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140 Rowing Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts

How much do you know about Rowing? This category is for trivia questions and answers related to Rowing (Sports). Each one is filled with fun facts and interesting information.
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1 What is a rowing crew competition most often called?
Answer: Regatta

Crew competitions are called regattas just like sailing competitions. The term regatta comes from Venetian meaning "contention for mastery," and is commonly used for competitions with watercraft. The most famous rowing competition is called the "Henley Royal Regatta," taking place annually on the River Thames. A meet is occasionally used but is definitely not as often as regatta.
  From Quiz: ONE Does Not Simply Ace a Rowing Race!
2 The first Olympic rowing competition was held during the 1900 Games. On which waterway was the course laid out?
Answer: River Seine

The second edition of the modern Olympic Games were held in Paris, France in 1900. The rowing competition consisted of races in four different disciplines - single sculls, and coxed pairs, fours and eights - in which a total of eight nations competed. The races were all held on a 1,750 metre course down a section of the River Seine to the north-west of the centre of Paris.

The first Olympic rowing competition should have been held at the 1896 Athens Olympics, but the event - which had been scheduled to be held on the open water of the Mediterranean - had to be cancelled due to bad weather.

The incorrect options are major rivers running through some of the other early Olympic host cities (St Louis in 1904, London in 1908 and Amsterdam in 1928).
    Your options: [ River Thames ] [ River Amstel ] [ Mississippi River ] [ River Seine ]
  From Quiz: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
3 Archeology has evidence of ancient kayaking. About how old are the oldest known kayaks, and who built them?
Answer: About 4000 years old, built by North American Inuits

The North American Inuits stretched animal skins over driftwood to make some of the earliest known kayaks, about 4000 years old. In addition, there is a beautiful example of a Hawaiian kayak on the first floor of the Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.
  From Quiz: Kayaking for Fun
4 The term 'feathered blades' means having the blades ______ on the water.
Answer: Flat

The alternative to 'feathering' is 'squaring'. In feathering, the blades should be flat, and if they are not on the water, they should be parallel to the water.
    Your options: [ Avoiding feathered creatures ] [ Slapping ] [ Skimming ] [ Flat ]
  From Quiz: Rowing Basics
5 By what margin did Steve Redgrave in the British coxless four, win their final at the Sydney Olympics?
Answer: 0.38 seconds

The winning of this race gave Sir Steve Redgrave his fifth Olympic Gold, and confirmed his place as one of Britain's greatest Olympians.
  From Quiz: Think You Know Rowing?
6 On June 10, 1829 the first Oxford vs. Cambridge boat race took place. Who came up with the idea for this race?
Answer: Two friends studying at Oxford and Cambridge

Charles Wordsworth and Charles Merivale were two former schoolfriends studying at Oxford and Cambridge respectively. Merivale informally challenged Wordsworth to a rowing race on the Thames and a official letter followed on March 12, 1829. It read:
"The University of Cambridge hereby challenge the University of Oxford to row a match at or near London each in an eight-oar boat during the Easter vacation. W Snow, St John's College."
With this the tradition was born where the loser of the previous year's race challenges the winner to a re-match. In 1856 (the 13th edition the race) the Boat Race became an annual event and the 150th running of the race came in 2004 (the race was not held from 1915 to 1919, or from 1940 to 1945).
  From Quiz: The University Boat Race
7 Which two universities compete in the Boat Race?
Answer: Oxford and Cambridge

The first race was in 1829 at Henley on Thames.
  From Quiz: The University Boat Race
8 Where was the first Oxford-Cambridge boat race held?
Answer: Henley

The first race was held at Henley in 1829, though most races since have been on the Thames in London. In 1944, an unofficial race was held at Ely. The Cam is the river that runs through Cambridge.
  From Quiz: Rowers and Rowing
9 What is the title of the person who steers the boat and urges the rowers on?
Answer: Coxswain

In a rowing competition, a coxswain normally sits in the stern of the boat facing forward. The coxswain is tasked with ensuring the boat is on a straight course and letting other rowers know if something needs to be corrected. This is because the coxswain can feel how the boat is doing and, as experienced rowers themselves, can instruct rowers to change rhythm or direction if needed. Coxswains are normally smaller individuals (generally not over 5'4ft or 1.64m), but they also need to have a strong personality since they are the ones in command of the boat.
  From Quiz: Basic Rowing Knowledge
10 What is the main difference between scullers and sweep rowers?
Answer: The number of oars each rower uses.

Each scull rower uses two oars to help propel the boat, while each sweep rower only uses one with other rowers alternating sides. The stroke angle is about the same and while sculls tend to be smaller than sweep shells, there are crossovers in size. Olympic races are usually set at 2,000 meters for both sweep and scull, while junior races are usually 1,500 meters.
  From Quiz: ONE Does Not Simply Ace a Rowing Race!
11 The Boat Race, also known as the University Boat Race or the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, first took place on the River Thames in what year?
Answer: 1829

The Boat Race between crews from the UK's famous Oxford and Cambridge Universities first took place in 1829 when a couple of friends who were attending the rival institutions organised a one-off race on the River Thames at Henley. It took until 1836 for a second race to be organised and the event didn't become an annual competition until 1856. The first race over the traditional 'championship course' between Putney and Mortlake in West London took place in 1845. Presumably, the rowers who competed in these early races would have had little inkling that their inter-university competition would one day be watched live by millions of viewers around the world.

Although the length, location and general scale of the race have changed since the first event in 1829, the two teams still compete in the original colours that they chose for the inaugural event - Oxford are the "Dark Blues", while Cambridge are known as the "Light Blues" (which in reality is a sort of pale greenish-blue).
  From Quiz: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
12 A modern kayak can be made out of which material?
Answer: All these

Kayaks can come in all these materials. The wooden kayaks are often sold in kit form, and the inflatable kayaks can be extremely strong, such as those made by the Zodiac company. Polyethylene or plastic kayaks can be inexpensive as well as able to handle rough treatment.
    Your options: [ Wood ] [ Inflatable vinyl ] [ All these ] [ Polyethylene ]
  From Quiz: Kayaking for Fun
13 What is the term 'Cox' an abbreviation of?
Answer: Coxswain

Coxes are usually the smallest person in a crew, and the loudest. They sit or lay at either end of the boat, and have a cox box. The cox box tells them the stroke rating, and speed at which the boat is going.
  From Quiz: Rowing Basics
14 Where would you be if you were participating in an event known as the 'Torpids'?
Answer: Oxford

At Oxford University, Torpids is one of two bumping races held in the year, the other being Eights. Both men's and women's coxed eights compete in separate divisions for their colleges. Crews can progress up their division by bumping the boat in front.
  From Quiz: Think You Know Rowing?
15 Over the years the course upon which the Boat Race was run/rowed changed several times. Which course was never the scene of action for the Boat Race?
Answer: Oxford -- Stanford-on-Thames

The first Boat Race was rowed from Hambleden Lock to Henley Bridge. The second Boat Race in 1836 took place in London, between Westminster and Putney. By 1845 Westminster had become too crowded, so the race moved again, this time to the course between Putney and Mortlake, six miles up-stream from Westminster. Races have been rowed there in both directions, but since 1863 Putney has always marked the start of the Boat Race.
    Your options: [ Oxford -- Stanford-on-Thames ] [ Westminster -- Putney ] [ Putney -- Mortlake ] [ Hambleden -- Henley-on-Thames ]
  From Quiz: The University Boat Race
16 Why was the 1831 race cancelled?
Answer: cholera outbreak

It was cancelled due to a cholera outbreak in London.
  From Quiz: The University Boat Race
17 The top prize for eights at Henley Royal Regatta is?
Answer: The Grand Challenge Cup

The Ladies' despite it's name is for men's eights below the standard of the Grand. The temple is for student eights and the Goblets is for pairs.
  From Quiz: Rowers and Rowing
18 When an eight is rigged for sculling, what do they call it?
Answer: octuple

The eight when rigged for sculling, is called an octuple. Just think....octopus!
  From Quiz: Rowing
19 In an eight-rowing competition, which rower sets the stroke pace for the rest of the boat and is typically considered the one with the strongest technique?
Answer: Eighth Rower

Being the "eighth" is a job only for those with the strongest skills. Also called a "stroke", this rower sets the pace or rhythm of the whole boat with the help of the seventh rower. The two last rowers are collectively known as the "stern pair" and tend to be very competitive! In boats with fewer seats, the same is true: the last seat is typically reserved for the strongest rower.
    Your options: [ First Rower ] [ Eighth Rower ] [ Third Rower ] [ Fifth Rower ]
  From Quiz: Basic Rowing Knowledge
20 Water flow is measured in "CFS". What does this stand for?
Answer: Cubic feet per second

Cubic feet per second refers to the volume of water that passes a given point per second. For instance, a 100 foot wide river with an average depth of 20 feet and a rate of flow of 10 feet per second (around 7 miles per hour), would have a flow of 20,000 feet per second. CFS by itself is not sufficient to indicate a river's difficulty. The Mississippi River has huge flow volume, yet is not challenging water to paddle. There are many class 5 streams with less than 1000 CFS. Pairing CFS with feet per mile of drop provides a rough sketch of how tough a river is to run.
  From Quiz: Whitewatering Blast!
21 A whitewater kayak has a turned up bow to allow it to lift over rough water. This is called what?
Answer: A dagger

The dagger's disadvantage is it makes the whitewater kayak hard to track or keep in a straight line.
  From Quiz: Kayaking for Fun
22 What is the role of the Cox in the boat?
Answer: To give the rowers encouragement, steer, and correct mistakes

The Cox also has a microphone, so the rowers can hear them. This is very important during a race.
  From Quiz: Rowing Basics
23 According to FISA, what must the average crew weight be no more than, for a lightweight women's crew?
Answer: 57kg / 125lbs

An individual woman in the crew can weigh up to 59kg (130lbs) as long as the average remains below 57kg (125lbs).
  From Quiz: Think You Know Rowing?
24 In 1836 which team wore light blue for the first time?
Answer: Cambridge

Until then Cambridge had worn white shirts with pink sashes.
  From Quiz: The University Boat Race
25 The Head of the Charles Regatta is in which US city?
Answer: Boston

The Head of the Charles is one of the world's largest races, with events spread over two days and attracting many of the best rowers in the world.
    Your options: [ Boston ] [ Philadelphia ] [ Indianapolis ] [ New York ]
  From Quiz: Rowers and Rowing
26 What are the duties of a coxswain during a race?
Answer: Steers the shell, calls the race, and makes corrections

The coxswain is supposed to steer, and make calls during the race to help his/her boat win.
  From Quiz: The Basics of Rowing
27 What is the name of the person that sits in the boat and directs it, and tells the rowers what to do?
Answer: coxswain

A coxswain is probably the most important part of a boat. They control everything.
  From Quiz: Rowing
28 What is the name of one of the world's largest annual regattas, held in Massachusetts?
Answer: Head of the Charles

The Head of the Charles Regatta is a tradition well-known to most rowing organizations, and is a great showcase for talent in all age groups. This race first took place on the Charles River (between the cities of Boston and Cambridge) in 1965, when members of the Cambridge Boat Club put the event together. Ever since, the multi-day regatta has attracted talented rowers from all around the world.
  From Quiz: Basic Rowing Knowledge
29 The oldest collegiate sporting event in the United States is a rowing race founded in 1852 that is contested by crews from which two universities?
Answer: Harvard and Yale

The race in question is the Harvard-Yale Regatta, also known as the Yale-Harvard Boat Race, and it is contested, somewhat unsurprisingly, by crews from Harvard and Yale Universities. Both of these institutions are members of the elite Ivy League. When the two universities' rowing clubs challenged each other to a competition on New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee in 1852 they created the first inter-collegiate sporting competition in the USA and formed the basis for a long-standing sporting rivalry and tradition.

The race later moved to the Thames River in Connecticut, making it the second university boat race to be held on a river called the Thames (the first being Britain's famous Boat Race).

The incorrect options are made up from the six other members of the Ivy League.
    Your options: [ Brown and Dartmouth ] [ Pennsylvania and Princeton ] [ Columbia and Cornell ] [ Harvard and Yale ]
  From Quiz: Row, Row, Row Your Boat
30 What is the "wavetrain"?
Answer: A sequence of waves marking the downstream end of a rapid

The wavetrain is pretty much where you want to be. The water is usually flowing forward in a single direction. The waves are evenly spaced and easy to ride through and crest. Most importantly, they are not characterized by features such as hydraulics. Just point downstream and ride.
  From Quiz: Whitewatering Blast!
31 While paddling in flat or fairly calm water, where does a person's primary power comes from?
Answer: Back and obliques

The stroke comes from a person's upper back and a rotation of the oblique muscles (the muscles on the side of the abdomen). Using just the arms and shoulders can cause fatigue.
  From Quiz: Kayaking for Fun
32 One person in the boat sets the stroke rate and tempo. What is the position of this person?
Answer: Stroke

The stroke must be both technically good and strong.
  From Quiz: Rowing Basics
33 In which country was the boatmaker Vespoli based?
Answer: United States

In Sydney 2000, Vespoli built the men's eights that carried Great Britain and Australia to Gold and Silver Medals.
    Your options: [ Italy ] [ Great Britain ] [ United States ] [ Germany ]
  From Quiz: Think You Know Rowing?
34 At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, twelve British oarsmen won gold medals. How many of them had previously participated in the Boat Race?
Answer: 5

Matthew Pinsent and Tim Foster won Olympic gold in the coxless four after rowing for Oxford in 1990, 1991, 1993 (Pinsent) and 1997 (Foster). Rowing in the gold winning eight were Andrew Lindsay (Oxford 1997, 1998, 1999), Luka Grubor (Oxford 1997) and Kieran West (Cambridge 1999, 2001).
  From Quiz: The University Boat Race
35 The present course was adopted in 1845. How long is the course?
Answer: four and a quarter miles

The race starts at Putney and finishes at Mortlake.
  From Quiz: The University Boat Race
36 In what boat class did Sir Steve Redgrave win his first Olympic Gold in?
Answer: Coxed Four

His subsequent four Golds were in the coxless pair(1988, 92 and 96) and coxless four (2000).
  From Quiz: Rowers and Rowing
37 What is the usual distance for a race?
Answer: 2000 meters

Most collegiate, club, and international sprint races, are 2000 meters. Some high school sprints are 1500 meters long.
  From Quiz: The Basics of Rowing
38 The race is in full swing! What is NOT an important concern for the rowers of a coxed shell?
Answer: Watching where the shell is going.

The only member of the crew who can see where the shell is going is the coxswain. For this reason, the coxswain is completely responsible for the direction and the safety of the crew. Balance is critical to maintaining the fastest speed as it reduces drag in the water. Part of keeping a good balance is making sure the oars enter and leave the water at the same time. A truly uniform crew will gracefully glide across the water at a faster pace.
  From Quiz: ONE Does Not Simply Ace a Rowing Race!
39 What is a "hole" in whitewatering?
Answer: The feature on the immediate downstream side of a hydraulic

A hydraulic is what happens when an obstruction, such as a rock, is found in the flow of water. Water flows around and often over the top of the obstruction, speeding up in the process. As a result, there is backward flow toward the obstruction on the surface immediately downstream. Depending on how large the obstruction and how fast the flow, this downstream feature can be highly aerated, which leads to a loss of buoyancy. If the water is aerated enough, a paddler can literally sink in the hole, leading to its name. Holes can be extremely dangerous, extremely fun, or anything in-between, depending on its individual characteristics and an individual paddler's ability.
  From Quiz: Whitewatering Blast!
40 Why would you feather a paddle?
Answer: To reduce wind resistance

Feathering puts the two blades of the paddle at an angle to each other. This reduces air resistance as the paddle moves through the air on its way to the water.
  From Quiz: Kayaking for Fun
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