Organisers of the World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro say a huge number of volunteers will ensure the event is a success.
[image:347:third:right]About 600 people have vounteered for numerous jobs over the nine-day event which starts in Waikato on Saturday.
Chief organiser Tom Mayo says the volunteers will be working just as hard as the 800 rowers competing.
The venue will be handed over to the International Rowing Federation on Wednesday.
Forty-nine countries are taking part. The event is held every year with the exception of a summer Olympic year.
New Zealand last hosted the world championships in 1978. It is the biggest sporting event to be held in the country since the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.
Lake Karapiro was used as the rowing venue for the 1950 British Empire Games and also for the world championships in 1978.
