There are two fundamentally different types of rowing - rowing and rowing. The first is when the oar is connected to the boat through the oarlock. The rower usually sits backwards. Examples of such rowing are folk rowing, boat rowing, rowing on yawls and yawls. There are competitions in yawl rowing, and they are especially popular in the Russian Navy and other countries. The largest competition is held in Finland, the so-called “Kircha Boat” or church boat, where over 600 teams participate and the distance is 60 km. And of course, the Olympic event is rowing.

Folk rowing

These are ordinary pleasure boats, they are also sometimes called “gigs” or “yawls”. Such boats are quite wide and stable - mastering them is not difficult. Each has a rudder and one or two pairs of oars, which are fixed in oarlocks. Rowers sit on benches - banks and rest their feet on special stops. Folk rowing was very popular in the USSR.

Rowing

Athletes propel the boat with oars while sitting backwards. This type of rowing is divided into two types: sculling and swing. In the first case, they row with two oars, in the second, respectively, with one. Boats come in singles, doubles, fours and eights. On an eight there is always a coxswain, twos and fours can be either without a coxswain or with one, while a single rower is always controlled by a rower with oars.

Distances range from 500m to 160km. At the finish line, the speed of the 8 boat can reach 30 km/h. In rowing, it should be noted that the cost of boats is relatively high compared to other types. For example, the price of a professional single boat starts from 1,000,000 rubles.

Kayaking and canoeing

This is where the so-called rowing without strings- this is when the oar is not connected to the boat, but is in the hands of the rower. When riding these boats, kayakers and canoeists face forward. It is very difficult for beginners to maintain balance. All boats are divided into singles, doubles and fours. Kayaking and canoeing are slightly different:

Dragonbot

Dragon boat D-10, D-20 is a ten- or twenty-seater canoe. It appeared in China more than two thousand years ago. The boat has the head and tail of a dragon. Therefore, its name is not just metaphorical. Dragon Boating was recognized as a separate sport in 2007. It is very popular in Asia and is gradually gaining popularity here.

Twenty people row, listening to the rhythm of the drum located on the bow of the boat. The “steersman” (at the stern) controls the large steering oar. This type, compared to others, is accessible to almost everyone, because no skills are needed to start training as a dragonbot. To start rowing in the “dragon”, 5 minutes of instruction on the shore and 5 minutes in the boat under the supervision of a trainer are enough. In the future, all that remains is to improve your technique.

Outrigger

An outrigger is a small, single-person canoe with a float attached to the side. Such a boat can overcome fairly large waves, so races on them are often held in coastal sea areas.

The rowing technique here is similar to rowing on a dragon. The only difference is that the athlete can row alternately from the left or from the right side. The paddle is also T-shaped, but has a wider blade compared to the dragon boat. The outrigger has pedal control like a kayak.

This article discussed the main types of rowing on smooth water. There are also many ways to row on white (or white) water. These are all kinds of extreme types of rowing - rafting, kayaking, water tourism, catamaran rowing and others. They are fundamentally different from those discussed above and require special protective equipment, and also require appropriate reservoirs or special technical structures that can create streams of stormy water.

10 reasons to do rowing:

1) Rowing is a unique sport in which the athlete uses 95% of the muscles of the body. There is no place for serious injuries; the exercises are aimed at developing muscle elasticity. In one hour of rowing, about 550 kilocalories are burned - the same as during intense swimming.

2) The name of the discipline speaks for itself. This is a workout not only for the body, but also for the head. Frivolous and careless people do not stay in this sport. If you contact an experienced rower, then you are automatically dealing with a well-mannered, disciplined and polite person.

3) Rowing is a serious and responsible sport. Achieving high results requires endurance. It is for this reason that rowing develops sociability and responsibility in a person.

4) Rowing has been included in the Olympic Games program since 1896. Together with rowing, as an Olympic sport, the origins of the artistic gymnastics, boxing, sailing and football.

5) The rowing program involves frequent trips to world and European championships, which in turn allows you to make interesting and very useful contacts.

6) This sport is considered one of the most expensive and elite. Many people note that rowing is on a par with Formula 1 racing, golf and horse racing. The cost of one boat (skiff) ranges from 400 thousand to 2 million rubles.

7) The first official rowing race took place in 1715 in London. The most famous competition among rowers also takes place there: Oxford and Cambridge eights race. Competitions of this class are held once a year and are not inferior in importance to the Formula 1 Grand Prix races.

Among the races of this level are the following:

Charles River Regatta is a rowing competition on the Charles River, which separates Boston and Cambridge in Massachusetts, USA.

Henley Royal Regatta- an annual regatta that has been held in England, in the city of Henley since 1839.

This struggle of the English elite is worth seeing with your own eyes.

8) Maximum concentration. The main task of the rower is to stay on the surface of the water in a fragile expensive boat with heavy massive oars, while moving in such a way as not to capsize and force the entire structure, along with itself, to move at an average speed of 15-20 km/h, which is not at all easy on the water. .

9) Aesthetic reason. In addition to developed physical fitness and mental activity, it is pleasant to simply sail on a boat, at sunset, in the calm, renouncing everyday problems, listening to the water beating against the sides of the boat with each new stroke of the oar, breathing fresh air and enjoying the present, without thinking about anything. the future, nor about the past.

10) Financial benefit. You can hit the jackpot at international competitions. For example, after winning the World Championships, a person receives $5,000 a month for another two years from the International Rowing Federation.

The “For Beginners” section is intended for those who do not know what rowing is or have recently started practicing this sport.

Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions:

Question: What is rowing?

Answer: Rowing is a type of rowing on special sports vessels - narrow boats with rowlocks (extended over the sides) and movable banks (seats). There are rowing vessels: oar (athletes are distributed equally on both sides; each rows with one oar) and sculls (each rows with two oars). Races are held along a straight course, mainly at a distance of 2000 m. There is no registration of records in rowing, since results even on the same course change sharply depending on the direction of the wind and the state of the water (temperature, current, pollution... .). Competitions are held on paired boats - singles, doubles, fours and swing boats: doubles with and without a helmsman, four with a helmsman, four without a helmsman and eight with a helmsman.

Question: What are the boats called in rowing, otherwise ordinary people call it a kayak, but it’s not true!!!

Answer: Academic ships are called skiffs.
Skiff, a sports racing boat for rowing competitions. It is distinguished by its extremely lightweight design. The contours are rounded with a length-to-width ratio from 25: 1 to 35: 1. Sheathing is made of polished sheet material - veneer of valuable wood, plastics, etc. Scythians have external oarlocks, movable seats (can), foot rests (footrest) . Rowers almost always call boats not Scythians, but either by the company where it was made (Empacher, Filppi, Kevlar, Zinters, special order (wooden Dzinters), TMK), or by the territory where it was made (German, Italian, Kaliningrader...)

Question: Why are rowing races often called regattas? (Don Regatta, Great Moscow Regatta, etc.)

Answer: Regatta (Italian regata, from riga - row, line; starting line), a large, usually traditional, sailing and rowing competition, consisting of a series of races for ships of different classes. One of the first famous regattas was the Venice Gondoliers Regatta, which took place in 1740. From the middle of the 19th century. regattas. sailing and rowing began to be held in Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, from the end of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. - in the Scandinavian countries, Russia, the USA, Canada, Latin American countries, etc. The Henley Rowing Regatta (held since 1839 on the Thames River near Henley, near London), the Great Moscow Regatta (since 1961) and " Amber oars" (since 1965, Trakai region of the Lithuanian SSR) - in rowing.

Question: What is a paddle and what does it look like?

Answer: (vm. lucky, from carrying) a pole with a blade, for rowing on the water. It looks like this:

Question: What does the word “tabana” mean?

Answer: Row, sea, row a boat in the opposite direction, for reverse.

Rowing is a cyclic sport in which almost all muscle groups are involved. Unlike canoeing or kayaking, in this type of rowing athletes move forward with their backs. This sport is most widespread in Western Europe, America, Australia, Russia, New Zealand and Romania. Since 1896, men's rowing competitions have been included in the Olympic program. Women had the opportunity to compete in rowing at the Olympic Games only in 1976. In addition, the World Rowing Championship and Cup, as well as the Nations Cup, are held annually in rowing. There is also a Cup and World Championship for youths and students. This brief description rowing, now let's get to know it better!

Rowing Basics

There is no perfect rowing technique, as each athlete has his own technique and understanding of the process. It follows from this that the main task of a rowing coach is to adapt the athlete’s individual technique to certain conditions. The main element of the rowing process is the stroke itself. It consists of two stages: start/hook/grab and end. The cleanliness of both stages affects the speed, balance and trajectory of the boat. By the way, depending on the direction of the stroke, the boat can move both horizontally and vertically.

As the number of rowers in a boat increases, the influence of the quality of the stroke on the boat's progress increases. Ideally, all athletes should start and finish the mushroom at the same time. In reality, even the best teams in the world do not have rowers working at the same time. Sometimes the difference reaches tenths and even hundredths of a second, but it still exists.

Rowing can be paired or swing. In the first case, the athlete works with two oars, each of which he holds with one hand. And in the second, rowing occurs with one oar, which is held with two hands.

The boat's crew can include one, two, four or eight oarsmen. In some classes, the weight of the athlete is regulated. Men and women can compete in such a discipline as rowing.

The Olympic program includes the following rowing classes:

1. Single.
2. Double sculls, double sculls and light weight double sculls.
3. Quadruple swing and doubles.
4. Eight.

This is only Olympic rowing. Competitions at world championships are more diverse:

1. Single light weight.
2. Men's two-piece swing with a helmsman, men's two-piece swing light weight.
3. Men's four men's swing with coxswain, four men's sculls light weight.
4. Eight men's light weight.

In all classes where the gender of the athletes is not specified, both men and women can compete.

The weight of the helmsman is regulated by the rules. If the helmsman weighs less than normal, then the boat is loaded with ballast. The gender of the helmsman does not depend on the gender of other crew members. Thus, a female crew may have a male helmsman and vice versa. Olympic Games are an exception - here the entire team must be of the same gender. At commercial tournaments, it is sometimes allowed to have both women and men in the crew.

Classification of rowers

In this sport there is a clear distinction between scullers and rowers. Athletes who work with swing oars can be either propeller or tank oars. The first ones hold the oar on the left side, and the second ones on the right. Calculations show that for the boat to move smoothly, the propeller crew members must exert 5% more effort than the bow crew members. In a team of four or eight athletes, the strongest of them sit closer to the nose.

Peculiarities

Rowing differs very significantly from kayaking and canoeing. The differences relate to both the method of movement and the level of loads received by the athlete. This sport uses about 95% of human muscle groups. Here are the main differences from kayaking and canoeing:

1. Distance. It can vary from 0.5 to 160 kilometers. It all depends on the nature of the racing. Juniors “B” (up to 16 years old) swim 0.5-1 km. Juniors “A” (from 16 to 18 years old) - 1-2 km. For everyone else, the standard is a 2-kilometer ride. And distances of more than 2 kilometers are considered marathon.
2. Method of movement. A characteristic feature of rowing is that athletes move backwards. Buoys help athletes keep to a given trajectory.
3. Movement speed. The average speed for a boat in rowing is about 20 km/h. During jerks (start and finish), it increases to 30 km/h. This is the last indicator that distinguishes rowing. Eights, by the way, are the fastest, both in jerks and in the middle of the distance.

Boats

A rowing boat is a light, narrow, elongated vessel that has movable seats and swivels placed overboard for attaching oars. Boats can be training or racing. In the first case, the ship is slightly wider and its sides are higher. Initially, boats were made exclusively from wood. Based on the method of plating, a division of ships into “Clinkers” and “Scythians” appeared. The “Clinker” boat was sheathed with longitudinal slats, and the “Skif” boat was sheathed with veneer or plywood, made from a valuable type of wood. Later, plywood and veneer were replaced by composite materials. Today, the “clinker” lining of boats has become obsolete, so all racing boats began to be called simply “Skiffs”. The production of boats from carbon materials using the multilayer “sandwich” principle began in 1980. High-quality materials are used as a connecting link in this technology. epoxy resins. Modern boats are quite expensive. The price of a single vessel starts from about a thousand dollars.

Oars

The oars used in rowing are made using epoxy curing. They have high elastic-strength characteristics, operational stability and low weight. The paddle blade consists of three layers and is produced using the “direct” pressing method. And the rod, which has an oval cross-section, is made by winding followed by hardening.

Inventory requirements

The official rules impose the following requirements on inventory:

1. Boats with fixed oarlocks are not allowed to compete.
2. The step must be made in such a way that when the boat turns over, it does not prevent the rower from getting out of the boat as soon as possible, without using his hands.
3. There should be a weather vane holder and a white rubber ball on the bow of the boat.
4. Minimum boat weight without radio systems and oars: single - 14 kg; steering double - 32 kg; double sculls, helmless - 27 kg; steering four - 51 kg; rudderless four - 50 kg; quadruple steam room - 52 kg; eight - 96 kg.
5. The blades of oars must be at least 5 millimeters thick. Along the edges, the thickness decreases, starting from a distance of 3 mm from the edge. The blades of oars should be 3 mm thick, starting 2 mm from the edge.

Traditions

In the West, rowing has long-standing traditions, which are strictly and even enthusiastically supported by athletes. The main ones:

1. Since the beginning of the 19th century, the classic Royal Regatta has been taking place in London on the River Thames, in which the crews of Oxford and Cambridge compete.
2. The most common swimming distance, if you do not take into account children's and youth competitions, is 2 km. The exception is a few British classic races.
3. Stewards hold the boats until the starting signal. No equipment is used at the start.
4. If the team wins the race, the helmsman is thrown into the water. If there is no helmsman on the team, then all crew members jump into the pond holding hands.

Terms

Almost any sport can boast of specific terms and jargon. Rowing is no exception. Let's look at some of them.

Jar. This is what a movable seat is called. It is made of wood or plastic and rides on 4 wheels on special rails. Thanks to the mobility of the seat, the athlete can help himself with his legs.

Step. It is a pair of shoes attached to a metal plate. Plays the role of support during the push. In a race without a helmsman, one of the rowers has his right boot connected to the steering mechanism to adjust the direction of movement.

Skids. These are the rails along which the can moves.

Elbow/bracket. Metal tubes that are fastened together in the form of a cone and installed on the sides of the boat (in pair boats - on the left and right, in swing boats - on the left or right). They act as a support for the oar.

Bulwark. A plate fixed along the top of the side, perpendicular to it. Protects the crew from splashes.

Visor. It is installed behind the back of the first number and protects the crew from water.

Swivel. Serves to attach the oar to the end of the bracket.

Spout. A rubber ball mounted on the bow of a boat. Prevents damage to equipment in the event of a ship collision with anything.

Heel. A plastic part that limits the length of the oar.

Outstanding rowers

Surprisingly, the youngest champion in rowing was a 10-year-old boy who got into the crew completely by accident. He was taken onto the team instead of the ill helmsman. This happened in 1990.

The most outstanding rower was the Englishman Steve Redgrave. He won every competition, including the Olympics, for 20 years. Before the fifth Olympics in 1992, doctors found Steve diabetes mellitus. He did not give up and once again became a champion, after which he left the sport. All Olympic rowing champions dream of repeating Steve’s achievement. By the way, in the USSR there were 18 of them. In Russia, there are only four Olympic champions so far: Igor Kravtsov, Nikolay Spinyov, Alexey Svirin and Sergey Fedorovtsev.

International Rowing Federation

The International Federation organizes and conducts competitions different levels. In addition, she is working to expand the geography of competitions, improve the rules, improve training methodology and other areas of development of this sport.

In accordance with the International Classification, rowers of both sexes at competitions are divided into age categories. Juniors under 18 years old. Those athletes who were 18 years old at the start of the regatta belong to the senior age category.

• seniors group A (all seniors);
• seniors group B (athletes aged 19 to 21 years);
• seniors of group B (this does not include athletes belonging to sports clubs).

Young rowers are divided into 5 age categories and into two groups in accordance with sports qualifications. There are the following age categories: 11-12, 13, 14, 15-16 and 17-18 years.

• group 1 (all athletes)
• group 2 (this does not include athletes united by sports clubs).

The year of the regatta coincides with the calendar year. Coxswains are members of teams, meaning that, for example, a male rowers' boat can only be steered by a male coxswain. There are no age or qualification restrictions for adult team racing.

Boats of youth rowers, on the contrary, can only be steered by coxswains - representatives of the youth category (minimum age 12 years). Before each race, coxswains must submit their minimum weight.

The weight of male coxswains should be 50 kg, the weight of female coxswains should be 45 kg. A weight of 5 kg can be compensated using ballast. The weight of a 17-18 year old helmsman, regardless of gender, should be 45 kg (with a maximum ballast weight of 5 kg). The ballast should be located close to the helmsman. Students do not need a definition minimum weight for the helmsman.

Competitive distances

• For seniors (men) of group A and group B, the length of the rowing distance is 2000m.
• For male rowers aged 17-18 years, qualification group 1, it is 1500m.
• All other athletes (men and women) cover a distance of 1000m.
• For athletes aged 11-12 years, the length of the rowing distance is 750 m (for both men and women).
• Along with these regular distances, there are short distance races (maximum length 500 m) and long distance rowing competitions (minimum length 8000 m).

Competitions

The competition system guarantees wide participation in competitions of representatives of all age categories and groups determined in accordance with sports qualifications. The rowing calendar, published annually, schedules approximately 120 regattas. The rowing competition season begins in April with the long-distance race and ends in October with the autumn long-distance regatta, as well as team championships.

Comparison of results

Due to the different depths of the reservoirs where competitions are held, the characteristics of rowing distances, and also due to the influence of specific weather conditions, there are no absolute time records in rowing. However, at the most famous distances, established records are still recorded.

Comparison of the results (time) of individual categories with each other is carried out by the so-called “time ratio”. The starting point for this is the time shown by the eight at these competitions. If the other teams are at approximately the same level, then the time shown by them (under relatively identical weather conditions) will exceed the time of the eight by the number of seconds: