ACOG - Rowing - IBM

Olympic Rowing Overview

In his book, Winds of Olympic Lakes, three-time men's single sculls gold medalist Vyacheslav IVANOV, who blacked out before the finish line in the finals at the 1964 Olympic Games, described his dramatic victory: "I don't remember how long it was before consciousness gradually returned...I mustered the last ounce of my strength, raised my head and couldn't believe it: there was clear water ahead of me and nobody in front of me in those last 50 meters to the finish. I wondered whether it was a case of delirium and that I was having hallucinations...I managed to find an extra bit of strength, picked up the oars and crossed the line first."

While a clear shot to the finish line is every rower's dream, it is a heroic finish such as IVANOV's that has long defined the drive and dedication of Olympic athletes. Rowing has been a fixture of the Summer Olympic Games since 1900. In 1996, 606 men and women from more than 36 countries are gathered to compete on the waters of Lake Lanier. Only the ultimate test of mental and physical strength face these athletes, and for those who cross the finish line ahead of the rest, the realization of a dream.

Olympic Events

A total of 14 events (eight men's, six women's) make up the Olympic rowing format in 1996, including the addition of three lightweight events: men's and women's lightweight doubles sculls and men's lightweight coxless four.

The Race

Stamina, strength and synchronicity are the key to a clean finish in rowing. There's a sprint at the start of about 40 strokes per minute. The pace never drops below 32 strokes per minute, and is tactically punctuated by 10 or 20 power strokes throughout the middle of the race. As the finish approaches, rowers, always in synch, kick it home even faster than they began. Watch for fatigue to show the last 500 meters. Getting sloppy not only adds time, but could throw an oar or rower.

Any throwing should be saved for the finish, when victorious coxed boats get to dunk the person who got them there, the coxswain. Even lightweights, who have finally made their entree into Olympic rowing, can throw a 100-pound coxswain. The men may weigh no more than 69.75 kg / 155 lbs and women no more than 58.5 kg / 130 lbs.

A smooth start gets the boat off on the right foot. Avid rowing fans will note the new electronic start system, said to ensure fair starts. Watch the number seven rower — rowers answer to their boat position, a seat number used by coxswains to shout orders during competition. Seven is the second rower from the coxswain. It's up to him or her to perfectly match the stroke seat. Get too off from the other side's rowers and the boat will go in circles or stray out of the lane.

What Not to Do

If a boat does stray from its lane, it is not necessarily disqualified. Only if it impedes a rival boat or gains an advantage will officials disqualify a boat for straying. A crew can even lose a member and continue, unless it's the coxswain overboard, which would give it an unfair weight advantage.

Such "mistakes" are uncommon at this level. Elite rowers have mastered those basics and, barring a really bad day, will be concentrating on shaving seconds off the clock.

East Germany had no problem with technique. The team won eight of the 14 rowing events in 1988, and has medaled since 1968. A recent U.S. resurgence in the men's eight has been attributed to the German reunification, which cut the German contingent in half. Fans should keep a close eye on the rivalry between the two countries — including on the women's side. The U.S. women's eight took the silver from the Germans at the '94 Worlds.

Qualification

In Olympic years, the Games take the place of the World Championships. A country's National Olympic Committee qualifies for an Olympic rowing event if a crew from its national federation achieves a certain result in that event at either the 1995 World Championships or the qualification regatta for Asia, Africa, Latin America or Europe. Since it's the country that qualifies, not the specific rowers, different athletes may compete in Olympic competition than those that qualified their country.

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publication Department. Written by Jennifer Knight.


Olympic Factoid
Pin trading was one of the most popular Olympic sports, with more than 1.2 million pins changing hands during the Games in the Coca Cola Pin Trading Center at Centennial Olympic Park.