On Saturday, July 28th, 2012, the highly acclaimed Eton Dorney Lake, near Buckinghamshire, will be the site where the Olympic blades hit the water. Here are ten facts, to help better understand the sport of Rowing!
1. Since the modern Olympic Games started, Rowing has been one of the original events.
2. The two sides of the rowing boat are called Starboard and Port.
3. Eight boats can be 60-feet long.
4. Sweep rowing is using only one oar, while sculling is rowing with two oars.
5. The coxswain is the member of the boat who controls everything. They steer, give orders, and direct the other eight rowers.
6. The middle seats 4, 5, and 6 are the largest and strongest members in an eight boat. They are the muscle or Power House within the boat.
7. The person in the 8 seat is called a stroke. This person is responsible for setting the tempo for the whole boat.
8. Winter is also called "Erg Season" for rowers. Ergometers are the indoor rowing machines used when the lakes and rivers are frozen.
9. The first rowing club in the U.S. was the Detroit Boat Club, founded in 1839.
10. Most races are 2,000 meters in length, or approximately 1.25 miles.
I am very excited about the London Olympics and I am sure all the Rowing events will be great examples of endurance, teamwork, and the perfect stroke. Good luck to the U.S.A. Rowing Teams!
Ashley Hodge was a member on the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities Women's Rowing Team. After three months on the freshman team, she participated the next three years on the varsity team. For the majority of her rowing career, Ashley sat in seat seven, behind the stroke.
