High performance rowing – A research outlook using a coaches perspective

Paper in proceeding, 2015

The purpose of this paper is to explore research opportunities in the Olympic sport of rowing. While innovation in equipment is promoted in rowing the FISA rules don’t allow for it to be a deciding factor in the performance outcome for an individual crew. Thus, the challenge is to look at innovative ways to develop these abilities within a boat and harness their energy to create the most efficient and effective machine. This paper describes an outlook identifying four areas containing research opportunities with an emphasis on being able to ‘fine tune’ the moving parts of the engine that is a rowing crew: Sonification in the learning of motoric movement, rowing dynamics that will impact the hydrodynamics around the hull by inducing pitch and heave instead of forward propulsion, surface structures and finally objectivity in on water performance. A research outlook is made into different research opportunities in Rowing, using a coaches perspective. Another novelty is the comparison of the work carried out by the athletes in the rowing to the situation in production systems with assembly operators working at assembly workstations, opening up an new area of well-established theories to by utilised in sports.