Rowing Facts

• Rowing is one of the few athletic sports that uses all major muscle groups.


• Unlike other boat sports like canoeing or kayaking, rowing involves a boat with oars secured to a pivotal point on the boat.  Rowers sit on a seat on tracks with use of their legs a key component to each stroke – making this a complete body workout.


• Rowing in the Olympics can be traced back to 1896 with the first Olympics in Athens, although the first event had to be canceled due to rough harbor conditions.


• Standard race lengths range between 1000 meters to 2000 meters long.


• Competitive rowing categorizes rowers by age, weight and sex.  Junior rowing is for those 18 and under.  Masters rowing is for those over 27.  Weight categories are lightweight and heavyweight.  The common limits for lightweights are 130 lb. for women and 165 lb. for men.

Basic Terminology

Sweep rowing:  Sweep rowing involves more than one rower in a boat, with each rower pulling only one oar.  Therefore rowers adapt to rowing on a particular side of the boat, either starboard (right side) or port (left side). Sweep rowers usually row in a boat with 2,4 or 8 rowers.

Sculling:  Sculling can involve anywhere from one rower up to eight.  In sculling, each rower uses two oars.

Shell:  the typical name of the boat that is used. Originally made from wood, it is now common to find shells made from a composite materials such as carbon fiber, kevlar, and fiberglass.