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