Rowing Glossary
Clear definitions of the terms rowers, coaches, parents and club newcomers meet at the water. Written for Irish clubs affiliated with Rowing Ireland, from the Lee to the Liffey and up to the Shannon.
Race formats
How Irish rowing races are organised, structured and run.
Regatta
A programme of side-by-side racing at one venue, typically over 1,000m or 2,000m. The format used at the Irish Rowing Championships at Inniscarra, the Trinity Regatta on the Liffey and Henley Royal Regatta.
Head race
A time trial where boats start at intervals over a river course of 4,000m to 7,000m. Raced in autumn and winter - the Erne Head of the River, the Lagan Head and the Belfast Head are the major Irish fixtures.
People in the boat
The roles, responsibilities and seat positions in a rowing crew.
Coxswain (cox)
The person who steers, calls commands and manages race strategy from the stern of a coxed boat. Coxswains direct the crew but do not row. Essential in eights and coxed fours at Irish clubs.
Stroke seat
The rower closest to the stern who sets the rate and rhythm for the rest of the crew to follow.
Boats and equipment
Shells, blades, riggers and the gear found in every Irish boathouse.
Rowing shell
The long, narrow racing boat used in competitive rowing. Carbon fibre over a foam core, ranging from 8.2m for a single to 19.9m for an eight. Found at every Rowing Ireland-affiliated club.
Rowing boat types
All eight standard racing shells: single, double, pair, quad, coxless four, coxed four, eight and octuple. Sweep vs sculling, dimensions and crew sizes.
Scull
A rowing oar held in one hand. Sculling rowers hold two sculls; sweep rowers hold one oar. The two disciplines of rowing - sculling is the dominant Irish discipline at international level, with Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy winning Olympic gold.
Cox box
The cox's electronic instrument: amplifier, stroke-rate sensor and timer in one unit. The Nielsen Kellerman CoxBox is the standard across Irish clubs.
Rigger
The metal arm extending from the side of the shell that holds the oar and provides leverage for the stroke. Anatomy, materials and rigging adjustments.
Stroke phases
The four phases of every rowing stroke and the wrist-roll motion that links them.
Catch
The moment the blade enters the water at full reach. The front end of the stroke. Position, timing and common errors - especially relevant on choppy Irish rivers and lakes.
Drive
The propulsive phase from catch to finish. Legs first, then back, then arms. Where all boat speed is made.
Finish
The end of the drive when the blade leaves the water. Body position, blade extraction and washing out.
Recovery
The non-propulsive return from finish to catch. Hands away, body forward, slide forward. Why a slow recovery produces a faster boat.
Feathering
Rotating the oar 90 degrees on the recovery so the blade is parallel to the water. Mechanics, timing and square-blade rowing as a technique drill.
Training and technique
The pace zones, ergometer concepts and stroke phases that make up rowing training at Irish clubs.
Ergometer (erg)
The indoor rowing machine that measures power output. The Concept2 RowErg is the standard at every Rowing Ireland club and at Inniscarra for junior squad erg trials.
Catching a crab
When the blade gets stuck mid-stroke and drives the oar handle into the rower. Every rower encounters it. Causes, recovery and prevention.
Erg pace calculator
Convert 500m split to time, watts and calories. Predict erg scores across 2k, 5k, 6k and 10k using the Concept2 formula.
Stroke rate
The number of strokes per minute the crew is rating. Standard Irish club ranges from steady-state 18-22 spm to race pace 32-36 spm.
About this glossary
Rowing has more jargon than most sports. A new member's first few outings at a Rowing Ireland club throw dozens of unfamiliar terms at them before they've even got a blade in the water. This glossary translates rowing into plain English without dropping the technical detail that coaches and experienced rowers actually need.
Each entry covers what the term means, how it is used in practice, and where relevant, how it applies to Irish club rowing - from club outings on the Lee and the Corrib to racing at the Irish Rowing Championships. Where a term touches the practical side of running a club, you'll find links to the relevant Row HQ features - regatta entry management, coach tools, session scheduling and so on.
Need a term that isn't here yet? Get in touch and we'll add it. The glossary grows from real questions rowers, parents and club newcomers send in.
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