The show must go on, even when a hurricane comes barreling into town—and in this case, the show is the 2017 World Rowing Championships, which will be held at Nathan Benderson Park from Sept. 23 to Oct. 1 

Sarasota County today granted the World Rowing Championships team access to continue operations, and they report that venue buildout is on schedule and will be ready to host rowers and spectators when the events start in just 15 days. Additionally, the WRC committee’s manager of athlete services, Kristen Hartley, remains in constant communication with team managers from each country, confirming their arrival schedules. Many of those teams will arrive in Florida later this week for training.

The WRC team says that months of planning for storms like Irma has helped keep everything on schedule.

“The local organizing committee for the 2017 World Rowing Championships would like to thank the Sarasota County Emergency Management Department and all of the local and state officials for their preparation, communication, and mobilization efforts, in keeping the community safe during Hurricane Irma,” says Meredith Scerba, executive director of the World Rowing Championships.

For the ultimate spectator's guide on what to watch, enjoy and cheer at this month's races, which are open to the public, click here to read our September cover story.