Rowers can approach their sport leisurely or competitively. In the United States, all types of races are called regattas. However, in the United Kingdom, the term regatta is only used to describe head – to head races during the summer season. During the winter, the United Kingdom hosts time trials or Head races.

Rowing is demanding as a sport in many ways and incorporates aerobic and anaerobic activities. Rowers must breathe in a specialized manner as the sport tends to compress the rowers’ lungs. Rowers must often inhale and exhale twice per stroke, and breathing is never free and relaxed. Rowers need to master the basics of rowing. Furthermore, competitive rowing comes in many different types. Competitive rowing events can be ‘side by side,’ ‘head races,’ ‘bumps races,’ ‘stakes races,’ as well as ‘world championship Olympic races.’

Side by Side Races:

A ‘side by side’ race is a common race which involves two to six different boats. These races are commonly held in the spring and summer months, and whichever boat crosses the finish line first is the winner.

The length of the race varies. Standard Olympic and World Rowing Championships races are 2,000 meters long. United States high school races on the east coast tend to be 1,500 – 2,000 meters, and masters rowers(rowers who are older than 27 years of age) tend to be a bit shorter – 1,000 meters.  Furthermore, races distances are different and can vary from dashes or sprints, which can be as little as 500 meters long, to marathon races which can be over 150 kilometers. The Tour du Leman in Switzerland is a 160 kilometer race, and the Corvallis to Portland Regatta in Oregon, United States, is 185 km. It is notable that regattas are typically between 500 meters and 2,000 meters in the United Kingdom.

Side by side competitions are typically organized by a series of rounds, the fastest boats qualifying for the next round. The next type of race we will be discussing are Head races.

Head Races:

head races in competitive rowing

Another term for head races are time trial races. These races usually take place from fall to early spring. Boats begin rowing at intervals of 10 – 20 seconds, and are expected to row around 2,000 to 12,000 meters. While races such as Pairs Head are shorter, other races, such as the Boston Rowing Marathon are longer.

The Head of the River Race, founded by Steve Fairbairn in 1926 is the oldest and most famous head race. It takes place on the river Thames in London, United Kingdom. Another type of races are bumps races.

Bumps Races:

In bumps races, rowing crews are lined up along a river at specific intervals. All crews begin at the same time and attempt to catch up with the boat in front of them. If a crew is able to pass or physically hit a crew in front of them, they are awarded with a ‘bump.’ Because bumping involves physical contact with other boats, it is common for boats and other equipment to become damaged in bumps races. Bumps races are multi-day races, and the crews will line up in the order that they finished the previous day. Both Oxford and Cambridge hold bumps races twice a year for university students. “Town Bumps” races are also open to non-student rowing crews. Notably, the ‘City of Oxford Rowing Club’ organizes Oxford’s races, and the ‘Cambridgeshire Rowing Association’ organizes Cambridge’s races. The next topic we will discuss are stake races.

Stake Races:

In stake races, crews compete against one another. Usually done two at a time to avoid collision, competitors line up at a set point and race to a stake or other marker, then return back to the original start. The stake race format was commonly used in early races in the United States. Finally, the last competition will discuss is the world rowing championships and the Olympics.

World Rowing Championships and Rowing at the Summer Olympics:

Every four years, the World Olympic Games are held where 14 select boat classes are raced. Men and women are divided into select categories: men, lightweight men, women, and lightweight women. Men race the quad scull, double scull, single scull, coxless four, and coxless pair.  Lightweight men race only the coxless four and double scull. Women race the quad scull, double scull, single scull, eight, and coxless pair. Lightweight women only race the double scull.

This concludes today’s article on rowing as competition.

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