| Rowers may take part in the sport for their leisure or | | | | class'). It was not deemed feasible to run bumps racing |
| they may row competitively. There are different types | | | | on the Tideway, so a timed format was adopted and |
| of competition in the sport of rowing. In the U.S. all | | | | soon caught on. |
| types of races are referred to as "regattas" whereas | | | | Bumps races |
| this term is only used in the UK for head-to-head races | | | | A third type of race is the bumps race, as held in |
| which take place in the summer season. Time trials | | | | Oxford (known as Torpids and Eights Week), |
| occur in the UK during the winter, and are referred to | | | | Cambridge (known as the Lent Bumps and the May |
| as Head races. | | | | Bumps), between the London medical schools (the |
| Rowing is unusual in the demands it places on | | | | United Hospitals Bumps) on the Tideway and at Eton |
| competitors. The standard world championship race | | | | College and Shrewsbury School, (which are the only |
| distance of 2,000 metres is long enough to have a | | | | schools in Britain to continue this tradition). In these |
| large endurance element, but short enough (typically 5.5 | | | | races, crews start lined up along the river at set |
| to 7.5 minutes) to feel like a sprint. This means that | | | | intervals, and all start at the same time. The aim is to |
| rowers have some of the highest power outputs of | | | | catch up with the boat in front, and avoid being caught |
| athletes in any sport. At the same time the motion | | | | by the boat behind. If a crew overtakes or makes |
| involved in the sport compresses the rowers' lungs, | | | | physical contact with the crew ahead, a bump is |
| limiting the amount of oxygen available to them. This | | | | awarded. As a result damage to boats and equipment |
| requires rowers to tailor their breathing to the stroke, | | | | is common during bumps racing. To avoid damage the |
| typically inhaling and exhaling twice per stroke, unlike | | | | cox of the crew being bumped may concede the |
| most other sports such as cycling where competitors | | | | bump before contact is actually made. The next day, |
| can breathe freely. | | | | the bumping crew will start ahead of any crews that |
| Side by Side | | | | have been bumped. Bumps races take place over |
| Most races that are held in the spring and summer | | | | several days, and the positions at the end of the last |
| feature side by side racing also called a regatta - all | | | | race are used to set the positions on the first day of |
| the boats start at the same time from a stationary | | | | the races the next year. Oxford and Cambridge |
| position and the winner is the boat that crosses the | | | | Universities hold bumps races for their respective |
| finish line first. The number of boats in a race typically | | | | colleges twice a year, and there are also Town |
| varies between two (which is sometimes referred to | | | | Bumps races in both cities, open to non-university |
| as a 'dual race') to six, but any number of boats can | | | | crews. Oxford's races are organised by City of |
| start together if the course is wide enough. | | | | Oxford Rowing Club[23] and Cambridge's are |
| The standard length races for the Olympics and the | | | | organised by the Cambridgeshire Rowing Association. |
| World Rowing Championships is 2,000 m long, 1,500 m | | | | Bump races are very rare in the United States. |
| for U.S. High School races and 1,000 m for Masters | | | | Stake races |
| rowers (rowers older than 27). However the race | | | | The stake format was often used in early American |
| distance can and does vary from 'dashes' or 'sprints', | | | | races. Competitors line up at the start, race to a stake, |
| which may be 500 m long, to races of marathon or | | | | moored boat, or buoy some distance away, and |
| ultra-marathon length races such as the 'Tour du | | | | return. The 180° turn requires mastery of steering. |
| Léman' in Switzerland which is 160 km, and the 2 | | | | These races are popular with spectators because one |
| day, 185 km Corvallis to Portland Regatta[22] held in | | | | may watch both the start and finish. Usually only two |
| Oregon, USA. In the UK, regattas are generally | | | | boats would race at once to avoid collision. The Green |
| between 500 m and 2,000 m long. | | | | Mountain Head Regatta continues to use the stake |
| Two traditional non-standard distance races are the | | | | format but it is run as a head race with an interval |
| annual Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge | | | | start.[24] A similar type of racing is found in UK coastal |
| and the Harvard-Yale Boat Race which cover | | | | rowing, where a number of boats race out to a given |
| courses of approximately four miles (roughly 6.5 km). | | | | point from the coast and then return fighting rough |
| The Henley Royal Regatta is also raced upon a | | | | water all the way. |
| non-standard distance at 1 mile, 550 yards (2,112 | | | | World championships and Olympics |
| meters). | | | | The Olympic Games are held every four years, where |
| In general, multi-boat competitions are organized in a | | | | only select boat classes are raced (14 in total): |
| series of rounds, with the fastest boats in each heat | | | | Men: quad scull, double scull, single scull, eight, straight |
| qualifying for the next round. The losing boats from | | | | four, and straight pair |
| each heat may be given a second chance to qualify | | | | Lightweight Men: straight four and double scull |
| through a repechage. Examples are the World Rowing | | | | Women: quad scull, double scull, single scull, eight, and |
| Championships which offers multi-lane heats and | | | | straight pair |
| repechages and Henley Royal Regatta which has two | | | | Lightweight Women: double scull |
| crews competing side by side in each round, in a | | | | At the end of each year, the FISA holds the World |
| straightforward knock-out format, and does not offer | | | | Rowing Championships with events in 23 different |
| repechages. | | | | boat classes. Athletes generally consider the Olympic |
| Head races | | | | classes to be "premier" events and are more |
| Head races are time trial / processional races that | | | | interested in rowing in these at the World |
| take place from autumn (fall) to early spring (depending | | | | Championships. During Olympic years only non-Olympic |
| on local conditions). Boats begin with a rolling start at | | | | boats compete at the World Championships. |
| intervals of 10-20 seconds, and are timed over a set | | | | Rules of Racing |
| distance. Head courses usually vary in length from | | | | There are many differing sets of rules governing |
| 2,000 m to 7,000 m. | | | | racing and these are generally defined by the |
| The first, and arguably most famous head race is the | | | | governing body of the sport in a particular country. In |
| Head of the River Race, founded by Steve Fairbairn in | | | | the UK this is the Amateur Rowing Association and in |
| 1926 which takes place each March on the river | | | | Australia this is Rowing Australia. In international |
| Thames in London, United Kingdom. Head racing was | | | | competition the rules are set out by the world |
| exported to the United States in the 1950s, and the | | | | governing body FISA. The rules may vary slightly but |
| Head of the River Charles Regatta held each October | | | | are generally very similar. The main notable difference |
| on the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts, USA is | | | | between ARA rules and FISA rules is that coxes are |
| now the largest rowing event in the world. | | | | not required to wear buoyancy aids in international |
| These processional races are known as 'Head Races', | | | | events governed by FISA, whereas they are required |
| because, as with bumps racing, the fastest crew is | | | | to wear one at all times under the ARA rules. |
| awarded the title 'Head of the River' (as in 'head of the | | | | |