Bannière
Surf Rowing Competition
Competition is the reason why surf rowers put themselves through so much torment and training.  The rules of a race are quite simple.  The crews, of which there can be up to six in a race, line up on the beach in about knee deep water, standing along side the boat.  The race begins when the starter fires his gun and the crew members jump into the boat and begin to row away from the beach.   They race to a turning buoy approximately 350 to 400 meters off the shore. The crew turn the boat around the buoy and then race back to the beach.  An average race is between 4 to 6 minutes depending upon the conditions.
The Surf Boat race
 
The race can be broken into five stages.  The first is the start were the rowers jump into the boat...
 
Jumping into the surf boat
 
...and then they row the boat out through the breaking surf requiring explosive power
 
Negotiating the break
 
The second stage after the boats are through the broken surf and the crews row the boat to the turning buoys is where fitness and good rowing technique are important.  When the boat reaches the turning buoys the crew executes a turn and they then enter the third stage of a race the row back to the beach.Turning around the bouy 
 
This is also where fitness and good rowing technique are important with the added skill of being able to make the boat “run” with the following swells. 
 
Catching a wave towards the beachThe fourth and final rowing stage of a race is surfing the boat back to the beach and this is where the skill of the sweep is most important. The run to the finish line
 
The fifth and final stage of a race is where a crew member dismounts from the boat for a short run up the beach to a flag to complete the race.

What Can a Rower Expect From a Race?

A surf rowing competition is very physically demanding, the races are conducted in a sprint format with all competitors racing at least 4 or 5 times in an event with the winners racing up to 8 or 9 times.

It is a fast-moving and spectacular format, with each race taking between 4 and 6 minutes.  The surf conditions always will deliver unpredictable outcomes – anyone can be a winner.
 

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