PROFILING INTERNATIONAL ‘SCHOOL – CLUB – INTERCOLLEGIATE – ELITE’ ROWING TECHNIQUE AND BOAT PERFORMANCES DURING TRAINING AND RACING

Abstract

Rowing is a strength endurance sport - technical proficiency will ensure strength, endurance and other physiological capabilities are translated into maximising boat speed. Rower, blade, boat and water are in continual interaction during the rowing stroke and must be highly coordinated during its continuous, cyclic and ‘closed skill’ movement under changing external (wind, weather, temperature) and internal conditions (stroke frequencies, boat velocity, mutual influence in a team boat and progressive fatigue). For success in any level of competitive rowing, athletes must use their technical skills and entire performance capacity (e.g. physical, condition, coordination) to achieve and retain a high average boat velocity throughout the race (Mattes, 2012). Monitoring and analysing boat and athlete-specific aspects of rowing technique and performance during training and racing, is seen as an area of opportunity to assist coaches and athletes at any rowing level to monitor the progress (short/ long-term) during training and towards a well prepared race design.