By 80 votes to 17, the international rowing federations have decided in favour of awarding the Rowing World Championships 2027 to Lucerne. The bid was submitted at the end of June submitted jointly by the LUCERNE REGATTA and the Swiss Rowing Association (SWISS ROWING) submitted it. ‘We knew that it wouldn’t be an easy bid and therefore left nothing to chance,’ comments Mario Gyr, President of the LUCERNE REGATTA Association, commented on the intensive voting campaign, in which the competition from Varese (ITA), Seville (ESP) and Bled (SLO).

Now the joy in the Swiss rowing world. After 1962, 1974, 1982 and most recently 2001, this will be the fifth World Rowing Championships in Lucerne. ‘This World Championships on Lucerne’s Rotsee is a huge opportunity for rowing in Switzerland,’ comments Neville Tanzer, SWISS ROWING President.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE1We8RobdM

For the first time in the 120-year history of the LUCERNE REGATTA, Para athletes will compete on the Rotsee this year. The inclusion of Para races in the LUCERNE REGATTA, integrated into the Olympic qualification for Paris 2024, marks a significant step toward inclusion and equal opportunity.

For the Para athletes, this final Paralympic qualification is all about securing spots for the Paralympic Games in Paris. Just three days later, during World Cup II, the Para boats will once again grace the waters of the Rotsee.

In 2019, the European Championships took pleace on the Rotsee

On 12 May 2016, shortly before the qualifying regatta for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and the annual World Cup regatta, the entire facility was officially opened and put into operation. The successful completion of this extremely challenging project, which took almost ten years to realise, marks another important milestone in the glorious history of the Lucerne-Rotsee regatta venue.

Since the opening of the new rowing centre, national and international competitions have been held on the Rotsee every year.

The first sub-project to be realised was the new finish tower. The project was financed as part of a partnership between the public sector and private sponsors (also known as a public-private partnership).

Over the years, cramped conditions and outdated infrastructure have put the regatta venue under pressure. The lost bid for the 2011 World Rowing Championships made it clear, that there was an urgent need for action at the Rotsee. Based on a broadly supported feasibility study, the renovation started in 2012.

The ‘Naturarena Rotsee’ association was founded in 2010 to take into account the different interests of rowers, nature and landscape conservation, neighbourhood residents, fishermen and other stakeholders. The aim of the association was to modernise the entire regatta infrastructure, taking into account nature conservation requirements.

In 2007, the Swiss Rowing Federation, together with the Lucerne Regatta Association, submitted a bid to host the Rowing World Championships for the fifth time. Unfortunately, the International Rowing Federation (FISA) chose Slovenian Bled over the Rotsee. The decision was attributed to inadequate infrastructure, with the outdated finish tower and aging rowing center being decisive factors. Instead of giving up, this setback for Lucerne marked the beginning of the construction of a completely new regatta infrastructure at the Rotsee.

In 2001, the Rotsee was the venue for another world championship. Outside of the regattas, the infrastructure at the Rotsee is primarily available to the three Lucerne rowing clubs and the Swiss Rowing Association for training purposes from May to October. For many years, school classes regularly used the rowing centre as an ideal location for their project weeks.

In 1982, the Rotsee was the venue for another world championship.

In order to meet the requirements of FISA, the rowing centre was extended and enlarged in preparation for the second World Championships in 1974, which included women for the first time.

In 1966, for economic and legal reasons, the properties were transferred to the newly established ‘Ruderzentrum Luzern-Rotsee’ foundation and thus separated from the regatta organisation.

In 1962, the first FISA (Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron) rowing world championships were held, which became a great public success. From then on, the Rotsee developed into a global rowing Mecca.

On the initiative of the Lucerne Regatta Association and with financial support from the city and canton of Lucerne and the Swiss National Association for Physical Exercise (now Swiss Olympic), the Rotsee was developed into the Swiss Rowing Centre between 1959 and 1962.

In the early 1930s, the Rotsee on the periphery of the city of Lucerne was discovered for rowing. European championships were held on the lake as early as 1934 and 1947. Since then, national and international rowing regattas have been held regularly on the idyllic and protected waters.

The first European Championships in Lucerne were held as early as 1907.

In 1903, the Lucerne Regatta Association was founded, which from then on regularly organised regattas in front of the large hotels on the National Quay.

Towards the end of the 19th century, English tourists brought rowing to Lucerne. The first rowing club on Lake Lucerne, the Seeclub Luzern, was founded as early as 1881 and organised the first rowing meetings in the Bay of Lucerne.