“The most common question I get asked is ‘how do you do it? And I say I don’t know – I just do it.”

It’s no wonder that people ask Colin Watts where he finds his motivation. Last week alone he was on a Wattbike for 2 and a half hours, an indoor rowing machine for over 3 hours (twice) and a SkiErg for 2 hours and 45 minutes, covering a distance of around 30K. The morning we spoke he had rowed a marathon on an indoor rowing machine in 3 hours 24 minutes. He can also do an 11 minute plank.

Colin began his journey on an indoor rowing machine soon after he left a secure unit, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He had been on a type of medication which caused him to put on weight, and wanted to find an exercise to help him get back in shape. When asked why he chose the indoor rowing machine, Colin said simply “I just got on it.” Unsurprisingly, he lost the weight he’d been wanting to lose quickly, and hasn’t looked back since, spending at least a few hours in the gym per day, 6 days a week.

For Colin, however, the best part of exercise is how he feels afterwards. He describes it as a “healthy drug” that leaves him with a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. It’s a well-earned feeling – “People can’t believe how long I’ve been on a machine when they look at my screen,” he says.

Colin’s fastest 50k was done in just 3 hours 40 minutes – although since we spoke he’s managed a faster time!

Colin is meticulous in tracking his achievements. He was awarded the Concept2 5 million metre rowing badge just 10 months after he started on an indoor machine. In a year and a half he received his 10 million metre t-shirt and a 15 million metre shirt came soon afterwards. He has over 2,000 pictures of ergo screens on his camera roll.

“Some people will try to challenge me in the gym,” Colin says in his matter-of-fact way, his voice free of boast. “But they can’t really.”

Colin wants to start to put his miles to good use. His goals going forwards are to hit 20 million tracked miles with Concept2, and to start to take part in charity rows.

Colin’s next plan is to start taking part in RowTheDistance challenges, and any other rows which help people raise money for good causes.

We wish Colin the best of luck as he continues with his impressive exercise routine – well done Colin!

Colin was put in touch with us through the charity P3. To find out more about their work,

The post Meet Colin – The man who has rowed over 15 million metres since 2014 appeared first on British Rowing.

Happy International Women’s Day! 

Today (Tuesday 8 March 2022) we want to celebrate all the phenomenal women who form our rowing community.

Scroll to find stories from 93-year-old British champion Val Coleman and former GB rower Baz Moffatt, as well as a workout from Olympian Jade Lally and a fantastic challenge to raise money for equality.

The inspirational Val Coleman

Last week we were lucky enough to catch up with 93-year-old Val Coleman, who last month competed in the World Rowing Indoor Rowing Championships, managing to shave 12 seconds off her PB.

Val took up indoor rowing after a hip injury as a way of staying fit while recovering. That injury is now long-gone, as a result of her dedicated rehabilitation and determination to stay active.

“I want to keep spreading the word that you’ve really got to keep active once you’re over 60.”

Val’s dedication has made her World and British record holder for the Women’s 90-94 2000m HWT and British record holder for the Women’s HWT 90-94 500m. She soon hopes to compete in 5000m events, and we wish her the best of luck!

Read our full interview with Val here >>>

Work out with Jade Lally

Discus Olympian Jade Lally also competed at WRICH, winning silver in W 500m. Follow her top workout below!

Fancy a challenge?

Throughout the whole of Women’s History Month (March), Row The Distance are running the .

With 25% of every entry fee will be donated to equalitynow.org and a great medal to win, this is the perfect way to make the miles you row count!

You can choose to row either 2k, 5k, 10k or more on a rowing machine or on the water. Complete the challenge at a time and place that suits your schedule and submit your scores online to receive your medal.

If you use our discount code IWD20, you can get 20% off your medal!

‘Just by showing up to training you are winning. Let’s celebrate that’

Former GB rower Baz Moffat has shared her top tips with us to enable female rowers to give their best on and off the water.

“Historically, best practice in sport has been based on male athletes’ performance and needs”

Baz is on a mission to shake up the way we approach women’s health, and she’s tackling rowing first.

This Girl Can

No one gets to choose how you exercise other than you. Your body, your call. And whatever that looks like, This Girl Can think it’s worth celebrating.

This Girl Can is a fantastic movement which celebrates women in all shapes and sizes.

Row at midnight

Did you know that is donating money for each person that logs a 5k today?

All you need to do is visit their website and sign up, before logging your metres.

Live from the West Coast of the US, Lisa Weise is hosting a 5K for International Women’s Day (at midnight our time) with Zoom Ergos to join the challenge.

The post International Women’s Day: Inspirational stories, expert workouts and charity challenges appeared first on British Rowing.

Ninety-three-year-old Val Coleman might not have won her category at this year’s WRICH, but she did improve her own time by 12 seconds, and is rightfully very proud of her result.

“My daughter Martha says I’ll get the title back at 95,” Val says with a smile in her voice, before adding how happy she was for Canadian Alida Kingswood, who won the W 90-94 200m category this year.

From the way Val speaks about rowing you’d think that she’d been at it for years, but her career only really started after she broke her hip a few years ago.

She credits her love of rowing to Martha. While visiting Martha’s boat club during her recovery and watching the boats be put on the water, Val was urged to ‘have a go’. She caught the bug and hasn’t let off since, with no less than four world records to her name.

“I want to keep spreading the word that you’ve really got to keep active once you’re over 60.”

The injury that started Val’s journey into rowing has long since passed – she partly credits this to her time on the indoor rowing machine. “It doesn’t bother me at all now.”

Although her positive attitude is commendable, Val isn’t flippant about her recovery – she’s clear that recovery takes time. “But I had lots of support,” she adds happily.

“The indoor machine at home was a life saver over lockdown.” Val says, and her dedication has made her World and British record holder for the Women’s 90-94 2000m HWT and British record holder for the Women’s HWT 90-94 500m. Now that life is returning to normal, Val enjoys going to her local club, Fishguard & Goodwick Jemima Rowing Club to exercise with friends. “It’s a wonderful club, full of enthusiasm and inclusivity.”

It comes as no surprise that Val is extremely passionate about continuing to keep active later in life. “I want to keep spreading the word that you’ve really got to keep active once you’re over 60. People have told me I’m an inspiration, and if I can inspire people to keep active, then I’ll be happy.”

“I’ve been told that I can do a 5K if I work up to it slowly, so I’m practising – I did 1000m this morning, and 1,500m this afternoon.”

Val’s exercise doesn’t stop at two indoor rowing sessions a day. She swims every morning and does Pilates three times a week, on top of her rowing training. “I love to walk,” she says, mentioning that she’s in several walking groups in Fishguard.

When asked whether she was going to continue to compete, Val’s answer was a very quick “Oh, yes.”

“I’ve been told that I can do a 5K if I work up to it slowly, so I’m practising – I did 1,000m this morning, and 1,500m this afternoon.”

We’re so glad that Val took the time to talk to us for International Women’s Day and we wish her the best of luck for her 5K aspirations!

The post ‘People have told me I’m an inspiration, and if I can inspire people to keep active, then I’ll be happy’ appeared first on British Rowing.

When can I watch?

You’ll be able to watch the virtual competition live through the links below from 11am on Friday, 25 February and from 10am on Saturday, 26 February.

Who is representing Great Britain?

Representing Great Britain are an incredible 73 entrants, with a particularly large portion of masters entering the competition.

Among them are Phil Clapp (World Champion in the Men’s 500m from the last two years) and Jade Lally, who previously represented Team GB at the Rio Olympics in discus and who competed at the British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC) last December. BRIC saw Jade achieve a new 1 minute British Record of 355 metres in her age category.

Other previous BRIC competitors taking part in WRICH include 93-year-old Val Coleman, World and British Record holder for the Women’s 90-94 2000m HWT record of 12.53.9 and British Record holder for the Women’s HWT 90-94 500m in 3.00.0. Alan Bell, 95, will also be taking part.

Read our full event preview here

Watch Day 1

Live from 11am, 25th February 2022

Watch Day 2

Live from 10am, 26th February 2022

Caught the Indoor Rowing bug?

Indoor rowing is the perfect full-body exercise, using an amazing 85% of your muscles covering nine major muscle groups. It’s low impact, so it protects your joints, and it’s great for everything from weight loss to injury recovery and supplementary training.

Discover more benefits from indoor rowing here.

Where can I start?

You can start indoor rowing at almost every local gym, or you can take part in a Go Row Indoor class, which combines indoor rowing with circuit-based exercises for a great workout. Find your local Go Row Indoor class here.

Ready for the next level?

Racking up the miles on the rowing machine? You can see how they equate to some real distances by signing up and logging your distances in our online challenges. You’ll even be able to win medals for your workouts! Find out more about our British Rowing online challenges here.

The post World Rowing Indoor Championships: Livestream appeared first on British Rowing.

Inspired by the Mayflower pilgrims’ voyage to America 400 years ago, Craig Chaulk recently rowed the same distance – 3,150 miles – on his rowing machine, finishing the journey in 47 days.

With funds going towards his club, the and the , we caught up with Craig to find out more.

1 – What inspired you to replicate the voyage of the Mayflower pilgrims?

As a rower based in Plymouth, Devon, the Mayflower pilgrims’ voyage is a large part of the history of the city.

I first had the idea to replicate a virtual Atlantic row last summer to coincide with the .

When Covid-19 struck, resulting in lockdown and the subsequent cancellation of many Mayflower 400 events, I was furloughed and I felt this was the perfect opportunity for a challenge to commemorate the pilgrims’ historic voyage.

The distance of the row was calculated based on starting at the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, UK to Plymouth Rock at Plymouth, USA – a distance of 3,150 miles (nearly 5,070,000m).

The ship took 66 days to complete this voyage – this was my target. The aim was to row on average 85,000m a day – more than two marathons a day!

The hardest part was when we had the heatwave – I was indoors, rowing in what felt like a sauna

2 – How did the row go?

I started the challenge on Monday 18 May 2020, and on day 25 I passed the halfway point. During the challenge, I thought it would be pretty awesome to try and beat the best distance the Mayflower ship sailed in a single day at 83 miles.

So, on day 34, I managed to row the furthest distance of the challenge, equivalent to 3.21 marathons at 135,423m (84.15 miles). In the final week I was averaging 126,000m per day.

On day 47 – Friday 3 July 2020, I completed the row which I streamed live on Facebook with a Row Along event where people could watch the finish and also row the final 1,000m with me.

3 – What was the hardest part?

As I live in a top floor flat, I had to consider my neighbour below. I had to squeeze 10-11 hours of rowing in a rotation of two hours on, one hour off, beginning at 7am and finishing at 9pm.

I planned to row in four quarters. The first quarter would be the biggest strain on the body whilst adapting to the routine/row; the second quarter would be more of a mental challenge approaching the halfway point. After halfway would be both mentally and physically challenging and the last quarter would be more physical, knowing that I was nearing the end.

The hardest part though was when we had the heatwave – I was indoors, rowing in what felt like a sauna whilst everyone else was enjoying themselves taking advantage of the situation!

Rowing on a rowing machine in a fixed place gets very monotonous, so to pass the time I set myself 15-minute distance targets on a two-hour shift; upbeat positive music worked well too.

4 – How will the money raised help the club?

Mayflower Offshore Rowing Club’s premises is under threat as waterside locations in Plymouth are becoming prime real estate. Just next to the club, planning permission for luxury apartments has been submitted and it’s only a matter of time till the landowners sell the current club site. The club is trying to find suitable alternative locations in which they can access the water without incurring an incredibly high rent.

To support the RNLI and Mayflower Offshore Rowing Club, you can donate .��

The post Plymouth rower completes indoor challenge to commemorate Mayflower voyage appeared first on British Rowing.

Since 24 March, the UK has been in lockdown in order to slow the spread of coronavirus. So what are the priorities for rowers right now? Six GB Rowing Team practitioners offer their thoughts.

1 – A flexible training programme

“It would be easy for people’s physical health and emotional well-being to be impacted at present. To make this a priority why not introduce more flexibility and self-determination into the training programme?

Allowing people to complete sessions in a way that works for them both across the week, and in the modality that they’re motivated for, could help people safeguard their health and leave them ready to emerge back onto the water with renewed energy and enthusiasm when the time comes.”
Tom Dyson, Chief Coach – Paralympic Programme

2 – Routine and reflections

“During the lockdown I’m finding it beneficial to keep a routine. I keep in touch with the rowers I coach and support them. I also run or ergo which makes me feel fit and refreshes me mentally.

Doing some gardening and cooking gives me a sense of enjoyment because I don’t normally have the time to do such things in ‘normal’ life. Above all, I’m constantly reflecting on what I am learning through this and what I will take forward once we come out of the other side.”
Jane Hall – High Performance Coach

3 – Nourish your soul

“Get out and go for a walk or a run, it always clears you mind.�� Where possible, swimming in a lake takes you away from the day-to-day worries.�� And finally, a good block of cheese is great for the soul!”
William Winstone – Performance Psychologist, GB Para-Rowing

I’m constantly reflecting on what I am learning through this and what I will take forward

4 – Nutrition: do the basics brilliantly

“Include a protein-rich food at each meal – e.g. eggs, dairy foods, meat, fish or pulses – to repair and build muscles. Be smart with your carbohydrate choices: opt for versions that release energy slowly – e.g. oats, sweet potato or multigrain bread.

Eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables every day – as many colours as possible to increase your intake of antioxidant compounds to help support your immune function.

Remember to stay hydrated by sipping on fluids throughout the day. Avoid a dry mouth as saliva contains proteins with antimicrobial properties, which help prevent viruses or bacteria entering via the mouth.”
Wendy Martinson – Nutritionist

Get out and go for a walk or a run, it always clears you mind

5 – Target strengths and weaknesses

“Having clear goals of areas to work on will help with motivation for training, particularly if training on your own for an extended period.

It’s standard practice to target your weaknesses, and while this is important, that approach can be hard to sustain every session for a long period of time.

So, it’s also important to know the things you’re good at and aim to have sessions where you build on your strengths and remind yourself of the things that you’re good at. This will help keep training enjoyable and keep your confidence high.

Working with your coach or another rower in your crew, make a list of the things you do well, and the things you need to improve. Spend some sessions working on your weaknesses, but also some sessions where you target your strengths and make them even stronger.”
Tom Pattichis – High Performance Coach 

Slow down, connect with family and friends and get plenty of rest

6 – Reduce anxiety and maintain life balance

“Regular physical activity can help to support your immune function and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety during this time. However, be cautious with drastic changes to your habitual training volume and intensity as this may suppress immune function, especially if you are unaccustomed to it.

Strike a balance and use some of your newly found spare time to slow down, connect with family and friends and get plenty of rest. Try new hobbies and complete tasks that you wouldn’t usually make time for.”
Sarah Moseley – Lead Physiologist

The post Tips for rowers: how to stay healthy during the COVID-19 lockdown appeared first on British Rowing.

Because of Moe breaking the record, indoor rowing grabbed the headlines, making the mainstream news as Rich Stock, who was working at the event, remembers.

He said: “There had been a lot of chat in the build-up to the race as to whether Moe might be able to beat the record, but the experts at Concept2 were advising that the conditions weren’t great for a record attempt.��I remember the excitement on the race floor as it was confirmed that Moe had beaten the record.”

The news quickly spread beyond the velodrome, as Stock explained: “That year, the event managed to reach the top trends on Twitter for the UK and Moe’s record was on the front page of the BBC News and Sport page which was a real breakthrough for indoor rowing.”

Read on to see how the British Rowing website reported it.

Moe Sbihi says he was inspired by the race between Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell at BRIC 2003 and hopes his performances have proved inspirational as well

Olympic gold medallist Moe Sbihi has thrown down the gauntlet to anyone competing at the British Rowing Indoor Championship (BRIC) on 10 December, challenging participants to get near the British record time he set 12 months ago.

I was there when teammates James [Cracknell] and Matt [Pinsent] went head-to-head in a real hammer of the race

It’ll be no mean feat, with Sbihi smashing Sir Matthew Pinsent’s 11-year-old record at the Lee Valley VeloPark in 2015, stopping the clock at 5:41.8 for his 2km effort.

The Indoor Championships is the competition that made Sbihi see the sport of rowing in a different light and inspired him to pursue his dreams of reaching the top.

“It’s a really exciting event to be part of. It’s evolving and changing,” he said of BRIC.

“I remember in 2003 I was there when teammates James [Cracknell] and Matt [Pinsent] went head-to-head in a real hammer of the race. Cracknell ended himself and Pinsent just sat back and just pipped him at the end.

“There was the contrasting feeling of Pinsent looking relaxed and a little bit out of breath, while Cracknell was on the floor.

“That affected how I saw rowing, and hopefully what I did last year will inspire someone to give it a go and try and beat my score. My score is out there in public, so go and beat it.”

See more of our highlights of the decade: numbers 6 to 10

The post Highlight 7# of the decade: Moe Sbihi smashes 2km record at BRIC 2015 appeared first on British Rowing.

As a self-confessed ergo monster, here are my tried and tested secrets for getting the best out of that 2km race at the Mizuno British Rowing Indoor Championships next Saturday.

1 – Look on the bright side

This is your chance to see how much your fitness has improved. See it as a measuring exercise.

2 – Never stop

Providing you are fit, never ever stop partway through a session – whether it’s training or a test. If you’ve gone off too hard, feel sick, whatever the voices in your head are telling you, never stop.

Even if you limp home with 3 minute splits, you always have to complete the distance or time.

The only exception to this is if you injure yourself or feel seriously ill. You need to train your brain to be tough.

3 – Do some physical preparation

For a 2km race, you need to do at least 2 x 1,000m with a short break between, and some shorter pieces. I like to do 1,250m or even 1,500m to boost my lactate tolerance about a week before.

When you get down to the last week or so, you should be doing a practice piece every other day. Do a long piece a week before, then 2 x 1,000m, then 2-4 x 500m, and finally 2 x 250m the day before the test. These should each target a specific section of the race, and you should be at your goal split and rate, even if it feels easy. So practise starts, mid-race pace and finishes, and rehearse your mental plan at the same time. Alongside this, minimise your other training if you can.

Think about what really motivates you, what gets you excited and fired up

4 – Know your pacing

For your target time, work out your required average 500m split. Aim to be a second quicker than your required average in the first and last 500m, which is mostly achieved in the first and last 100-200m! Aim to be a second slower than your average in each of the middle 500m sections – this is your mid-race pace and you’ll actually do most of the test at this pace.

You need to know what rate works for you too; for most people this is somewhere between 28 and 34.

If you are huge it’s probably lower, if you are lighter and quick then the higher end is all yours. It’s about what is most efficient and natural for you, so play around with it a bit until you find your sweet spot.

Practise hitting your rate and split with your eyes closed. Look at your previous test splits to see where you were weakest and target this with your best motivational thoughts. Use the power curve display if possible – it’s great feedback that lets you know if you’re falling apart technically and keeps your mind off how far you’ve got to go.

5 – Have a plan for your head

We all know that rowing machine tests are the natural home of the darkest thoughts and the deepest self doubt. This is normal and afflicts everybody, and the key to dealing with it is to have a plan to fight back. Think about what really motivates you, what gets you excited and fired up. It could be a person you want to make really proud, the mental picture of racing past the enclosures at Henley, or the crew or individual you really want to crush. Break the test down into sections and use one of these thoughts for each section. During your preparation pieces, try to conjure up these feelings and images as realistically as possible. It’s a big help!

You want heroics? That’s what the last 500m is for

6 – Take control

If you’ve done your prep then you know your pacing and mental plan; you know your warm-up routine and you know the drag you want.

Do a short warm-up a couple of hours before the race. I usually row 2km at steady state, with a few bursts at race pace, and visualise the race.

Then rest. Warm up again for 15 minutes before the race, doing some mid-pace bursts and a start or two. Do learn to set the drag so that it is consistent during your preparation and the test, and always check this before you start.

Take food and drinks that you know will sit easily on your stomach. Don’t eat or drink too much beforehand – you don’t need that many calories and you don’t want to be sick, but do make sure you start the day well hydrated.

Sit on your machine. All you have to do is start, and then follow your plan. This is your territory now, in 6/7/8/9 minutes it will all be over so use those minutes to do something to be proud of.

If you’ve done your prep then you know your pacing and mental plan

7 – Don’t go off too hard

When the race starts, allow yourself ten strokes flat out and then start to think about gradually coming onto your mid-race pace and rhythm so that you hit it by about 250-300m. The start of a rowing machine test is no place for heroics. Once you’re on pace, stay consistent, relentless and stoic. Just grind it out.

You want heroics? That’s what the last 500m is for. I start counting strokes with 600m to go, I find 2 x 15 and 3 x 10 is about right, trying to ramp it up each time. More power, more rate, whatever you have, half slide is common at this stage; you’re in pain anyway so you might as well… Just remember to undo your feet before you fall off at the end!

Good luck!

The post Racing at BRIC21? Olympic champion Anna Watkins provides her top tips appeared first on British Rowing.

The World Urban Games is a three-day multi-sport event featuring competition and showcase sports alongside a cultural festival, which took place this year on 13-15 September in Budapest, Hungary.

Eight men and eight women had the chance to test their strength and skill in varying distances and formats of indoor rowing over the three days, with the goal of determining the best all-round indoor rower.

Having placed first on , 17-year old Vwairé Obukohwo won the right to represent GBR at the event. A member of the World Class Start Programme based at Twickenham Rowing Club, Vwairé took third place overall across the weekend in a field which included current women’s heavyweight 2k world record holder Olena Buryak. Vwairé took the time to fill us in on her experiences at the three-day sporting festival.

How did you find your first time at the World Urban Games?

The event was an amazing experience. It was my first ever international competition so at first I felt completely out of my depth, especially being the youngest competitor. However, once I got there the vibe was so positive and the upbeat atmosphere immediately calmed most of my nerves.

How did you find the 6 events that made up the indoor rowing competition?

The challenges were so different from the standard 2k, so it really pushed me as an athlete while still being able to have a bit of fun. I enjoyed the format of one long distance and one short distance event everyday, as it made the performance a bit more challenging but you were still able to showcase an array of talents. My favourite was definitely the 10 power strokes because it’s something I’m familiar with and have always found really fun – since there is no pacing needed, you can absolutely end yourself. The toughest challenge was the elimination event. It mostly tested how well you could read a race, which is a skill I have yet to fully develop as I have only been rowing for about 18 months.

What was it like competing against some of the biggest names in indoor rowing?

Prior to getting to the event I had many mixed feelings. I was extremely nervous because I knew that they were going to make the competition that much harder, but at the same time I was very excited to meet people that I look up to and aspire to be later on in my career.

What’s next for you?

I’ll be attending the British Rowing Indoor Championships in December which I am very excited for – because I will be with the under 23’s, it’s a great chance for me to compete with a new pool of people and see what I am capable of. As this is my first season as a senior, the main focus will be getting to grips with the tougher competition.��I’m excited about getting faster on the water as well!

And lastly, can you fill us in on how you got into indoor rowing?

I got into indoor rowing through my Sixth Form rowing club. At my first ever rowing competition (NJIRC 2018), I found the World Class Start programme and it transformed my life. I found out so much about what I’m capable of and rapidly exceeded my expectations. Indoor rowing has made me fitter and more resilient which aids my day to day life.

If you think this could be you, and are interested in finding out more about World Class Start, check out everything you need to know here on the British Rowing Website.

The post Third place for World Class Start athlete Vwairé Obukohwo at World Urban Games appeared first on British Rowing.

‘Row The Distance’ gives people the chance to sign-up to indoor rowing challenges online, complete them within a specified timeframe and receive a bespoke medal and certificate upon completion. As well as being a great way to get active and challenge yourself on the indoor rowing machine, it is also a fun way to boost training and reward the completion of goals.

The initiative launches with a wide range of medals and challenges available, including monthly and annual challenges and one off, unique challenge medals with themes such as James Bond and Rowing the Atlantic.

Helen Rowbotham, Director of Innovation at British Rowing, said: “We are hugely excited to announce this collaboration with Race The Distance. We really believe that everyone should get involved in indoor rowing as it’s a fantastic all-over body workout, and Row The Distance is the perfect way to challenge and reward yourself on the indoor rowing machine.”

Race The Distance Director Chris Withall commented “It is a great pleasure and honour for Race The Distance to be involved in this fantastic project.�� Participation in sport, fitness and improving health are our core objectives as a company and it is a privilege to bring our virtual challenges to the rowing community.”

With the indoor rowing community turning its attention to the upcoming Mizuno British Rowing Indoor Championships on 7 December, ‘Row The Distance’ is the perfect opportunity to set training milestones on the way towards race day. to browse the range of medals and set yourself a challenge today.

The post British Rowing teams up with Race The Distance for indoor rowing virtual medal offer appeared first on British Rowing.