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Rowing is a sport held on the surface of the water, where athletes propel a boat using oars. Rowing as a sport was developed in 18th century London, starting with races between professional watermen on the river Thames.

Rowing may be held indoors, like on artificial lakes; or outdoors on rivers, canals, and oceans. The number of members on each team vary depending on the boat class, there’s events for individuals, such as the single scull, up to events for eight athletes called coxed eight.

Rowing has two forms, sweep in which each rower has one oar held with two hands; and skulling in which each rower has to oars, one in each hand. The boats used are racing boats, which are also called shells, they are long, narrow and semi-circular. The oars used are long (about 250-300 cm), and have a flat end which is also called the blade.

sweep rowers

Rowing Variations

• Sculling Rowing — a form of rowing, in which a person uses oars, one in each hand, to propel a single or double scull rowing boat.
• Sweep Rowing — each rower has just one oar which is maneuvered with both hands to propel the boat.
• Coastal (Offshore) Rowing — a type of rowing performed on open water, requiring wider and more robust boats than those used on rivers and lakes.
• Surfboat Rowing — a team of riders compete using surfboats on a course out and back through the surf.
• Beach Sprint Rowing — short rowing race in the open water also involving a beach sprint.
• Ocean Rowing — long distance rowing races across entire seas and oceans.
• Indoor Rowing — competitions performed on a rowing machine that simulates the on water action.

Similar Paddling Sports

• Dragon Boat Racing — a paddling sport using a traditional Chinese long boat with up to 20 paddlers.
• Canoeing — paddle sport in which the rider kneels or sits facing forward in a canoe.
• Kayaking — boat races using a small, narrow boat propelled using a double-bladed paddle
• Canoe Sprint — sprint canoe racing on flat water over distances from 200m to 5000m.
• Sprint Kayaking — sprint kayak racing on flat water over distances from 200m to 1000m.
• Outrigger Canoeing — racing using a type of canoe featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull.

Related Pages

• Rowing at the Olympics
• 2000m Rowing Ergo Fitness Test
• About Paddling Sports
• Complete list of sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports — a list of every sport from around the world.

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