ROWING IS GROWING!

Why not try Canada’s most successful Olympic Sport!? Rowers propel boats through water using oars that are attached to the boat at oarlocks that are suspended by outriggers. Not to be confused with canoe/kayak, rowers face backwards and drive the boat predominantly with the legs by means of a sliding seat.

Anatomy of a rowing shell

Although not difficult to learn, rowing requires teamwork, technical proficiency, and places a high demand on physical strength and cardiovascular ability.

Rowing clubs in Nova Scotia cater to both the recreational and competitive minded with programs that include learn-to-row, recreational, competitive (junior, senior, masters), university, and adaptive.

BENEFITS

Rowing is a unique sport with many distinct benefits:

• A life-long sport enjoyed by all ages (typically ages 12+)
• Individual or team oriented (what sport can you do on your own or with 2-8 friends!)
• Non-impact sport (as a result, rowing has a very low incidence of injury)
• Uses all major muscle groups through a full range of motion (combine running and power lifting and you have rowing!)
• Emphasizes fair play and sportsmanship (rowing has a rich history of gentlemanly conduct, especially in Atlantic Canada)

TYPES OF ROWING

There are two types of rowing, sculling and sweep rowing.

A competitive single sculler at full speed

In sculling, each rower has two oars (one oar in each hand) and boat sizes typically include a single scull (one rower two oars), double scull (two rowers two oars each), and quadruple sculls (four rowers two oars each).

Two sweep rowers help propel their crew of eight (not shown).

In sweep rowing, each rower has one oar each that extends to either the port (left) or starboard (right) side of the boat. Boat sizes typically include the pair (two rowers one oar each), four (four rowers one oar each), and eights (eight rowers one oar each). In sweep rowing, pairs and fours are often steered by a coxswain (onboard ‘jockey’/coach). In such cases the pair and four are then called a coxed-pair and coxed-four. Eights always include a coxswain.

A dockside coxswain instructs a new learn to row of eight oarsman.

Traditionally, learn to row programs teach new rowers to sweep in eights. Such boats are extremely stable (in comparison to a single scull!) and the advantage of having an onboard coxswain in addition to a coach makes the learning experience safe, productive, and fun. Many learn-to-row participants then gravitate to smaller sweep boats and sculling as their interests and abilities increase.

CONTACT A LOCAL CLUB

Learning the basics of the rowing stroke take only a few lessons (and a lifetime to master!). Whether you are interested in recreational or competitive rowing one of Nova Scotia’s four affiliated clubs has a program for you.