History of Olympic Rowing
In a stroke of practical scientific discovery, the ancient Greeks were amazed to find that there was a more effective method than a paddle to propel a boat through water. An oar attached to the side of a boat and working against a fulcrum made more efficient use of the rowers below deck on Greek warships. Working in unison, hundreds of arms functioned as a human engine.
Rowing as Recreation
In the 1800s, rowing became a recreational sport in Europe, complete with rowing clubs. Each club formed its own rules until the Belgian Rowing Federation formed the international federation, FISA, in 1892 to ensure a fair yet competitive atmosphere.
The sport became a collegiate tradition on the East coast of the United States after the first intercollegiate sporting event in the country was the race between perennial rivals Harvard and Yale. In years past, winners of the collegiate race qualified for the Games. That's how world-famous Dr. Benjamin Spock competed for the U.S. at the 1924 Games in Paris. His men's eight crew from Yale took the gold by a whopping three-and-a-half boat lengths.
New to the Games
The Centennial Olympic Games will be the first time that lightweights will compete on an Olympic level. Also new to the sport is the use of an electronic start system instead of a referee's call. Rowers will place the bows of their boat in a "clog" which will drop under water at the start. At the same time, rowers will still hear an audible and visual signal (a disc flipping from red to green). Because it holds the boat in perfect alignment and prevents false starts, rowers who have used the AGSO Start at international events feel that it is a fairer system.
Learning to Play by the Rules
Before the international federation was created in 1892, each of the many rowing clubs across Europe raced according to its own rules. Distances varied from 3,000 to 4,000 meters and included several turns around a buoy, stake or ball, rounding either a single point or three points which formed a triangle, much like some yachting courses today. The boats turned sometimes to starboard, sometimes to port, and there were no restrictions on the design or construction of the boats. Amateurism was virtually unknown as bookmakers decided the odds and members of the jury, among others, placed their bets.
This is an official publication of The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Jennifer Knight.
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