World Rowing • Rowing

Our new brand identity is launched.

Thank you to the many hundreds of people who contributed to its creation. This short film briefly explains the thinking behind its development and the values it symbolises.

Find out more

Elite

The ultimate goal of a rowing athlete is to become an Olympic Champion. Reaching full potential as an elite rower takes years of hard training and it is usually the athletes with the longer experience who achieve the best results.

Juniors

A junior rower is 18 years old or younger and often first begin to row in school. Competitive junior rowers aim to compete at the World Junior Championships and there is also a strong community of competitive school rowing worldwide.

Under 23

A rower may compete in an under 23 event until 31st December of the year in which he/she reaches the age of 22. Under-23 rowers tend to be rowers who are too old to race as juniors but are still in need of further development before they can rank amongst senior rowers.

Masters

A rower may compete as a Masters rower from the beginning of the year during which he or she turns 27. Masters rowers compete at the World Rowing Masters Regatta. Masters rowing also focuses on the health and fitness benefits of rowing, socializing and forming friendships.

Adaptive

Adaptive rowing is rowing or sculling for rowers with a disability who meet the criteria set out in the Adaptive rowing classification regulations. Adaptive implies that the equipment is “adapted” to the user to practice the sport.

Continental

A continental rower races in continental championships, which can be used as stepping stones for developing athletes to gain the experience needed to compete at senior events.

Sprint

Sprint rowing is competitive rowing completed over the shorter distance of 250m, 500m or even 1000m. Sprint rowing aims to make rowing far more accessible as a spectator sport and holds the blue riband events of the sport, the 8+ and the 1x.

Coastal

Coastal rowers row on the open sea in a boat designed for wavy water. Not only does coastal rowing develop physical well-being, it is also very exhilarating.

Recreational

Recreational rowers enjoy tourism, sight-seeing, sport and friendship. Crews do not compete against one another; instead rowers go on tours around the world in an effort to introduce rowing to nations who are not familiar with it

Indoor

Indoor Rowing has been widely used in rowing training for many years. But recently, indoor rowing has grown from a tool for off-the-water training for the serious rower to a sport in its own right.