USRowing postpones Olympic Trials, scheduled for Benderson Park, for at least 30 days

USRowing announced Friday that it, in conjunction with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, was postponing the first session of its Olympic Team Trials, scheduled for March 17-21 at Nathan Benderson Park, out of COVID-19 concerns. The organization will not be holding any national team events for at least 30 days. 

In a release,  USRowing High Performance Committee and other invested parties said will be discussing next steps relating to the selection procedures and process over the next few days, using feedback from athletes as a factor in its decisions.

The International Rowing Federation (FISA) is scheduled to make an announcement regarding international events and the Olympic qualification process March 17, and USRowing said it will also factor the insights from that announcement into its decisions. 

"During these difficult times, the balance between Olympic preparation and competition, the health and well-being of our athletes and overall rowing community, and our obligation to the national Coronavirus response will continue to be challenging," the organization said. "USRowing will continue to assess this daily in trying to meet those needs."