Sport rowing

Related Topics:
GB - Henley Royal Regatta

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In the context of sports, rowing or sculling is a system of competition that refines the rowing of boats into a specialized discipline. In the United States, high school and collegiate rowing are also sometimes known as crew.

Related Topics:
Sports - Rowing of boats - United States - Collegiate rowing

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It is a speed sport in narrow boats, where the athlete sits on a sliding seat above the water level and faces backwards, using oars to move the boat. This may be done on a river, a lake, or on the sea.

Related Topics:
Athlete - River - Lake - Sea

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There are two forms of rowing:

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• In sweep-oar rowing, each rower has only one oar and holds it with both hands. In sweep boats each rower is either port (strokeside in the UK) or starboard (bowside in the UK) which refers to whether his oar extends to the port or starboard side of the boat.
• In sculling, each rower has two oars (one in each hand), and because of this symmetry the rowers are not referred to as "port" or "starboard."

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The relative obscurity of rowing has helped it develop an introspective atmosphere, where long hours, early mornings on the river, and the physical pain of the event are the price of being a part of the rowing community. The intense focus of top rowers on their sport is unusual even by the standard of similarly excellent competitors in other sports.

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One piece of equipment commonly used when training for rowing, the "indoor rower" (a.k.a. "ergometer", "ergo" or "erg"), has become popular as a sport in its own right.

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Sport rowing: History ►