The organizers of this year’s Grand Moscow Regatta see the event as a revival of the large-scale competitions held in the Russian capital, and hope it will attract new rowing stars. Despite the fact the world’s best – England and Germany – aren’t participating in the event, the races promise to be tough, they say.

This is a good start for Grand Moscow Regatta to become as attractive as the world-famous and most-prestigious Henley Regatta in the United Kingdom, says Patrick Rombauk from FISA, the International Rowing Federation. But there is a long way to go, and the first step is to hold events of this kind on a regular basis.

“And the do a lot of advertising and publicity and bid, of course, to the international organization so you can be on the waiting list [for the World Championships]. At the moment the list is full until 2012, but regular events in Moscow will certainly serve as candidature for the Moscow International Regatta,” said Rombauk.