What the rowers want

by Melissa Bray

In between rowing really fast at last year’s World Rowing Championships in Eton, athletes were busy filling out surveys expressing their views on the sport of rowing. The essence of the finding boiled down to delight with the Eton championships, disappointment in issues stemming from anti-doping and desire to see innovation at regattas.

The athletes loved the available wireless internet and friendly volunteers, but wondered where the recycling bins were for empty water bottles. Transport and toilets and changing areas remain at the top of the list with necessary hygiene a key concern.

Communication from FISA was most preferred, by a large majority, via the website. In terms of access to anti-doping information one third of the athletes expressed concern over the amount that was available from FISA. However, a majority of competitors said that they had a good understanding of doping control measures. About 25 per cent of athletes said they had not been tested in the last 12 months with the majority of this coming from Africa and Latin America.

Athletes were welcoming about making changes that may help to glamorise the sport and increase spectator and television interest. Many of the athletes also believed that they could be part of FISA’s push to attract sponsorship.

Of the three Rowing World Cups in 2006, the second World Cup in Poznan, Poland rated the highest for both on and off the water facilities. The report noted a demand for higher standards in off the water facilities especially at the Lucerne (SUI) World Cup.

There was a mixture of discussion concerning the newly reinstated European Rowing Championships with a variety of opinions on when it should be held in the season with a mixture of responses between the start and the end of season.

A long list of changes to make rowing more viewer-friendly to the public included more inventive television coverage, “GPS, heart rate and rating graphics. Cameras on boats and underwater.”

“When televising races, there should always be a small picture in the corner of the screen to show who is winning.”

Suggestions on introducing 500m racing at World Cups or 500m racing for undersubscribed events like the lightweight men’s eight were also aired.

For the full report please click here.

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