Size isn’t everything for lightweight rowers
Team GB’s lightweight men’s four claimed silver in one of the tightest races of the Olympic Regatta to date, as people of all sizes continued to flock to try rowing for themselves at the Get Involved tent.
The lightweight four – consisting of Richard Chambers, Peter Chambers, Rob Williams, and Chris Bartley – were edged into second place on the line by South Africa in a thrilling finale, cheered on by a wall of noise from the 30,000-strong supporters.
Meanwhile, throngs of rowing supporters made their way to the Get Involved tent – inspired by Team GB’s herculean efforts on the water.
Since the start of the Olympic Rowing Regatta on Saturday 28th July, more than 2500 people have taken part in the 30-second indoor rowing challenge at the Get Involved tent.
Competitors have ranged in age from five to 90, with a vast array of abilities and experience on display. The current record for metres rowed in 30 seconds was the 198m set by N. Barton on Wednesday, with A. Halliday holding the record for women – 165m.
Among the spectators at the Get Involved tent today was British Rowing CEO Kate Burt, who is confident that Team GB’s lightweight rowers will inspire even more people to have a go at rowing.
“The hits on our website have been going up tenfold in the last few days, since GB have started winning medals,” she said. “It just shows how inspiring Team GB are to the next generation of people who want to get involved in the sport.
“The success of our light and heavyweight rowers shows that you can be absolutely any size, any height, and you can still row – the sport is all inclusive.”
Height and strength are vital ingredients in competitive heavyweight rowing, but weight limits mean that the average weight for each rower in a lightweight crew cannot exceed 70kg for men, and 57kg for women.
To find out how you can start rowing, visit https://www.britishrowing.org/olympics#have-a-go.
