Four months until the 2017 World Rowing Championships comes to Sarasota

When it comes to planning any major event such as the 2017 World Rowing Championships, Meredith Scerba never says “smooth sailing.”

“There is no such thing,” the 2017 World Rowing Championships’ executive director said Monday.

But with only four months until the opening ceremony of the event at Nathan Benderson Park, Scerba said, “Right now we are on target, on timeline.”

“In any large-scale event, you are always preparing for the worst and hoping for the best,” she said. “We are doing all the due diligence to make sure everything is done well.”

Last week, the president and CEO of the nonprofit that operates Nathan Benderson Park announced he would be resigning at the end of the year. But officials have said that Bob Sullivan’s departure won’t affect the 2017 World Rowing Championships.

“With the World Rowing Championships coming in September, followed by next year’s World Master’s Championship, I felt that now was the correct time to look to the future and ensure a smooth transition of leadership,” Sullivan said last week.

As the competition, which runs from Sept. 24 to Oct. 1, approaches, things will transition from “planning to activation,” Scerba said.

On Sunday, the diverging diamond interchange at the nearby Interstate 75 and University Parkway interchange went into operation. The construction is expected to be entirely completed before the fall.

“We are very thrilled to have that on board and ready to go,” Scerba said.

Within the next couple weeks, the finish tower — the only physical structure required for the championship per the bid — will be complete. And in early September, the island at Nathan Benderson Park will begin its transformation.

“You will start to see quite a bit of action for the championships in the second week of September,” Scerba said.

There will also be increased marketing as the event nears, Scerba said, adding that single-day tickets go on sale June 2.

“We are actually just starting to gear up your physical presence for marketing,” she said. “That advertisement component will now become more prevalent. ... People are going to start feeling the buzz and sensing that this is coming close.”

With almost 750 volunteers on board, Scerba said they have a target of 1,800 total.

“These events are not successful without the help and contribution of the community through volunteer efforts,” she said.

To sign up as a volunteer or for more information, visit wrch2017.com.

This story was originally published May 22, 2017 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Four months until the 2017 World Rowing Championships comes to Sarasota."