Rowing:

A water sport for the physically fit

Gliding along the smooth waters of a lake in your own boat, steered by you would be one of the most thrilling experiences that you might be longing for. If so, we have some good news for you.

With the growing poularity for rowing, a sport which has been in existence in our country for a long time, this simple dream of yours is not far from becoming a reality. But, before that, let's look at some interesting facts about this sport which would save you some homework if you are willing to take up rowing some day.

It is a sport which is done either on a lake, a river or the ocean, where the oarsmen try to race with each other on boats. Although it is a sport, it can also be done as a recreational activity. However, this is a sport which requires a high level of physical fitness, balance and cardiovascular endurance. This remarkable sport is one of the water sports in the Olympics as well.

The first form of modern rowing races is believed to have begun from competition among the professional watermen who provided ferry and taxi services on the River Thames in London. If we go back further in history, we can find that the sporting element has been present, even since the earliest recorded references to rowing, which go back to 1430 B.C.

Basics of rowing

Looking at some basics of the sport, the first noticeable thing is that during rowing, the athletes sit in the boat facing backwards, and use the oars which are held in place by the oarlocks to propel the boat forward. The rear part of the boat is called 'stern' and the front is called the 'bow'. It is noteworthy that these boats are also referred to as 'shells' or 'fine boats'.

There are two forms of rowing, namely 'Sweep-oar rowing' and 'Sculling'. Sweep or Sweep-oar rowing is where each rower has one oar, held in both hands. This is done in pairs, fours and eights. Each rower in a sweep boat is referred to either as 'port' or 'starboard', depending on which side of the boat the rower's oar extends to. In nautical terms, 'port' means the left, and 'starboard' means the right.

In Sculling, each rower has two oars where they have one for each hand. 'Sculling' is usually done in doubles, quadruples (fours), or singles without a coxswain. The oar in his or her right hand extends to the port side, and the oar in his or her left hand extends to starboard. If, the word 'coxswain' is new to you, the 'coxswain' is the person in charge of a boat, particularly for its navigation and steering.

It would be interesting to know how rowing differs from other water sports. The distinction between rowing and other forms of water sports, such as canoeing or kayaking, is that in rowing the oars are held in place at a pivot (revolving) point.

This allows the oars to act as a lever of force, rather than a paddle. In flat-water rowing, the boat is narrow to avoid drag, and the oars are attached to oarlocks at the end of outriggers extending from the sides of the boat.

For your information, an 'outrigger' is a part of a boat's supports which is rigid and extends beyond the side of a boat, and 'drag' is the force that resists the movement of any solid object through a fluid. These boats also have sliding seats to allow the use of the legs in addition to the body to move the oar and so drive the boat.

Rowing in Sri Lanka

Rowing in Sri Lanka has quite a long history and is governed by the Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka. Many schools such as S.Thomas' College, Royal College and Musaeus College have made rowing part of the schools' sports activities, and there are many institution-based rowing clubs such as in Universities, etc.

The Colombo Rowing Club founded in 1864, is the premier rowing club in Sri Lanka. This organises many spectacular rowing events each year such as the Opening Regatta, South-West Monsoon Regatta, Inter-Monsoon Regatta, North-East Monsoon Regatta and the Closing Regatta.

Apart from that, the Rowing Club of the University of Moratuwa organised the 'Bolgoda Regatta', which was yet another great rowing event. Regatta is the word used to refer to a boat race among the rowing community.

The best news for you children is that there is an opportunity for you to take up rowing as a sport if it is provided by the school, or simply you can get the Junior Membership of the Colombo Rowing Club if you are close by, and get proper guidance under a coach even if you are ten or twelve years of age.

This is sure to be an activity which would make you strong, and increase your endurance, but it must be noted that extra care must be taken if you are dealing with a body of water.

Aravinda Dassanayake