Indoor Competition

The larger Indoor rowing competitions are generally organised into categories based on age, sex, weight - and as a rule the larger the competition the more categories there will be.  The most common distance raced is 2000m and participants in some events will range in age from early teens to those in their eighties and even nineties!

One of the largest annual events is the British Indoor Rowing Championships which takes place in October or November at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham and which regularly attracts over 3000 competitors.

Internal School Events

Competitions between children in schools have been the backbone of physical education for many years and are back in fashion again. In Indoor Rowing, as in other sports, they provide motivation, sustainability and encourage competitive interest. This competitive structure is now developing nationally, helping to promote Indoor Rowing as a sport in its own right.

Traditionally the indoor rowing machines come out during the autumn term when teachers and pupils think about how to get to grips with technique and fitness, in order to be top school or individual on the circuit. The following is a brief outline of what is available to groups so that they can choose the best competition pathway and allow them to consider all the options.

Competitions based on individual scores for specific times or team relays can be run during PE lessons or made into fun inter-form/year group/house fixtures. These can be impromptu or put into the schools calendar as annual events. Friends and relatives can also be engaged by using competitions as fund raising opportunities where, for example, each pupil rows for a set time during a PE lesson and the distance rowed is sponsored.

Races between staff and pupils and or parents can easily be organised, again specific distances or time can be used for each participant. Or why not run it as a fast action relay where teams compete against other with change-overs enforced every 30 seconds. Any total time can be allocated with the team covering the greatest distance the winners.