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The of the more obscure rowing terms
This is written by a certain veteran rowing coach for all those mystified parents , supporters and novices new to this weird and wonderful sport . You can also refer to the Gauteng Champs 2019 regatta booklet . This is written by a certain veteran rowing coach for all those mystified parents , supporters and novices new to this weird and wonderful sport . You can also refer to the Gauteng Champs 2019 regatta booklet .
Rowing terminology can be a bit confusing particularly for ‘ newbies to the sport , “ Catching crabs ”, “ coxboxes ”, “ blades ”, “ looms ” and “ spoons ” can all sound rather odd and dodgy when used to describe a dignified sport with a long and proud history . Fear not and read on for a breakdown of some of the more questionable terminology bandied about by those in the know .
BLADE
Nothing to do with a knife fight - not that a rower would be able to disguise such things in a lycra suit that leaves little to the imagination . Blades are in fact oars , adapted from the term for the tip of the oar that scoops the water .
BOW
As dignified as oarsman might like to think they are , this term has nothing to do with respecting another by tilting forward from the hips which is actually called Check Point 3 . A rower ’ s respect for another is reserved for those with a ‘ fat ergo ’ or ‘ square blades in a single ’. “ Bow ” pronounced same as the “ bow-wow ” of a hound - is used to describe the front of the boat , or the rower closest to the front .
BOW BALL
The rubber ball fitted to the front of the boat that protects unsuspecting victims from being impaled when involved in on-the- water crashes between boats . Thankfully this is not often and seldom on purpose .
BURN
The final sprint in the race approximately 250m from the line although some maniac coxwains believe this term can be utilised from as far as 800m out .
CATCH
This is not cricket . In fact , a rower is likely to have found rowing after limited success in ball sports . The catch is the point in the stroke cycle at which the blade enters the water - to ‘ catch the water ’ moving passed the boat .
COXBOX
A portable speaker system used by the cox to communicate to the crew . “ Coxamp ” or just plain “ amp ” might have sufficed , but for some inexplicable reason the navigation of this awkward term lives on in the daily lives of rowers .
COXSWAIN ( OR COX )
Male of female and much to the annoyance of their crew feeling “ the burn ” during racing and training , this ‘ tiny ’ member of the crew sits stationary facing the bow , with the main jobs of steering the boat , issuing instructions , implementing strategy and motivating the crew .
CRAB
One might raise an eyebrow overhearing the crass confession of a novice who “ caught a couple crabs ” while rowing , but this is in fact the term for when a rower loses control of the oar and the blade gets trapped in the water by the momentum of the boat .
ERGO
As in “ Ergometer ” - indoor rowing machine - innocent enough standing alone , but paired with “ trial ” can cause rowers to break out in jitters , sweats , formulate major injuries and illnesses in a matter of minutes and generally cause huge distress . Am “ ergo trial ” is really just a time trial on an indoor rowing machine .
FAT ERGO
This is not a large indoor rowing machine . This is in fact a specimen of rower that is considered particularly speedy when performing the dreaded ergo trials . Quite often these rowers are the larger variety themselves .
FATS
All this “ Fat “ terminology for an aerobically demanding sort , rowers tend to err on the slimmer side . Fats are a type of oar with a ‘ fatter ’ spoon that grips deeper in the water to reduce slip . Keep reading , we ’ ll get you through all of this lingo eventually .
FINISH
All a rower can think about when two thirds of their way through a race . Many a dark promise to a superior being has been made in the hopes of bringing ‘ the finish ’ closer to long suffering rowers . It really refers either to the end of the rowing stroke or the end of the race .
10 SA Schools Rowing Champs 2024