Rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each another, over bodies of water. The boats are propelled by the athletes levering the boat through the water with oars. The sport can be either recreational or competitive. In the United States and Canada, high school and collegiate rowing is sometimes called crew.
Whilst rowing, the athlete sits in the boat facing backwards (towards the stern), and uses the oars which are attached to the boat at the rowlocks to propel the boat forward (towards the bow). This may be done on a river, lake, sea, or other large body of water. It is a demanding sport requiring both physical strength and cardiovascular endurance.
Although 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. The many different formats are a result of the long history of the sport, and its development in different regions of the world.
Whilst rowing, the athlete sits in the boat facing backwards (towards the stern), and uses the oars which are attached to the boat at the rowlocks to propel the boat forward (towards the bow). This may be done on a river, lake, sea, or other large body of water. It is a demanding sport requiring both physical strength and cardiovascular endurance.
Although 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. The many different formats are a result of the long history of the sport, and its development in different regions of the world.
Basics
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. 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 rowlocks at the end of outriggers extending from the sides of the boat.These boats also have sliding seats which allow the rower to engage his or her legs during the drive phase of the rowing stroke.
There are two forms of rowing. In Sweep or Sweep-oar rowing, each rower has one oar, held in both hands. Each rower in a sweep boat is referred to either as "port" (aka "strokeside") or "starboard" (aka "bowside"), depending on which side of the boat the rower's oar extends to. In Sculling each rower has two oars (one in each hand). The oar in his or her right hand extends to the port side, and the oar in his or her left hand extends to starboard.
There are two forms of rowing. In Sweep or Sweep-oar rowing, each rower has one oar, held in both hands. Each rower in a sweep boat is referred to either as "port" (aka "strokeside") or "starboard" (aka "bowside"), depending on which side of the boat the rower's oar extends to. In Sculling each rower has two oars (one in each hand). The oar in his or her right hand extends to the port side, and the oar in his or her left hand extends to starboard.
History
Even since the earliest recorded references to rowing, the sporting element has been present. An Egyptian funerary inscription of 1430 BC records that the warrior Amenhotep (Amenophis) II was also renowned for his feats of oarsmanship and in the Aeneid, Virgil mentions rowing forming part of the funeral games arranged by Aeneas in honour of his father.
In the 13th century, Venetian festivals called regata included boat races among others.
The finish of the Doggett's Coat and Badge. Painting by Thomas Rowlandson.
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. Prizes for wager races were often offered by the London Guilds and Livery Companies or wealthy owners of riverside houses. 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.In America, the earliest known race dates back to 1756 in New York, when a pettiauger defeated a Cape Cod whaleboat in a race.
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. 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, while at Cambridge the first recorded races were in 1827.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 interest in the first Boat Race and subsequent matches led the town of Henley to begin hosting an annual regatta in 1839.
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 1843, the first American college rowing club was formed at Yale University. The Harvard-Yale Regatta is the oldest intercollegiate sporting event in the United States, having been contested every year since 1852 (excepting interruptions for wars).
Equipment
Boats
In the 13th century, Venetian festivals called regata included boat races among others.
The finish of the Doggett's Coat and Badge. Painting by Thomas Rowlandson.
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. Prizes for wager races were often offered by the London Guilds and Livery Companies or wealthy owners of riverside houses. 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.In America, the earliest known race dates back to 1756 in New York, when a pettiauger defeated a Cape Cod whaleboat in a race.
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. 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, while at Cambridge the first recorded races were in 1827.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 interest in the first Boat Race and subsequent matches led the town of Henley to begin hosting an annual regatta in 1839.
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 1843, the first American college rowing club was formed at Yale University. The Harvard-Yale Regatta is the oldest intercollegiate sporting event in the United States, having been contested every year since 1852 (excepting interruptions for wars).
Equipment
Boats
Racing boats (usually called "shells") are long, narrow, and semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum. Originally made from wood, shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually carbon-fiber reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages.
There are a large number of different types of boats. They are classified using:
Number of rowers. In all forms of modern competition the number is either 1, 2, 4, or 8.
Position of coxswain. Boats are either coxless ("straight"), bow-coxed (also called bowloaders), or stern-coxed.
Although sculling and sweep boats are generally identical to each other (except having different riggers), they are referred to using different names:
Sweep: straight pair (2-), coxed pair (2+), straight four (4-), coxed four (4+), eight (8+) (always coxed)
Sculling: single (1x), double (2x), triple (3x) (very rare), quad (4x), octuple (8x) (not very common, always coxed, and mainly for juniors)
Oars
There are a large number of different types of boats. They are classified using:
Number of rowers. In all forms of modern competition the number is either 1, 2, 4, or 8.
Position of coxswain. Boats are either coxless ("straight"), bow-coxed (also called bowloaders), or stern-coxed.
Although sculling and sweep boats are generally identical to each other (except having different riggers), they are referred to using different names:
Sweep: straight pair (2-), coxed pair (2+), straight four (4-), coxed four (4+), eight (8+) (always coxed)
Sculling: single (1x), double (2x), triple (3x) (very rare), quad (4x), octuple (8x) (not very common, always coxed, and mainly for juniors)
Oars
Oars are used to propel the boat. They are long (250–300 cm) poles with one flat end about 50 cm long and 25 cm wide, called the blade. 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. Classic oars were made out of wood, but modern oars are made from synthetic material, the most common being carbon fiber. The most common makes are Concept2, Croker, and Dreher.
Rowing Machines
Ergometer rowing machines (colloquially erg or ergo) are pieces of equipment used to supplement rowing in a boat by providing a simulation of it. Used for both fitness training and when water time is restricted, they allow for technique to be practised to some extent. 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.
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 5.5 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. 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.
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 5.5 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. 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.
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