Rowing umpires and organisers highlighted for International Women’s Day

Images have long played a powerful role in influencing behaviour. For International Women’s Day the World Rowing community collectively contributed to celebrate and promote equality. World Rowing celebrates these women working to continuously improve the standard of rowing regatta organisation.

The percentage number of national umpires that are women has risen slightly since 2013, going from 29 per cent to 31 per cent in 2018. Japan has the highest number of national women umpires followed by the United States, Russia and Australia. For Japan it equals an impressive 477.

On the international umpire side, the percentage of women has risen from 23 per cent in 2013 to 27 per cent in 2018. Just over half of these come from 57 countries with South America holding the biggest percentage of women umpires at 46 per cent. North America follows with 38 per cent.

National Federation board members throughout the world sat at 17 per cent women in 2013 and by 2018 had moved to 22 per cent. The percentage of women is healthiest in North America where 48 per cent of the board are women. Asia sits at the low end of the scale with 13 per cent of board members being women.

For anyone interested in becoming a World Rowing Umpire please contact your national federation. Here is the link. 

Photo montage (from left to right)

1. Umpire Baldeneysee by Philip Schmolling
2. French Rowing Federation
3, Spanish Rowing Federation
4. by Franc Brugman
5. New Zealand National Championships by Rowing New Zealand
6. South African School Row by Rowing South Africa
7. Fiona Dennis ‘finishing’ a race at Henley Royal Regatta. Fiona is a Steward at HRR and was the first ever international FISA qualified female to umpire at the regatta in 2016 just  177 years after the regatta was first run. By Richard Dennis
8. 2018 World Rowing Championships by Italian Rowing Federation
9. Umpires in Munich, Germany, by Philip Schmolling