The 20th and last (of its era) Women’s European Rowing Championships took place at the newly-built Krylatskoye course in Moscow from 23-26 August, a few days before the men’s Championships which ran from 30 August to 2 September.

There were 53 entries from 17 countries, which was much the same as the previous year.

The Russians won three of the five events with the other two going to East Germany and the Netherlands – a second gold medal for the Dutch in two years.

The Selectors decided that Great Britain would not send a team although there had been single sculling trials involving at least two candidates.

Early in 1973 Penny Chuter had been appointed as one of the Amateur Rowing Association’s National Coaches with responsibility for the women’s team. Although the position didn’t start until September, it feels rather as if those still in charge felt that they might as well give up for now, especially given that Moscow was a particularly expensive location to which to send a team, and start again properly the next year with preparations for the first women’s events at the World Championships.

The Amateur Rowing Association had a reorganisation with the Women’s Amateur Rowing Council becoming the Women’s Amateur Rowing Committee which gave it parity with other ARA standing committees and meant that it’s Chairman, Eleanor Lester, got a seat on the ARA Council. WARC Umpires were also added to the ARA list of umpires and would, in future, be ‘permitted’ to umpire men’s as well as women’s races.

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