Rowing in Brazil

How rowing defined the rivalry between Rio's great sports clubs
19th century regattas at Rio 2016 venue were root of modern-day rivalry between Flamengo, Vasco da Gama and Botafogo

Mention Flamengo to most sports fans and they will think of Zico. Talk about Vasco and it won't be long before Romario enters the conversation. And get on to Botafogo and surely Garrincha, or nowadays Clarence Seedorf, will be top of the list. But before the footballing greats of Rio de Janeiro, there was another story. And it was played out on the water, way back in the 19th century.

The intense rivalry between Rio’s great sports clubs, which today is seen most vividly in the fiercely contested football matches at the Maracanã Stadium, arose on Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. This lagoon in the centre of the city, located under the gaze of the Christ the Redeemer statue, was the setting for memorable regattas between the boats of Flamengo, Vasco da Gama and Botafogo – hugely popular multi-sports clubs in Rio that still reference rowing in their names: Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas and Clube de Regatas Vasco da Gama……continue to read here