You may have seen them in the Olympics or in movies, or perhaps gliding along the waterways of your community: long, sleek boats powered by strong women, with the gracefully choreographed stroke-and-feather of oars barely making a splash as they enter and exit the water as though slicing through air. But don't let the poetic grace of this ivy-league sport fool you: these women are elite athletes.
General Profile
While many women participate in rowing through private rowing clubs and public and private high schools, elite female rowers fit a specific profile that includes both strength and power. According to "Applied Anatomy and Biomechanics in Sports," elite female rowers fit the mesomorphic body type that's characterized by lean, muscular bodies and balanced weight distribution. Mesomorphy is a dominant trait in both male and female rowers at the elite level, and the book adds that female rowers usually tower above most women, hovering at around 6 feet.
Light Weight Class
A rowing competition, or regatta, separates athletes into two weight classes, light weight and open weight. Light weight females must weigh less than 130 lbs., a low body weight for a tall, muscular female athlete; a 2001 article in the "Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine" notes that overtraining and disordered eating is a concern for light weight female rowers struggling to stay within their weight class. Both individuals and boats have weight restrictions in the light weight category. Boats are powered by crews of either four or eight rowers, and the average weight of all rowers in a light weight boat may not exceed 125 lbs.
Open Weight Class
Open weight rowers weigh more than 130 lbs., with no upper weight limit. However, overweight rowers with a high body fat percentage slow a boat down. Because open weight women rowers are conscientious of body composition, the "Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine" articles also mentions that overtraining and disordered eating are of concern to this weight class as well. Open weight boats do not have an average weight restriction.
Coxswain
The coxswain sits in the bow of the boat facing the other rowers, calling out a cadence and giving instructions through a megaphone. In essence, the coxswain steers the boat and motivates the crew. From her vantage point, she can see the other boats in the competition and make judgment calls about stroke speed and tempo. Because the coxswain does not row, she does not need the height and strength of her teammates. Most coxswains are diminutive by comparison, small in stature and light in weight. However, if a coxswain weighs less than 110 lbs., sand bags can be added to the boat to equalize boat weight between competitors.
References
- Regatta Watcher's Guide: Competitive Categories
- U.S. Rowing: Classificatiion by Weight
- World Rowing Championships: About Rowing
- South Crew: Coxswain's Guide
- "Applied Anatomy and Biomechanics in Sports"; Timothy R. Ackland, Bruce C. Elliott, and John Bloomfield; 2008
- "Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine"; Prevalence of Eating Disordered Behavior in Collegiate Lightweight Women Rowers and Distance Runners; Karlson, Kristine A., M.D., et al.; January 2001
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