London plays host again to the largest indoor rowing championship in the world this coming March at the Battersea Evolution Centre.

With an estimated 2,500 thousand attendees, this event is playing a part in laying the foundations for London to be a centre of youth sporting excellence in the run-up to the Olympics in 2012.

Now in its 4th year, NJIRC is set to be one of the key events of the rowing and youth sports calendar, with young people from all across London and the country attending.

Indoor rowing is increasingly being embraced by authorities as a sport that can address many of the issues that face young people getting fit in inner-city schools.

To date inadequate funding, inadequate space and a lack of staff have been major impediments towards achieving government targets for schools and clubs.

The Row East London Project hosted by London Youth Rowing engaged some 5,000 young people last year across London boroughs, with many of the young people aiming towards winning medals at NJIRC.

Not only is NJIRC a hugely important event for young people interested in rowing, the event plays host to a range of other sporting and healthy activities, allowing young people to explore other ways to take care of themselves that are relevant to them, in engaging ways.

In the past, climbing walls, graffiti and Parkour have all been part of the event, and NJIRC’s organisers have said there will be even more exciting and new sporting activities for young people to get involved with.

The event has close ties with the Boat Race, with the racing teams’ captains attending with some crew members to cheer along the competitors, joining Olympic medals winners and mayors from the Greater London Authority in supporting the teams.

Olympian Katherine Grainger said of last year’s competition and the event attendees ‘the levels of competition is outstanding. I have to say, as Olympians we are very competitive but these guys are almost as much as we are!’

For further information on NJIRC, or how to get involved in rowing in your area visit the London Youth Rowing website – www.londonyouthrowing.com, on Facebook – search ‘London Youth Rowing’ or contact the event organiser, Eddie FitzPatrick on 0207 490 5044.