Sport rowing

History

Rowing boats (or similar vessels) have been around for centuries, but before the 18th century, there is little mention of boat races. In the 13th century, Venetian festivals called regata included boat races among others. Nowadays, rowing competitions are still called regattas (with a second 't' added).

Related Topics:
Venetian - Regatta

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The first modern rowing races, in the second half of the 18th century, were races between watermen on the River Thames in England. The race, called the Doggett's Coat and Badge first started in 1715 and is still held each summer. Subsequently, rowing became extremely popular both as an amateur and professional sport, often with thousands of spectators for events. From the first University Boat Race between Oxford University and Cambridge University in 1829, which was also the first intercollegiate sporting event, student rowing has become increasingly popular. In the Anglo-Saxon world, there is also a sizable school rowing community. The Harvard-Yale race is the oldest intercollegiate sporting event in the United States having been contested every year since 1852. The oldest inter-high school competition in the United States also occurred on the water, in the form of a race in six man boats between two Elite New England boarding schools: Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, and Phillips Andover Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.

Related Topics:
River Thames - Doggett's Coat and Badge - University Boat Race - Oxford University - Cambridge University - Harvard-Yale race - High school - New England - Boarding school - Phillips Exeter Academy - Exeter, New Hampshire - Phillips Andover Academy - Andover, Massachusetts

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Rowing today is governed by the FISA, which has organized World Rowing Championships since 1962. Rowing has also been conducted at the Olympic Games since 1900 (canceled at the first modern Games in 1896).

Related Topics:
FISA - World Rowing Championships - 1962 - Olympic Games - 1900 - 1896

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Strong rowing nations include Great Britain, the United States, France, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Romania. Well-known rowers of recent years include Sir Steve Redgrave (UK), who won Olympic golds in five successive Olympics in the coxed four, coxless pair and the coxless four; Sir Matthew Pinsent (UK), who won golds in four successive Olympics, two with Redgrave in the coxless pair and two more (once with Redgrave) in the coxless four; James Tomkins (Australia), three times Olympic gold medalist, twice in the coxless four and once in the coxless pair, also the only man to have won World Championships in every sweep oar event; Rob Waddell (New Zealand) and Xeno Müller (Switzerland), opponents in the single sculls; Ekaterina Karsten (Belarus) in women's single sculls; and Kathrin Boron (Germany) in women's double sculls and quadruples.

Related Topics:
Great Britain - United States - France - Canada - Germany - Australia - Romania - Steve Redgrave - Matthew Pinsent - James Tomkins - Rob Waddell - Xeno Müller - Ekaterina Karsten - Kathrin Boron

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