| Rowing is a sport in which athletes race | | | | from the sides of the boat. These boats also |
| against each other over bodies of water. The | | | | have sliding seats to allow the use of the |
| boats are propelled by the athletes levering | | | | legs in addition to the body to move the oar |
| the boat through the water with oars. The | | | | and so drive the boat. |
| sport can be either recreational or | | | | |
| competitive. In the United States and Canada, | | | | There are two forms of rowing. In Sweep or |
| high school and collegiate rowing is | | | | Sweep-oar rowing, each rower has one oar, |
| sometimes called crew. | | | | held in both hands. This is done in pairs, |
| | | | fours and eights. Each rower in a sweep boat |
| Whilst rowing, the athlete sits in the boat | | | | is referred to either as "port" (aka |
| facing backwards (towards the stern), and | | | | "strokeside") or "starboard" (aka "bowside"), |
| uses the oars which are attached to the boat | | | | depending on which side of the boat the |
| at the oarlocks to propel the boat forward | | | | rower's oar extends to. In Sculling each |
| (towards the bow). This may be done on a | | | | rower has two oars (one in each hand). |
| river, lake, sea, or other large body of | | | | "Sculling" is usually done in doubles, |
| water. It is a demanding sport requiring | | | | quadruples, or singles without a coxswain. |
| balance as well as physical strength and | | | | The oar in his or her right hand extends to |
| cardiovascular endurance. | | | | the port side, and the oar in his or her left |
| | | | hand extends to starboard. |
| Whilst the action of rowing and equipment | | | | |
| used remains fairly consistent throughout the | | | | Anatomy of a stroke |
| world, there are many different types of | | | | |
| competition. These include endurance races, | | | | The two fundamental reference points in the |
| time trials, stake racing, bumps racing, and | | | | rowing stroke are the catch where the oar |
| the side-by-side format used in the Olympic | | | | blade is placed in the water, and the |
| games. The many different formats are a | | | | extraction (also known as the 'finish' or the |
| result of the long history of the sport, and | | | | 'release') where the oar blade is removed |
| its development in different regions of the | | | | from the water. The rower leans forward, and |
| world. | | | | bends the legs,sliding forward in their seat. |
| | | | After the blade is placed in the water at the |
| Basics | | | | catch, they apply pressure to the oar, |
| | | | levering the boat forward and simultaneously |
| The distinction between rowing and other | | | | sliding in their seat into the unbent legs |
| forms of water transport, such as canoeing or | | | | position. The part where pressure is applied |
| kayaking, is that in rowing the oars are held | | | | is called the drive phase of the stroke, |
| in place at a pivot point. This allows the | | | | which occurs after the blade is vertically |
| oars to act as a lever of force, rather than | | | | placed in the water. Once the rower extracts |
| a paddle. In flatwater rowing, the boat (also | | | | the oar from the water, the recovery phase |
| called a 'shell' or 'fine boat') is narrow to | | | | begins, setting up the rower's body for the |
| avoid drag, and the oars are attached to | | | | next stroke |
| rowlocks at the end of outriggers extending | | | | |