Penrith has secured a major sporting coup with the prestigious World Rowing Cup to be held at the Regatta Centre in 2013 and 2014.
The State Government confirmed that Penrith had been handed the rights to host the prestigious sporting event earlier this week.
It will be the first time the World Rowing Cup has been held in the Southern Hemisphere and only the second time it has been held outside of Europe.
Some 800 athletes, officials and media from across the globe will converge on Penrith, staying for up to three weeks, with tens of thousands of spectators expected to attend.
“This event confirms western Sydney as the home of elite rowing in Australia,” said Tourism and Major Events Minister, George Souris.
“Our Olympic facilities ensure we remain Australia’s global city of choice for sports such as rowing.”
State Member for Penrith, Stuart Ayres (pictured above), said it was exciting to have a major event like this in our backyard.
“The Premier made a pledge to bring more major events to western Sydney and this announcement delivers on that pledge,” he said.
“We are bringing another major Olympic sport to western Sydney and that is fantastic news for Penrith and western Sydney.”
The coup means that the international rowing community’s eyes will be on Penrith in both 2013 and 2014.
Rowing Australia President, Colin Smith, said it was a major win.
“The Sydney international Regatta Centre at Penrith Lakes is without question one of the best rowing courses in the world,” he said.
“The event will comprise all Olympic Games classes of boats and we will be inviting all rowing medallists from the London 2012 Olympic Games.”
