Epic Racing at this year’s edition of the British Rowing Indoor Championships

Over the weekend of the 7th and 8th of December, British Rowing hosted their flagship indoor rowing competition: the British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC). World Rowing sent their writer Johnny Luk to investigate and to don the World Rowing kit to compete…  

Nestled in Birmingham, the UK’s second-largest city, in the sprawling National Exhibition Centre (NEC), BRIC ran for the second time as part of FitFest, billed as the ‘Greatest Competitive Fitness Expo.’ This enabled indoor rowing to be mixed with 15,000 fitness enthusiasts alongside other competitions, including CrossFit, the England Weightlifting Championships, obstacle and running races.

Upon entering the venue, BRIC was unmistakably prominent, with high-tempo music competing with the chorus of enthusiastic crowds. Nearly 1,800 competitors from 33 nationalities looking to claim glory, some travelling as far as New Zealand and the USA, with the event also proudly hosting their largest-ever adaptive entry for BRIC.

Having signed myself up for the Saturday racing for the Men’s 500m 30-39 lightweight age group, I had to weigh in at least two hours before my race in a side room where eagle-eyed officials ensuring all the numbers were correct. Having made weight, I joined the throng of athletes, coaches, and fans roaming around the huge complex. We were immersed in dubstep and colourful lights, with athletes of all abilities excitingly testing new outfits and equipment from various sports-themed pop-up stalls, or enjoying exotic snacks in the food halls.

Returning to the rowing zone, I joined with the small army of rowers, sipping drinks, exchanging friendly small talk (aren’t rowers just the friendliest bunch!) and listening periodically for race numbers to be called. When it was our turn, we marched into the ‘warm-up’ zone, which consisted of several dozen rowing machines behind the main race floor, as well as a stretching mat. After 15 minutes, we were ushered into a narrow corridor towards the racing floor entrance. We stood in pairs, like gladiators about to enter an arena, each athlete fidgeting with their lycras and going through racing routines. A friendly official walked by, giving encouraging pep talk and reminding us mischievously to “smile for the camera.”

We then walked onto the racing floor, greeted by a roar from the packed crowds. We beelined to our pre-assigned Concept 2 rowing machine. I was right at the front, just metres from the supporters and the ground vibrated with the electric atmosphere. We quickly set our preferred resistance and kept an eye on our monitors. Looming behind us, a huge screen displayed the familiar little boats, allowing the crowd to follow the race. Then the race started and time moved like a blur, caught with the excitement and adrenaline of the moment. My heart pounded as energising music pumped through speakers, buoyed by an enthusiastic commentator hyping up the rowers. Once the race finished (I came 5^th!), athletes could finally catch their breath, exchange high fives with fellow warriors before being gently ushered out to make way for the next race.

I was in awe at those fast enough to win medals. BRIC clearly fostered strong performances. Stratford-upon-Avon BC’s Jess Dowdson claimed a World Record in the PR1 Women’s 1 Minute event, covering a distance of 213 metres—a whopping 97 metres farther than the previous record. Twenty-four further British Records were also broken, including by BRIC’s oldest female competitor, Hazel Parkins. At 86, she beat the 2,000m British Record by over four minutes with a time of 12:27.8.

Olympians, especially from the Great Britain (GB) Rowing Team, were heavily featured. Paris 2024 Olympic Gold Medallist Lauren Henry won the Women’s 2000m in 6:40.9. Rising star Josh Knight, on the GB Rowing Team Olympic Talent Pathway, won the Men’s 2000m with a time of 5:47.6, defeating Paris Olympians along the way.

The next day was dubbed ‘Super Sprint Sunday,’ featuring creative formats, from 1-minute, 100m, 250m, 1,000m, to a ‘Surprise Challenge’ where competitors completed five rounds, each increasing by a minute, culminating in a fifth round of five minutes. Ben Jago won the Masters Open category, Sander Bølge won the Open category, and Lucy Crundwell claimed the Women’s title.

There was also the ‘Elimination Race’, with a format resembling the movie, Jaws. Rowers raced to stay ahead of pace boats that started with a 5-second head start, gradually increasing in speed. Athletes were eliminated if the pace boat caught them. In the individual Open event, Loïc Schalbetter was the only rower to make it to the end, while Elizabeth Gilmore was the last athlete standing in the Women’s event.

British Rowing CEO Alastair Marks remarks, “It was fantastic to see so many athletes from the indoor and outdoor rowing communities, as well as the wider fitness community, come together for our most successful indoor championships to date. We saw multiple new national champions, several national records and even world records over a fantastic weekend of indoor rowing in partnership with FitFest.”

With entries 30% higher than in 2023, British Rowing, they would deservingly call that a success! Keen to capitalise on their momentum, entries are already open for the British Rowing Indoor Championships 2025 on 6 December, also at FitFest.

Recent BRIC athletes also get the bonus of being able to submit their BRIC scores to the World Open Heats as part of the World Rowing Indoor Championships. Submissions for all entries are still open until the 20^th of January!

World Rowing congratulates BRIC on a hugely successful weekend.

Cover photo – All Mark One/British Rowing