Scottish Rowing star Karen Bennett has been unveiled as the next official ambassador for the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – the biggest sporting event to be staged in Scotland since the Commonwealth Games.
As part of the world-first event, the European Rowing Championships will see around 600 of the continent’s best rowers compete over 18 different medal events at Strathclyde Country Park in North Lanarkshire.
A former European champion and 2016 Olympic silver medallist in the women’s eight, Edinburgh girl Karen is backing the FISA 2018 European Rowing Championships’ role within this exciting new international multi-sport event.
Bennett, who took up the sport aged 18, said: “It’s excellent that this world first, the European Championships, will combine Athletics in Berlin with Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon in Glasgow to create one amazing event this August. I’m immensely proud to be named as the Rowing ambassador for Glasgow 2018.
“The European Rowing Championships has a rich history and the crowds in Glasgow and Scotland have a long-standing reputation for being fantastic. I have no doubt that the competition and atmosphere at year’s Rowing event at Strathclyde Park will be thrilling for athletes, spectators, and rowing fans.”
Glasgow 2018 will see world-class rowing return to the venue that hosted the 1996 World Rowing Championships and is the first opportunity for British fans to see the GB Rowing Team in action on home water since 2013.
Glasgow 2018 will see world-class rowing return to the venue that hosted the 1996 World Rowing Championships and is the first opportunity for Scottish fans to see the GB Rowing Team in action on home water since 2013.
Athletes will race in one of two types of boats – a sculling or a sweeping boat – and a range of sizes, from a single scull (one athlete), double sculls or pairs (two athletes), to quadruple sculls or fours (four athletes), up to eights (eight rowers with a cox).
To be staged every four years, the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon. The first edition will be held in 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.
In her role as Rowing ambassador, Karen joins Glasgow 2018 Swimming ambassador Ross Murdoch, Gymnastics ambassador Max Whitlock and Golf ambassadors Carly Booth and Paul Lawrie.
