Leisure Kicks - The essencial sport and leisure guide

When it comes to rowing, only a few countries can even rival the incredible talent pool and facilities found in the UK. Britain has long been a dominating force in the sport on the world stage and hosts some of the world’s most prestigious regattas in the sport. The annual boat race between Oxford and Cambridge universities is an integral part of the history of the sport and is so well known across the world that it is simply called ‘The Boat Race’, running annually since 1856. 

Rowing is an endurance sport that involves the rowers sitting in long narrow boats and using one (known as a sweep) or two oars (known as sculling) to propel the boat forward. Stroke technique is a notoriously difficult thing to master and learning it involves excellent body and spatial awareness. Rowing is considered one of the toughest sports in the world, and provides an incredible low-impact workout in often beautiful outdoor settings. Rowers compete individually or in teams of up two, four or eight with or without a coxswain, meaning that the sport can be enjoyed as part of a team or as a more solitary activity. There is also a lightweight class of rowers in competition, meaning that not everyone who takes up rowing has to be above average in height. 

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World Rowing: in pursuit of the perfect stroke