World Rowing partners with Ergatta for Gaming and Esports development of its Indoor/Connected Rowing discipline

World Rowing, the international governing body of the sport of Rowing, today announced a multi-year agreement with Ergatta, the leaders in game-based fitness. Under the agreement, Ergatta has become the preferred partner for World Rowing’s gaming and Esports initiatives.

In collaboration with hardware partner Concept2, World Rowing will organise Esports competitions powered by Ergatta’s software, leveraging the excitement and mainstream appeal of gaming to promote the benefits of Indoor Rowing and healthy habits more generally. The partnership also positions both organisations for participation in the inaugural Olympic Esports Games, set to take place in 2027, as announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“We are thrilled to partner with World Rowing, said Tom Aulet, CEO of Ergatta. “Gamified sports and fitness have massive potential to help people excel, compete, and develop lasting healthy habits. This partnership represents a major step forward in our mission to use games to help people stay physically active.”

“Indoor/Connected Rowing has undergone a remarkable evolution from a training tool to a vibrant, global sport in its own right, said Vincent Gaillard, Executive Director of World Rowing. We’ve been interested in gaming and Esports for a long time, specifically for its potential to cater for younger and more mainstream audiences. We are delighted to partner with Ergatta, who stood out to us as one of the clear leaders in a growing field of gamifed Rowing.”

This unprecedented launch underscores the rising global prominence of virtual and gamified sports, as well as the power of gaming to make exercise and sport more appealing to new audiences.

The partnership with World Rowing also solidifies Ergatta as the leader in gaming content development for Indoor Rowing and at-home fitness, and marks their official debut into the world of Esports. This announcement comes on the heels of Ergatta’s partnership with iFIT, powering gaming experiences on their treadmills, bikes and rowers via their intelligent and personalised fitness content platform.