The 2009 international season at Račice Sports Centre.

We talked to Zdeněk Pecka, the Director of the Račice Sports Centre, about this year’s international season, which will take place from May to September and include important world and international competitions.

Račice the 2009 racing season is really packed. The Sports Centre has organised five top international races and competitions.
Z.P.: Of these two are of world importance: the Under 23s Rowing World Championship, which will take place on the 23^rd – 26^th July and be attended by competitors from 70 countries, then there’s the ICF World Cup for canoeists, which will take place at Račice from the 8^th to the 10^th of May with competitors from 60 countries.

In connection with May’s International Brno Youth Regatta, which has been transferred to Račice this year, our canal will bear witness to races between the Olympic rowing hopefuls on the 22^nd of May.

The races for the Olympic canoeing hopefuols will take place on the 12^th and 13^th of September.

Another important race to be held at the start of September in Račice is the World Canoeing Championships in the Masters category.

Apart from these competitions Račice will be the site where the World Championships in Dragon Boat Racing will be held from 26.-30.8.2009, with over 4 000 competitors from all over the world.”

Let’s return to last year. What has been built, repaired and improved?

Z.P.: "There has been some important investment into the grounds such as a general reconstruction of the gym or constructing the canoe weighing building near the finish line. And of course the new asphalt surface for the road around the canal, which is part of the Labská cesta (Labe Way) cycle path.

You’re getting ready for the biggest event in July 2009 – the Under 23 World Rowing Championships.

Z.P. :“The U23 Championships are definitely the most important and biggest races to be held at Račice this year, preparations began in 2007. It is demanding not just because of the number of entrants, about 1 200 from all over the world, but also because of the international federation FISA, which has put some very difficult technical and financial requirements on the organisers. In particular they have to deal with procuring the necessary financial means for ensuring such a large rowing event.

As concerns the organisers and promoters, they have a lot of experience from organising a number of international events in rowing and canoeing. Each one of them has a great deal of practical experience and I’m convinced that the organisation of this prestigious world championship will satisfy both competitors and spectators alike.”

In May the Canoe Sprint World Cup will take place.

Z.P. : “From the 8^th to the 10^th of May the 1^st races in the ICF Canoeing World Cup will take place in Račice. Currently there are 500 entrants and the applications keep coming in. I estimate there will be about 600 in the end.
This year’s world cup is the fourth large international event to take place at Račice in the last five years. They were all positively appraised by both of the top international rowing and canoeing organisations.”

At the end of May the Olympic hopefuls in canoeing will be replaced by the rowing hopefuls. This event was meant to have been hosted in Brno, why was it moved to Račice?
Z.P. "If the Olympic Rowing Hopefuls Race, is to take place in the Czech Republic then it is usually a part of the Brno Regatta, which takes place on 23-24.5. Due to the dam at Brno being emptied and cleaned the Youth Regatta and thus the Olympic Rowing Hopefuls Race have moved to Račice.”

In August you’ll welcome the World Dragon Boat Racing Championship and the contestants for the World Masters Canoeing Championship.

Z.P.: “As concerns the number of participants, over 4000, the Dragon Boat World Championship is the second largest sporting event in the arena’s history, after the FISA Regatta Masters 2002, which had 5 000 rowers. Organisationally the Czech Dragon Boat Association (CADL) will ensure the championship through the incoming agency Czech in.

Another important competition at Račice is the World Masters Canoeing Championship to be held on 5.- 6.9.2009.”

So what’s new for visitors and holiday makers?
Z.P.:”For spectators the stands have been reconstructed since 2007. A special stand will be built for special guests to the Under 23 World Championship, i.e. the FISA Family.

The Sports Centre will continue in its efforts to reconstruct the grounds so that it can improve its offer for all its visitors. I believe that the new surface on the cycle path around the canal will increase interest in paying us a visit as it can also be used by in-line skaters as well as cyclists.”

How is it looking with the accommodation capacity for these international and world events?

Z.P.:“During the international competitions we usually use all of our accommodation capacities here in Račice as well as the accommodation in Štětí, Hoštka, Litoměřice, Roudnice or Mělník and even in Prague.”

Thank you for your time.

Dušan Macháček, sen.