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A coxless pair which is a sweep-oar boat. The rower on the left of the photo, or the bow of the boat is rowing "starboard" or "bowside". The rower on the right of the photo and closest to the stern of the boat is rowing "port" or "strokeside" .
A coxless pair which is a sweep-oar boat. In rowing, a coxless pair consists of a pair of rowers each having one Oar, one on the Stroke side (rower's right hand side and one on the bow The rower on the left of the photo, or the bow of the boat is rowing "starboard" or "bowside". The rower on the right of the photo and closest to the stern of the boat is rowing "port" or "strokeside" .

Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on river, lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water. In rowing, oars are used to propel the boat Oars differ from Paddles in that they use a fixed Fulcrum to transfer power from the handle to the blade The sport can be both recreational, focusing on learning the techniques required, and competitive where overall fitness plays a large role. Physical fitness is used in two close meanings general fitness (a state of Health and well-being and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability It is also one of the oldest Olympic sports. The Olympic sports comprise all the Sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. In the United States, Australia and Canada, high school and collegiate rowing is sometimes referred to as crew. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Rowing is the oldest intercollegiate sport in the United States. [1]

Contents

Basics

Toronto rowers in a coxed four.
Toronto rowers in a coxed four.

While rowing, the athlete sits in the boat facing backwards (towards the stern), and uses the oars which are held in place by the oarlocks to propel the boat forward (towards the bow). The stern is the rear or aft part of a Ship or Boat, technically defined as the area built up over the Sternpost, extending upwards from the Counter An oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end A rowlock (British or oarlock (US is a Brace that attaches an Oar to a boat. The bow (pronounced &mdashrhymes with how) is a nautical term that refers to the forward part of the hull of a Ship or Boat, This may be done on a river, lake, sea, or other large body of water. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the This article is about the body of water For other uses see SEA and Seas. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. It is a demanding sport requiring strong core balance as well as physical strength and cardiovascular endurance. [2]

Whilst the action of rowing and equipment used remains fairly consistent throughout the world, there are many different types of competition. These include endurance races, time trials, stake racing, bumps racing, and the side-by-side format used in the Olympic games. A head race is a Time trial rowing race typically held in the fall or early spring. A bumps race is a form of rowing race in which a number of boats chase each other in single file each boat attempts to catch (" bump " the boat The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games The many different formats are a result of the long history of the sport, its development in different regions of the world, and specific local requirements and restrictions. The History of rowing is the tale of one of the oldest Sports in the world

There are two forms of rowing:

Anatomy of a stroke

Main article: Anatomy of a rowing stroke

The two fundamental reference points in the rowing stroke are the catch where the oar blade is placed in the water, and the extraction (also known as the 'finish' or the 'release') where the oar blade is removed from the water. The two fundamental reference points in the anatomy of a rowing stroke are the catch where the Oar blade is placed in the Water, and the extraction The rower leans forward, and bends the legs, sliding forward in their seat. After the blade is placed in the water at the catch, they apply pressure to the oar while simultaneously sliding in their seat to extend their legs. The part where pressure is applied is called the drive phase of the stroke, which occurs after the blade is vertically placed in the water. Once the rower extracts the oar from the water, the recovery phase begins, setting up the rower's body for the next stroke. [3]

Rowing Propulsion

Rowing is a cyclic (or intermittent) form of propulsion and in the quasi-steady state the motion of the system (rower, oars and boat) is repeated regularly. In order for this perfectly cyclic motion to be maintained the sum all the external forces on the system, averaged over the cycle, must be zero, so that the system as a whole does not accelerate. In that case the average drag (retarding) force on the system must equal the average propulsion force on the system. The drag forces consists of aerodynamic drag on the superstructure of the system (everything above the waterline) and the hydrodynamic drag on the submerged portion of the system. The propulsion forces are the forward reaction of the water on the oars while in the water. Of course the oar can be used to provide a drag force (a force acting against the forward motion) when the system is brought to rest.

Although the oar can be conveniently thought of as a lever with a "fixed" pivot point in the water, the blade moves sideways and sternwards through the water, so that the magnitude of the propulsion force developed is the result of a complex interaction between unsteady fluid mechanics (the water flow around the blade) and solid mechanics and dynamics (the handle force applied to the oar, the oar's inertia and bending characteristic, the acceleration of the boat and so on).

Distinction From Other Watercraft

Main article: Watercraft rowing

The distinction between rowing and other forms of water transport, such as canoeing or kayaking, is that in rowing the oars are held in place at a pivot point. With regard to Watercraft, rowing is the act of propelling a boat using the motion of Oars in the water This allows the oars to act as a lever of force, rather than a paddle. In flatwater rowing, the boat (also called a 'shell' or 'fine boat') is narrow to avoid drag, and the oars are attached to oarlocks at the end of outriggers extending from the sides of the boat. In Fluid dynamics, drag (sometimes called fluid resistance) is the force that resists the movement of a Solid object through a Fluid (a [4] These boats also have sliding seats to allow the use of the legs in addition to the body to move the oar and so move the boat.

Fitness & Health

Rowing is one of the few non-weight bearing sports that exercises all the major muscle groups, including quads, biceps, triceps, lats, gluts and abdominal muscles. "Quads" redirects here For other uses see Quad The quadriceps femoris ( Latin for "four-headed of the femur" also The triceps brachii ( Latin for "three-headed" of the arm is the large muscle on the back of the human Upper limb. The latissimus dorsi (plural latissimi dorsi is the large flat dorso-lateral muscle on the trunk posterior to the arm and partly covered by the Trapezius on its median The gluteal muscles are the three muscles that make up the buttocks the Gluteus maximus, Gluteus medius and Gluteus minimus The human abdomen (from the Latin word meaning "belly" is the part of the body between the Pelvis and the thorax. Rowing improves cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength. This is an article about the rock music band "Circulatory System" Physical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert Force on physical objects using muscles. Rowing reduces fat but does not tend to build muscle in itself, though the associated weight training may do this. Weight training is a common type of Strength training for developing the strength and size of Skeletal muscles It uses the Force of gravity High-performance rowers tend to be tall and muscular: although extra weight does increase the drag on the boat, the larger athlete's increased power tends to be more significant.

Rowing is a low impact activity with movement only in defined ranges, so that twist and sprain injuries are rare. However, the repetitive rowing action can put strain on knee joints, the spine and the tendons of the forearm, and inflammation of these are the most common rowing injuries. The knee is the lower extremity Joint connecting the Femur, Patella, and the Tibia. In Human anatomy, the vertebral column ( backbone or spine) is a column of 34 Vertebrae the Sacrum, Intervertebral Inflammation ( Latin, inflamatio, to set on fire is the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli such as Pathogens

History

Main article: History of rowing

Even since the earliest recorded references to rowing, the sporting element has been present. The History of rowing is the tale of one of the oldest Sports in the world An Egyptian funerary inscription of 1430 BC records that the warrior Amenhotep (Amenophis) II was also renowned for his feats of oarsmanship. Amenhotep II (sometimes read as Amenophis II and meaning Amun is Satisfied) was the seventh Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of In the Aeneid, Virgil mentions rowing forming part of the funeral games arranged by Aeneas in honour of his father. For the group of nine Ancient Egyptian deities see Ennead. The Aeneid (əˈniːɪd in Publius Vergilius Maro ( October 15, 70 BCE &ndash September 21, 19 BCE later called Virgilius, and known in English as Virgil or This article is about the Roman hero For other uses see Aeneas (disambiguation. [5] In the 13th century, Venetian festivals called regata included boat races among others. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the [6]

The finish of the Doggett's Coat and Badge. Painting by Thomas Rowlandson.
The finish of the Doggett's Coat and Badge. Doggett's Coat and Badge is the prize and name for the oldest rowing race in the world and is believed to be the oldest sporting contest in continued existence Painting by Thomas Rowlandson. Thomas Rowlandson ( July 14, 1756 – April 22, 1827) was an English artist and Caricaturist.

The first known ‘modern’ rowing races, began from competition among the professional watermen that provided ferry and taxi service on the River Thames in London. The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. Prizes for wager races were often offered by the London Guilds and Livery Companies or wealthy owners of riverside houses. A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade The earliest guilds were formed as confraternities of workers [7] During the Nineteenth Century these races were to become numerous and popular, attracting large crowds. Prize matches amongst professionals similarly became popular on other rivers throughout Great Britain in the Nineteenth Century, notably on the Tyne. The oldest surviving such race, Doggett's Coat and Badge was first contested in 1715 and is still held annually from London Bridge to Chelsea. Doggett's Coat and Badge is the prize and name for the oldest rowing race in the world and is believed to be the oldest sporting contest in continued existence [8] In America, the earliest known race dates back to 1756 in New York, when a pettiauger defeated a Cape Cod whaleboat in a race. [9]

Amateur competition in England began towards the end of the Eighteenth Century. Documentary evidence from this period is sparse, but it is known that the Monarch Boat Club of Eton College and the Isis Club of Westminster School were both in existence in the 1790s. Eton College, or just Eton, is a world-famous British Independent school for boys founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. The Royal College of St Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain 's leading boys' Independent schools with The Star Club and Arrow Club in London for gentlemen amateurs were also in existence before 1800. At the University of Oxford bumping races were first organised in 1815 when Brasenose College and Jesus College boat clubs had the first annual race[10] while at Cambridge the first recorded races were in 1827. The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College (in full The King's Hall and College of Brasenose, often referred to by the abbreviation BNC Jesus College (in full Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the [11] Brasenose won Oxford University's first Head of the River and claim to be the oldest established boat club in the world. The Boat Race between Oxford University and Cambridge University first took place in 1829, and was the second intercollegiate sporting event (following the first Varsity Cricket Match by 2 years). The Boat Race, also known as the University Boat Race and The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display The interest in the first Boat Race and subsequent matches led the town of Henley to begin hosting an annual regatta in 1839. [12]

Founded in 1818, Leander Club is the world's oldest public rowing club. The Leander Club, founded in 1818 is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world [13] The second oldest club which still exists is the Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club which was founded 1836 and marked the beginning of rowing as an organized sport in Germany. Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club is a rowing club in Hamburg, Germany. [14] During the Nineteenth Century, as in England, wager matches in North America between professionals became very popular attracting vast crowds. The Detroit Boat Club was established as the first rowing exclusive club in 1839 in the US. The Detroit Boat Club, established in 1839 is the oldest Sport rowing club in the United States. [15][16] In 1843, the first American college rowing club was formed at Yale University. [15] The Harvard-Yale Regatta is the oldest intercollegiate sporting event in the United States,[15][17] having been contested every year since 1852 (excepting interruptions for wars). The Harvard-Yale Boat Race or Harvard-Yale Regatta is an annual rowing race between Yale and Harvard universities

FISA

Main article: International Rowing Federation

FISA, the “Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron” in French (or the English equivalent International Federation of Rowing Associations) was founded by representatives from France, Switzerland, Belgium, Adriatica (now a part of Italy) and Italy in Turin on June 25, 1892. The Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, or FISA for short is the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those The History of Adria & Adriatica as watch trade marks for Swiss Watches is closely associated with the Belle Epoque period through the Montilier Watch Co Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest [18] It is the oldest international sports federation in the Olympic movement. [19]

FISA first organised a European Rowing Championships in 1893. The European Rowing Championships is an International Rowing Regatta organised by FISA (the International Rowing Federation [18] An annual World Rowing Championships was introduced in 1962. The World Rowing Championships is an International rowing Regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation [20][21] Rowing has also been conducted at the Olympic Games since 1900 (cancelled at the first modern Games in 1896 due to bad weather). The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games The 1900 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1900 in The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were an International

Equipment

Racing shells stored in a boathouse (Picture taken on August 2000, in the Tel Aviv Rowing Club, Israel).
Racing shells stored in a boathouse (Picture taken on August 2000, in the Tel Aviv Rowing Club, Israel). A boathouse (or boat house) is a building especially designed for the storage of Boats normally smaller craft for sports of leisure use Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.

Boats

Main article: Racing shell

Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum. In Watercraft, a racing shell (also referred to as just a fine boat (UK or just shell) is an extremely narrow and often disproportionately long They usually have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw and to increase the effectiveness of the rudder.

Originally made from wood, shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Composite materials (or composites for short are engineered Materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical Carbon fiber reinforced plastic ( CFRP or CRP) is a very strong light and expensive Composite material or fiber reinforced plastic. FISA rules specify minimum weights for each class of boat so that no individual will gain a great advantage from the use of expensive materials or technology.

There are several different types of boats. They are classified using:

Although sculling and sweep boats are generally identical to each other (except having different riggers), they are referred to using different names:

With the smaller boats, specialist versions of the shells for sculling can be made lighter. The riggers in sculling apply the forces symmetrically to each side of the boat, whereas in sweep oared racing these forces are staggered alternately along the boat. The sweep oared boat has to be stiffer to handle these unmatched forces, so consequently requires more bracing and is usually heavier - a pair (2-) is usually a more robust boat than a double scull (2x) for example, and being heavier is also slower when used as a double scull. In theory this could also apply to the 4x and 8x, but most rowing clubs cannot afford to have a dedicated large hull which might be rarely used and instead generally opt for versatility in their fleet by using stronger shells which can be rigged for either sweep rowing or sculling. The symmetrical forces also make sculling more efficient than rowing: the double scull is faster than the coxless pair, and the quadruple scull is faster than the coxless four.

Many adjustments can be made to the equipment to accommodate the physiques of the crew. Collectively these adjustments are known as the boat's rigging. Boats used in the sport of rowing may be adjusted in many different ways according to the needs of the crew the type of racing and anticipated rowing conditions

Two hatchet sculls. The "blades" are at the top and the handles at the bottom of the picture.
Two hatchet sculls. The "blades" are at the top and the handles at the bottom of the picture.

Steering

Single and double sculls are steered by the scullers pulling harder on one side or the other. In other boats there is a rudder, controlled by the cox, if present, or by one of the crew. A rudder is a device used to steer a Ship, Boat, Submarine, Hovercraft, or other conveyance that move through a fluid (generally air or In the latter case the rudder cable is attached to the toe of one of their shoes which can pivot about the ball of the foot, moving the cable left or right. The steersman may row at bow, who has the best vision when looking over their shoulder, or on straighter courses stroke may steer, since they can point the stern of the boat at some landmark at the start of the course. On international courses landmarks for steersmen, consisting of two aligned poles, are provided.

Oars

Main article: Oar (sport rowing)

Oars are used to propel the boat. In rowing, oars are used to propel the boat Oars differ from Paddles in that they use a fixed Fulcrum to transfer power from the handle to the blade They are long (250–300 cm) poles with one flat end about 50 cm long and 25 cm wide, called the blade. Classic oars were made out of wood, but modern oars are made from synthetic material, the most common being carbon fiber. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Synthetic fibers are the result of extensive research by Scientists to improve upon naturally occurring Animal and plant

An oar is often referred to as a "blade" in the case of sweep oar rowing and as a "scull" in the case of sculling. A sculling oar is shorter and has a smaller blade area than the equivalent sweep oar. The combined blade area of a pair of sculls is however greater than that of a single sweep oar, so the oarsman when sculling is working against more water than when rowing sweep-oared. He is able to do this because the body action in sculling is more anatomically efficient.

See also: List of rowing blades

Indoor rowing

A row of ergometers
A row of ergometers
Main article: indoor rower

Ergometer rowing machines (colloquially ergs or ergo) simulate the rowing action and provide a means of training on land when waterborne training is restricted, and of measuring rowing fitness. This is a list blade images of national teams Rowing clubs schools and universities. An indoor rower, or rowing machine, is a machine used to simulate the action of Watercraft rowing for the purpose of exercise or training for rowing. Ergometers do not simulate the lateral balance challenges, the exact resistance of water, or the exact motions of true rowing including the sweep of the oar handles. For that reason ergometer scores are generally not used as the sole selection criterion for crews, and technique training is limited to the basic body position and movements. However, this action can still allow a comparable workout to that experienced on the water.

Indoor rowing has become popular as a sport in its own right with numerous indoor competitions (and the annual World Championship CRASH-B Sprints in Boston) during the winter off-season. The CRASH-B Sprints is the world championship for Indoor rowing raced over a distance of 2000 m on Concept2 indoor rowers Winter is one of the four Seasons of Temperate zones Calculated astronomically, it begins on the Solstice and ends on the Equinox [22]

Boat Storage and Boathouses

Racing boats, usually together with oars, riggers, and other equipment for rowing, are stored in specially designed storage areas — or boathouses. These usually consist of a long two story building, in which the boats are stored on 'racks' (horizontal metal [usually] bars) on the ground floor with a large door at one end which most probably leads out to a pontoon on the river or lakeside. Other equipment is stored around the boats. Upstairs there is usually a gym, bar, an area for relaxation, etc. or very rarely more storage (due to difficulties transporting cumbersome rowing equipment upstairs).

Competition

Rowers may take part in the sport for their leisure or they may row competitively. There are different types of competition in the sport of rowing. In the U. S. all types of races are referred to as "regattas" whereas this term is only used in the UK for head-to-head races which take place in the summer season. Time trials occur in the UK during the winter, and are referred to as Head races.

Rowing is unusual in the demands it places on competitors. The standard world championship race distance of 2,000 metres is long enough to have a large endurance element, but short enough (typically 5. The World Rowing Championships is an International rowing Regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International 5 to 7. 5 minutes) to feel like a sprint. This means that rowers have some of the highest power outputs of athletes in any sport. At the same time the motion involved in the sport compresses the rowers' lungs, limiting the amount of oxygen available to them. lung is the essential Respiration organ in air-breathing Animals including most Tetrapods a few Fish and a few Snails The most primitive Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the This requires rowers to tailor their breathing to the stroke, typically inhaling and exhaling twice per stroke, unlike most other sports such as cycling where competitors can breathe freely. Cycling is the use of Bicycles or - less commonly - Unicycles Tricycles Quadricycles and other similar wheeled Human powered vehicles

Side by Side

Most races that are held in the spring and summer feature side by side racing also called a regatta - all the boats start at the same time from a stationary position and the winner is the boat that crosses the finish line first. A regatta is a term used to describe either a Boat race or series of boat races The number of boats in a race typically varies between two (which is sometimes referred to as a 'dual race') to six, but any number of boats can start together if the course is wide enough.

The standard length races for the Olympics and the World Rowing Championships is 2,000 m long, 1,500 m for U. The World Rowing Championships is an International rowing Regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation S. High School races and 1,000 m for Masters rowers (rowers older than 27). However the race distance can and does vary from 'dashes' or 'sprints', which may be 500 m long, to races of marathon or ultra-marathon length races such as the 'Tour du Léman' in Switzerland which is 160 km, [23] and the 2 day, 185 km Corvallis to Portland Regatta[24] held in Oregon, USA. In the UK, regattas are generally between 500 m and 2,000 m long.

Two traditional non-standard distance races are the annual Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge and the Harvard-Yale Boat Race which cover courses of approximately four miles (roughly 6. The Boat Race, also known as the University Boat Race and The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England The Harvard-Yale Boat Race or Harvard-Yale Regatta is an annual rowing race between Yale and Harvard universities 5 km). The Henley Royal Regatta is also raced upon a non-standard distance at 1 mile, 550 yards (2,112 meters). Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England.

In general, multi-boat competitions are organized in a series of rounds, with the fastest boats in each heat qualifying for the next round. The losing boats from each heat may be given a second chance to qualify through a repechage. Repechage (repêchage lit re-fishing meaning "to rescue" or "to save" is a practice amongst ladder competitions that allows participants that failed to meet qualifying The World Rowing Championships offers multi-lane racing in heats, finals and repechages. The World Rowing Championships is an International rowing Regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation At Henley Royal Regatta two crews compete side by side in each round, in a straightforward knock-out format, with no repechages. Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of Tournament where the loser of each

Two crews racing in Lagan Head of the River. The closer boat is being overtaken by the boat on the far side.
Two crews racing in Lagan Head of the River. The River Lagan ( is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 40 miles (60 km from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast The closer boat is being overtaken by the boat on the far side.

Head races

Main article: Head race

Head races are time trial / processional races that take place from autumn (fall) to early spring (depending on local conditions). A head race is a Time trial rowing race typically held in the fall or early spring. A head race is a Time trial rowing race typically held in the fall or early spring. In many Racing Sports an athlete (or occasionally a team of athletes will compete in a time trial against the Clock to secure the fastest Autumn (also known as fall in North American English) is one of the four Temperate Seasons Autumn marks the transition from Summer Boats begin with a rolling start at intervals of 10-20 seconds, and are timed over a set distance. With regards to Time, an interval or period is the Duration between two events or occurrences of similar events Head courses usually vary in length from 2,000 m to 12,000 m, though there are longer races such as the Boston Rowing Marathon. The Boston Rowing Marathon is an event taking place on the third Sunday of September annually in Lincolnshire, England.

The oldest, and arguably most famous, head race is the Head of the River Race, founded by Steve Fairbairn in 1926 which takes place each March on the river Thames in London, United Kingdom. The Head of the River Race ( HORR) is a processional rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on the Steve Fairbairn ( 25 August 1862 – 16 May 1938) was a Rower and an influential rowing coach notably at Jesus College Boat Club The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Head racing was exported to the United States in the 1950s, and the Head of the River Charles Regatta held each October on the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts, USA is now the largest rowing event in the world. The Head of the Charles Regatta, also known as HOCR or HOTC, is a rowing race held on the penultimate complete weekend of October each year on the The Charles River is a small relatively short River in Massachusetts, USA, that separates Boston from Cambridge and The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

These processional races are known as 'Head Races', because, as with bumps racing, the fastest crew is awarded the title 'Head of the River' (as in 'head of the class'). It was not deemed feasible to run bumps racing on the Tideway, so a timed format was adopted and soon caught on.

Time trials are sometimes used to determine who competes in an event where there is a limited number of entries, for example the qualifying races for Henley Royal Regatta, and "rowing on" and "getting on" for the Oxford and Cambridge Bumps races respectively. A bumps race is a form of rowing race in which a number of boats chase each other in single file each boat attempts to catch (" bump " the boat

Bumps races

Main article: Bumps race

A third type of race is the bumps race, as held in Oxford (known as Torpids and Eights Week), Cambridge (known as the Lent Bumps and the May Bumps), between the London medical schools (the United Hospitals Bumps) on the Tideway and at Eton College and Shrewsbury School (which are the only schools in Britain to continue this tradition). A bumps race is a form of rowing race in which a number of boats chase each other in single file each boat attempts to catch (" bump " the boat A bumps race is a form of rowing race in which a number of boats chase each other in single file each boat attempts to catch (" bump " the boat Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, Torpids is one of two bumping races held at Oxford University yearly the other being Eights. At Oxford University, Summer Eights, a Bumps race constitutes the main intercollegiate rowing event of the year and happens in the fifth week of the The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England The Lent Bumps (also Lent Races Lents are a set of rowing races held on the River Cam in Cambridge. The May Bumps (also May Races Mays is a rowing race held on the River Cam in Cambridge. The Tideway is a name given to the part of the River Thames in England that is subject to Tides This stretch of water is downstream from the Teddington Eton College, or just Eton, is a world-famous British Independent school for boys founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. Shrewsbury School (formally known as King Edward VI Grammar School Shrewsbury) is an public school, located in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In these races, crews start lined up along the river at set intervals, and all start at the same time. The aim is to catch up with the boat in front, and avoid being caught by the boat behind. If a crew overtakes or makes physical contact with the crew ahead, a bump is awarded. As a result damage to boats and equipment is common during bumps racing. To avoid damage the cox of the crew being bumped may concede the bump before contact is actually made. The next day, the bumping crew will start ahead of any crews that have been bumped. Bumps races take place over several days, and the positions at the end of the last race are used to set the positions on the first day of the races the next year. Oxford and Cambridge Universities hold bumps races for their respective colleges twice a year, and there are also Town Bumps races in both cities, open to non-university crews. Oxford's races are organised by City of Oxford Rowing Club[25] and Cambridge's are organised by the Cambridgeshire Rowing Association. The Cambridgeshire Rowing Association (CRA is based in Cambridge, UK. Bumps races are very rare in the United States.

Stake races

The stake format was often used in early American races. Competitors line up at the start, race to a stake, moored boat, or buoy some distance away, and return. The 180° turn requires mastery of steering. These races are popular with spectators because one may watch both the start and finish. Usually only two boats would race at once to avoid collision. The Green Mountain Head Regatta continues to use the stake format but it is run as a head race with an interval start. [26] A similar type of racing is found in UK coastal rowing, where a number of boats race out to a given point from the coast and then return fighting rough water all the way.

World championships and Olympics

Rowing at the Olympic Games
Rowing at the Olympic Games
Main articles: World Rowing Championships and Rowing at the Summer Olympics

The Olympic Games are held every four years, where only select boat classes are raced (14 in total):

At the end of each year, the FISA holds the World Rowing Championships with events in 23 different boat classes. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games The World Rowing Championships is an International rowing Regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation Rowing at the Summer Olympics has been part of the competition since the 1900 Summer Olympics. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games The Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, or FISA for short is the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for The World Rowing Championships is an International rowing Regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation Athletes generally consider the Olympic classes to be "premier" events and are more interested in rowing in these at the World Championships. During Olympic years only non-Olympic boats compete at the World Championships.

Rules of Racing

There are many differing sets of rules governing racing and these are generally defined by the governing body of the sport in a particular country. In the UK this is the Amateur Rowing Association, Australia this is Rowing Australia and the U. The Amateur Rowing Association (ARA is the governing body in the United Kingdom for the sport of rowing. Rowing Australia ( RA) is the governing body for the sport of rowing in Australia. S USRowing Sets the rules. In international competition the rules are set out by the world governing body FISA. The Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, or FISA for short is the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for The rules may vary slightly but are generally very similar. The main notable difference between ARA rules and FISA rules is that coxes are not required to wear buoyancy aids in international events governed by FISA, whereas they are required to wear one at all times under the ARA rules.

The crew

Main article: Boat positions (sport rowing)

In all boats, with the exception of single sculls, each rower is numbered in sequential order, low numbers at the bow, up to the highest at the stern. With the exception of single sculls each rower is numbered by boat position in ascending order from the bow to the Stern. The person seated on the first seat is called the bowman, or just 'bow', whilst the rower closest to the stern is called the 'strokeman' or just 'stroke'. There are some exceptions to this - UK coastal rowers, and in France, Spain, and Italy rowers number from stern to bow.

In addition to this, certain crew members have other titles and roles. In an 8+ the stern pair are responsible for setting the stroke rate and rhythm for the rest of the boat to follow. The middle four (sometimes called the "engine room" or "power house") are usually the less technical, but more powerful rowers in the crew, whilst the bow pair are the more technical and generally regarded as the pair to set up the balance of the boat. They also have most influence on the line the boat steers.

In most levels of rowing there are different weight classes - typically "open" or "heavyweight" and lightweight (discussed below). Competitive rowing favours tall, muscular athletes due to the additional leverage height provides in pulling the oar through the water as well as the explosive power needed to propel the boat at high speed. Open or heavyweight rowers of both sexes tend to be very tall, broad-shouldered, have long arms and legs as well as tremendous cardiovascular capacity and very low body fat ratios. Olympic or International level heavyweight male oarsmen are typically anywhere between 6'3" and 6'9" (190 cm to 206 cm) tall with most being around 6'6" (198 cm) and weighing approximately 225 lb (102 kg) with about 6 to 7% body fat. Heavyweight women are slightly shorter at around 6'1" (180 cm) and lighter than their male counterparts.

Lightweights

Main article: Lightweight rowing

Unlike most other non-combat sports, rowing has a special weight category called lightweight (Lwt for short). Lightweight rowing (Lwt for short is a special category of rowing where limits are placed on the maximum Weight of competitors According to FISA, this weight category was introduced "to encourage more universality in the sport especially among nations with less statuesque people". The first lightweight events were held at the World Championships in 1974 for men and 1985 for women. Lightweight rowing was added to the Olympics in 1996. The 1996 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, were an International

At international level the limits are:

Olympic lightweight boat classes are limited to:

Women

For most of its history, rowing has been a male dominated sport. Although rowing's roots as a sport in the modern Olympics can be traced back to the original 1896 games in Athens, it was not until the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal that women were allowed to participate — well after their fellow athletes in similar sports such as swimming, athletics, cycling, and canoeing. The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were an International Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Montreal, Quebec Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance Cycling is the use of Bicycles or - less commonly - Unicycles Tricycles Quadricycles and other similar wheeled Human powered vehicles Canoeing is the activity of paddling a Canoe for the purpose of recreation (also called a float trip Sport, or transportation.

Despite its male domination, women's rowing can be traced back to the early 1800s, and an image of a women's double scull race made the cover of Harper's Weekly in 1870. Harper's Weekly ( A Journal of Civilization) was an American political Magazine based in New York City. In 1927, the first rowing event for women between Oxford and Cambridge was held. The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the For the first few years it was an exhibition, and it later became a race.

In 1954, the first women's events were added to the European Rowing Championships. The European Rowing Championships is an International Rowing Regatta organised by FISA (the International Rowing Federation In 1988, the first Henley Women's Regatta was held. Henley Women's Regatta is a rowing Regatta held at Henley-on-Thames, England. On April 27 1997, one of the last bastions of rowing was breached when, at an Extraordinary General Meeting, Leander Club voted to admit women as members. The Leander Club, founded in 1818 is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world This rule met a condition imposed by UK Sport and qualified Leander to receive a £1. UK Sport is the United Kingdom 's organisation for directing the development of Sport within the home countries. 5 million grant for refurbishment from the Lottery Sports Fund. [27]

At international level, women's rowing traditionally has been dominated by Eastern European countries, such as Romania, Russia, and Bulgaria, although other countries such as Germany, Netherlands, Canada, and New Zealand often field competitive teams. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The United States also has often had very competitive crews, and in recent years these crews have become even more competitive given the surge in women's collegiate rowing due to title IX. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Rowing is the oldest intercollegiate sport in the United States. Because Title IX mandates equal money spent on men's and women's sports, rowing is particularly useful due to the extremely high costs of equipment per athlete. Therefore, many schools open a rowing program only to women to financially counteract the prevalence of men's sports.

Adaptive athletes

Main article: Adaptive rowing

Adaptive rowing is a special category of races for those with physical disabilities. Adaptive rowing is a special category of rowing races for those with physical disabilities. Under FISA rules there are 4 boat classes for adaptive rowers; mixed (2 men and 2 women) LTA (Legs, Trunk, Arms), mixed (1 man and 1 woman) TA (Trunk and Arms), and men's and women's A (Arms only). Events are held at the World Rowing Championships and are also due to take place at the 2008 Summer Paralympics. The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17 2008 [28]

Terminology and Event nomenclature

Main article: Glossary of rowing terms

Rowing events use a systematic nomenclature for the naming of events, so that age, gender, ability and size of boat can all be expressed in a few numbers and letters. In competitive rowing, the following specialized terms are important in the corresponding aspects of the sport Boat Classes In competitive rowing events The first letter to be used is 'L' or 'Lt' for lightweight. If absent then the crew is open weight. This can be followed by either a 'J' or 'B' to signify junior (under 19 years) or under 23 years respectively. If absent the crew is open age (the letter 'O' is sometimes used). Next is either an 'M' or 'W' to signify if the crew are men or women. Then there is a number to show how many athletes are in the boat (1,2,4 or 8). An 'x' following the number indicates a sculling boat. Finally either a + or - is added to indicate whether the boat is coxed or coxswainless.

Some events will use an experience rating to separate races. In the UK boats are classed as "Elite" (or "Open"), "Senior 1/2/3/4" or "Novice", depending on the number of wins the athletes have accumulated. Masters events use age ranges to separate crews of older rowers.

Examples:

See also

References

  1. ^ Crew - definition (html). A single scull is a Rowing boat designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand The stretch of the River Thames between Mortlake and Putney in London, England is a well-established course for rowing races most Coastal and ocean rowing is a type of rowing performed at Sea. Rowing is the oldest intercollegiate sport in the United States. University rowing in the United Kingdom began when it was introduced to Oxford in the late 1700s The Boat Race, also known as the University Boat Race and The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University The Harvard-Yale Boat Race or Harvard-Yale Regatta is an annual rowing race between Yale and Harvard universities The Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, or FISA for short is the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for The World Rowing Championships is an International rowing Regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation The Rowing World Cup is an International rowing competition organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation The World Rowing Junior Championships is an International rowing Regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation The River Thames is one of the main rowing areas in England with activity taking place on the Tideway and on the 45 separate lock reaches on the non tidal TheFreeDictionary. Retrieved on 2007-01-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire.
  2. ^ Introduction (html). Basic Rowing Physiology. Retrieved on 2007-01-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire.
  3. ^ British Rowing Technique (html). The Amateur Rowing Association. Retrieved on 2006-12-23. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city
  4. ^ Resistance (html). Basic Physics of Rowing. Retrieved on 2007-01-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire.
  5. ^ Burnell, Richard; Page, Geoffrey (1997). The Brilliants: A History of the Leander Club. Leander Club. ISBN 0 9500061 1 4.  
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  12. ^ Burnell, Richard (1989). Henley Royal Regatta: A celebration of 150 years. William Heinemann. ISBN 0 434 98134 6.  
  13. ^ Leander Club: Home Page
  14. ^ Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club
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  16. ^ Detroit Boat Club (html). Retrieved on 2007-01-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca
  17. ^ Harvard-yale reggata (html). Retrieved on 2007-01-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca
  18. ^ a b Virtual Library of Sports: Rowing (htnl). Retrieved on 2007-01-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca
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  21. ^ Harvard-yale reggata (html). Retrieved on 2007-01-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca
  22. ^ Racing (html). Concept2. co. uk. Retrieved on 2007-01-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire.
  23. ^ Stéphane, Trachsler. "Records fall in Lake Geneva Tour", world rowing.com, 2006-10-30. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge. Retrieved on 2007-01-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca  
  24. ^ "Corvallis to Portland Regatta (CPR)", new world rowing.org. Retrieved on 2007-01-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca  
  25. ^ Oxford City Bumping Races (html). Oxford Rowing. Retrieved on 2006-12-23. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city
  26. ^ Green Mountain Head Regatta (html). Retrieved on 2007-01-27. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva.
  27. ^ Leander voted for women (html). REGATTA OnLine. Retrieved on 2006-12-23. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city
  28. ^ Paralympic/Adaptive (html). WorldRowing. com. Retrieved on 2006-12-23. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 962 - Byzantine-Arab Wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops stormed the city

External links

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