in the stadium. Designed to make 1.4km of the total 2.4km relay road for broadcasting floating on the water, Tangeumho Stadium can clearly capture dynamic images of rowing races. It was selected as the rowing stadium for the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
Governor Lee said, "We are doing various promotions such as schools for rowing experience and rowing competitions on the street in an attempt to attract attention in rowing, which is unpopular in Korea," adding, "We will make the Championships a successful “Spoculture,” where water sports and Korean culture are mixed.