Getting the correct range of boat types and boat weights to suit your club group is important. What to look for, how to assess your fleet and plan for the future.

Timestamps

01:00 Boats to suit athletes

Review the stock of boats and equipment in your club and how they align with the needs of your athletes. We realised we needed to workout if our boat fleet matched the masters group needs.

Assess the weight class of boat to the athlete weights in your group.

03:00 What weight class was your boat designed for? Look for the manufacturer's plate - often in the bow or the front of the stroke's foot well. It shows the design hull type, year of manufacture and the average weight of athlete it's designed for.

Club asset registers list all the boats in the club ownership. We added the information about the boat design weight.

04:30 List all the boats in each boat class that you own (8, 4s, 2s and 1x) and classify them to the athlete weight they are designed for. Broadly we chose 3 categories - light weight boats (under 70kg), mid-weight boats (70-85kg) and heavy weight boats ( over 85kg).

Our list included boat name, age of boat, weight class of boat and whether lightweight, mid-weight or heavyweight. We added in how old the boat was and whether it was due for retirement.

It was then clear where to skew of boats matched our athlete weights.

06:00 Boat gap analysis

Have we got one boat in each weight class?

Which are the most popular boats which athletes like to row?

This shows you where you are short of boats by boat class and boat weight to align with what your group needs, frequency of boat use per week/month, and which boats your masters want to row.

This is not static, it changes each year as membership and priorities change.

This information was then put into the prioritisation for refurbishing boats, fund raising for new boats and spare parts / minor repairs list (consumables e.g. shoes, slides, gates).

08:00 Set out a 3-4 year programme to get your boat fleet more aligned with your group needs.

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London RC won the British Masters Championships Victor Ludorum prize in 2024. We talk to coach and captain James Sexton-Barrow about their approach to training, racing and organising their masters squad.

Timestamps

01:00 The plan to win the trophy began with a tracking spreadsheet.

02:30 The common goal for masters at London Rowing Club - it's a very big club membership with 100-120 rowers. The vision to win the trophy started after the 2023 event. The rowing sub-committee set the goal in January.

05:00 There are many sub-groups within the masters membership with their own objectives. A kick-off meeting brought everyone together. The club's founding was about winning at Henley Royal Regatta. We can all do this and get our photo on the wall next year.

07:00 Challenges overcome

We have a limit to number of boats and trailer space - the logistical challenge was addressed early. Also members expectations were managed as all fours had to also be quads to save trailer space. [The regatta does sweep one day and sculling the next.]

Shared goals meant members had to do well in lots of events across a broad base of individuals. Time was allocated to crew boats and balanced against individual goals for the collective goal.

11:00 The members age from masters A but the youngest category race offered in BMRC is B. Crews had to be averaged out to accommodate younger members. Ages from 28 to early 70s took part.

Everyone was happy to mix-and-match. Most people did 3 races over the weekend.

Most crews were in championship age group racing, a few did intermediate category events.

15:15 What next?

Henley Masters Regatta and next year the Banyoles World Rowing Masters Championships is a future focus. We would like to retain the trophy in 2025 too.

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Learn about what it's like to row in the Netherlands from the Royal Dutch Rowing Federation Chair, Seada van den Herik.

Timestamps

01:00 Seada was an international rower prior to Atlanta 1996. She organised the Junior and U23 Championships in the Netherlands before moving into more administration leadership roles.

02:30 There are about 100 masters clubs in the Netherlands. The network is very strong from age 27 upwards including "mid-week" masters groups. There is also erg rowing and coastal masters groups.

A solid, enthusiastic, self-organising group of masters.

04:00 The annual calendar. The Head of the River Amstel and the Heineken Regatta in Amsterdam both in March. There are other long distance races of 5-7km and some marathon rowing events.

Recreational tours (20-30) happen each year. There are active mid week rowers who organise to row at each others' clubs too.

07:00 Innovations in masters rowing include collaborations with the German and Belgian federations co-ordinate joint "wander-rudern" touring events.

A recent change in masters age categories was made to encourage student rowers to stay on in the sport after they stop studying. It is a pre-masters field from age 20-30. The race rules changed so the Masters A category is an average of 27 - this allows younger rowers to take part. It gives space for ex-students to grow into masters.

10:30 Adult novice rowing in the Netherlands

There are a lot of rowers joining aged 45 plus - people looking for a new sport join general clubs. They stay in the sport for 30-40 years.

The Board now includes a novice master, Eric, to bring diversity to their group so they can understand the driving force for why adults start rowing.

13:00 Camps - the Touring Committee organise tours internationally (local and in UK, Germany and France). Masters want to keep on learning and developing and they see businesses offering clinics and camps for masters.

14:30 Future Plans

There are 5 committees for masters - the Masters (international); Mid-Week; Marathon; Recreational; and the Touring committee. The recreational group want to both have fun, be healthy and to progress and be challenged. There will be a focus on how to promote offerings for masters recreational rowers. There will also be a new focus on coastal and erg rowing for masters. The ambitions are of the clubs and rowers, not the Federation - we stimulate their ambitions and exchange of information within clubs so we are the beating heart of the sport.The self-organisation of the network is great with super organisers and volunteers.

Meet Digger Barnes, he is on the Masters Rowing Commission for British Rowing.

01:00 Masters rowing clubs in UK - they tend to be run by masters rowers around the country. The opportunity for anybody to join and learn to row. Digger started at age 45. That's the really good thing about rowing.

03:15 Major regattas and events in Great Britain

The British Masters Championships in May - has 2 categories - the masters age group or the intermediate event.

The Henley Masters Regatta is in July - run in 2 lanes.

Head racing in the winter includes the Vesta Veterans Head of the River in eights during March run on the Thames in London.

05:30 Innovations in masters rowing

The connectivity between masters groups is changing since covid. Now the group is pre-planned lineups before going out rowing.

All racing is done on points so there is no longer a 'novice' category. There is still age group racing and the points mean they select crews of similar points in separate races when enough enter.

In head races the higher point people start at the front of the race.

09:30 Future plans to develop masters rowing

The British Masters Champs evolves every year. Time handicaps may get updated to become different for men and women in future to ensure fairer racing.

11:00 Adult novices

80% of clubs are volunteer run and his club has a waiting list for over 100 people wanting to learn to row and the majority are masters. Until we find enough volunteers to help them, we can't take on many novices. It's important not to disappoint them through the first 12 months of their membership.

British Rowing does not have a masters strategy or a masters pathway. We have to do what we can locally, the federation won't be helping masters novices.

When Digger learned to row in a 10 week beginners course and he knew he couldn't row well after that. He doesn't want others to have the same experience.

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Gwenda Stevens is the President of the Belgium Federation. We discuss masters rowing in Belgium, the clubs regattas and the new Masters National Championship event.

Timestamps

00:45 Gwenda has been president for 12 years and she's also an umpire and masters rower.

02:30 Master rowing in Belgium isn't a big sport. There are 28 rowing clubs in the country - only a few have masters.

Gent has hosted regattas regularly in April and May for many years. There has been a lack of entries recently. Until 2 years ago when changes happened.

04:45 The Federation added masters rowing to the national championships three years ago. They worked hard to ensure that there were enough entries. IN September 2023 there were a huge growth with 9 eights racing masters.

The April regatta will now have a small boats champs (1x and 2-) and in September for big boats (4x, 4- and 8 as well as a mixed 8).

06:40 There is now a Belgian National Title on offer and Gwenda believes this has accelerated the change and growth in competitors. The standard is high.

Gwenda thinks the changes weren't big but had a large impact. She hopes to have a separate masters championships.

08:50 New innovations - they are waiting to see how the event evolves and may have a masters only event with international participants as well from local countries.

Georg Gruetzner is the masters representative on the German Rowing Federation.

Resource: Structure of masters rowing slides

https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/systems-thinking-for-masters-rowing-1pptx/263741256?from_search=2

3 Value Bombs

1. Use the Block Racing format for masters regattas to enable boat sharing

2. Invest in masters learn to row pays dividends quickly (financial and participation)

3 Look to other countries for innovations e.g. combine university and masters rowers for a big regatta

Timestamps

01:00 The Masters Officer in the Federation is responsible for the rules in Germany.

There are many local groups who run masters events.

02:30 Masters are in many clubs. There are 55 clubs in Berlin alone - but it's variable from year to year. Some masters come to racing from touring rowing - exemplified by a Hamburg club.

Most clubs have fine boat regatta rowing and also touring rowing boats.

05:00 Some touring regattas are very long like 100km down the River Rhine.

There are four main events - March ergo and long distance events.

Starting in June the Meister Championnnat two day regatta. Then in July the German Master's Championships happens which combines with the German champs and University champs in the same week.

They use the block format for regatta organisation to enable boat sharing.

There are around 650 masters participating each year.

The outcome of the triple championships was well received - youngsters respect the masters and masters like staying in contact with the younger rowers.

Euro Masters in Munich at the end of July is very popular internationally. Then the World Rowing Masters Regatta in early September which is in Brandenburg, Germany in 2024.

13:00 There are 85,000 rowers in total in Germany. Stimulating novice participation is important and offering them races means the future masters generations is successful.

14:00 Innovations in masters rowing - Adult Novices and young masters

Many novices will race and some events also offer races for under 27 year olds. A little like the AA category in USA. They allow touring boats to be used by novices. The goal is to stay in masters rowing for life. The goal is to remove the break from 21 year old students and 27 year old masters.

Wolfgang Fritsch also runs masters seminars for people who want to improve and come from club beginner/novice courses.

Clubs often do beginner courses but fall short when people need to improve their technique. This gap is filled by Wolfgang's camps and seminars.

20:00 The structure of masters rowing in Germany has been examined to find the gaps and opportunities to improve.

The German Masters champs are open and so other countries can participate as well. Recent years Netherlands, Austria and Belgian rowers participate.

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What's masters rowing like in Ireland?

Gerry Murphy is Chair of the Masters Representative Committee for Rowing Ireland.

A big increase in member registration has happened and masters are now 18% of total rowing registrations. Clubs see the benefit of having masters groups.

There are many other regattas offering masters events - they will put in events entries secretaries are generally willing. Many heads of the river - Galway and Enniskillen - which include masters.

Overseas guests are welcome in Ireland.

Most clubs have some form of masters rowing group - including Skibbereen who started a group recently. Gerry's club, Neptune, started an adult learn to row class and most of the graduates are in the rowing leisure group - there are 70 members now. They do tours and exchanges with clubs in France and Portugal.

Innovations in masters rowing. There is a coach education programme.

Most clubs want masters because they see the benefits as they volunteer and grow the club.

The 1k Classic (Carrick on Shannon) is a new event which Gerry hopes will become the official Masters Rowing Championships in future.

Future plans - a proper structure for masters programmes development, coaching development, a co-ordinator for masters in every club who can give guidance. It would be nice to get better equipment as well, possibly dedicated masters boats. External guidance to Rowing Ireland may be possible for masters.

We love it and we have a smile on our faces - folks are jealous of us.

Gerry encourages people to find their level in the sport and enjoying that.

Getting coached sometimes feels like being told you are wrong all the time. What can you do as an athlete to enable yourself to receive critiques and not feel vulnerable?

Timestamps

01:00 Criticism is part of the learning process.

Improving requires us to know what we are doing right, what we're doing less well and how to change. It is hard not to feel it's personal because it's directed at you.

Separate the message from the emotion and the personality giving the feedback.

Peer-to-peer coaching in the boat where you don't have a coach enables you to give and receive feedback in an environment where it's appropriately received and acted upon.

03:30 John Zarao [captain sabre fencing team 1984 Olympics] quote "Competitive sport is a cruel mistress. You are competing on merit, but you can have a gad day - like everyone else. You must listen (not if) to those who know what they're talking about."

04:30 A learning opportunity - constructive criticism

Do I want to improve the way I row and scull? If the answer is yes, you have to be open to hearing information about your current state and how to get to a desirable future state.

1 - What is the message being given to you?

2 - Does this message apply to me?

3 - If yes, how can I use it to improve my rowing?

06:00 How you get the information and feedback. Work with the person giving you the feedback.

- repeat back to them in your own words what you think they have said to you. Clarify the message until they say to you "that's right" so there's no ambiguity.

- challenge your defensiveness and work out why you are so bothered by this message.

- focus on the message not the delivery.

- apply the message to your rowing / sculling

08:00 Giving criticism / feedback

You have to prepare the athlete to receive your message first. Few people change their position after being shouted at. Ask the athlete "May I give you some feedback?" and stay silent until they answer yes. Because if they aren't ready to receive your message it won't land.

"Before I give you advice can I ask if you are interested in improving your technique?" and get the answer yes to this question too.

10:45 Coaches giving feedback

Contextually it's important your athletes know that you only give feedback to athletes you think can improve. Few coaches invest time in someone who you think cannot change.

See the feedback as respect from your coach that you're a worthwhile athlete to invest their time and energy in. Receiving love and respect from your coach is desirable and the pathway is changing something which isn't right in your rowing just now.

13:30 Ask your coach "Where am I standing right now in the crew and where do you see me at the end of the season?"

This helps you to put a timeline onto your improvement and to understand where you stand compared to others in the group. The attention you are getting may be because you are on a good pathway to improvement.

Help each other to receive messages which are not 100% positive is a good pathway to becoming a better rower.

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You're preparing to race and are concerned you aren't rating high enough.

Why rating matters. Two drills you can do to get the rate up.

What prevents you getting the rate up?

Resource: Practicing Racing Starts

https://fastermastersrowing.com/practicing-racing-starts/

3 Value Bombs

1 - Know your ideal mid race rate

2 - Precise bladework can always be improved

3 - Over-rate drill helps you get confident at high rates

Timestamps

01:15 First you must know what your ideal race rate goal is for the main body of your race.

Your training programme should have increasing race rates to help guide you closer to your race rate goal.

04:20 Be precise in your bladework practice. Can you get your oars in and out in perfect time with your crew mates? Increase the quality of precise practice.

Have a clearly defined sequence of the rowing stroke cycle.

Do these movements slowly and then test under pressure (rate, firm pressure).

10:30 Over-rating as a test

Can you practice rating higher than your race pace rate?

11:00 Three drills for rating

Half slide drill - take the rate up 2 strokes per minute every 10 strokes. Find the rate where your precision fails. Do this 3 times in every outing practice. Try at increasing pressure.

Double quick hands drill - double quick hands around the finish - from the extraction round to weight on the feet on the recovery. Helps develop fluidity of movement in the handle speed.

Over rating drill - row and pick a target rate and accelerate up to that rate and then do 10 strokes at that rate. Then wind down to light pressure. Then try it again at rates higher than your race pace goal. Later do the drill only to your race rate goal you should feel that you have plenty of time and can manage this rate with ease.

20:00 What should your rate be in the race?

Challenge your preconceptions about race rate by practicing drills regularly. Get familiar with the feeling of getting the boat up to higher rates.

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Staying hydrated for training and racing can give you hidden benefits.

It's very easy to become dehydrated and not realise.

Performance improvements and recovery gains from hydration.

Resource: Home Made Sport Drink Recipe (below in notes)

3 Value Bombs

1. Daily drink plan for hydration

2. Always use sport drinks while training for electrolyte and carbohydrate intake

3. Drinking caffeine can help on regatta day

Timestamps

What you are drinking and how to get fluids into your body. It's more than just drinking while training, off the water drinking matters too.

01:00 Daily Drink Plan.

Start with a glass of water when you wake up in the morning. Every time you have a meal or snack, have another glass of water. Snacks might be mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Get into the habit of 2 litres of fluid a day - this includes any hot drink, shake or smoothie count too.

Keep a record of your hydration - cricket notation makes it easy to see each 5 glasses of water you have.

02:30 Before during and after training sessions hydration is needed as well. Drinks need carbohydrate and electrolytes in them. This is part of your recovery from exercise.

Carbohydrates help you maximise energy levels to maintain intensity through to the end of a workout. Training works to provoke adaptations. Electrolytes are minerals which get lost through sweat. The air temperature during exercise affects your feeling of thirst. Do not rely on your sensation of thirst - anticipate your hydration needs before you feel thirsty.

06:00 Caffeine drinks - these are worthy of your consideration because caffeine is a stimulant.

I drank a half and half Red Bull and water at a regatta when I had a lot of races. I'd learned that Dame Kelly Holmes used this for her race day hydration.

09:45 Race day caffeine use

Use sports drink only on regatta days. Use either caffeinated drinks or tablets (noDoze or Pro Plus). Have caffeine every 2-3 hours while racing - half a can of drink 30-40 minutes before your first race or half a caffeine tablet.

11:15 Home made Sports Drink Recipe

From Nancy Clark's Sport Nutrition Guidebook affiliate link to buy

https://amzn.to/3z6023E

Flavoured with orange juice and lemon juice or cranberry/lemonade.

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup hot water

1/4 cup Orange juice (not concentrate)

2 tablespoons Lemon juice

3.5 cups of cold water.

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