17 August 2018
Today, the first ever Commonwealth Beach Rowing Sprint Championships begins at Sandbanks Beach, Poole, Dorset. Eight countries – Barbados, Canada, England, Namibia, Scotland, Uganda, Vanuatu and Wales – go head-to-head in this one of a kind rowing event.
‘While rowing is not a core Commonwealth Games sport, it is a Recognised Pathway sport and it is British Rowing’s ambition to see it back in the games regularly. The Commonwealth Beach Rowing Sprint Championships is a key step on this journey,’ British Rowing writes on its website.
After the Commonwealth Beach Rowing Sprint Championships has finished tomorrow, Saturday, the British Rowing Offshore Championships will get under way. Fifty-eight crews will race in the Offshore Championships in the men’s and women’s coastal singles (C1x), doubles (C2x) and quads (C4x). Alongside representation from coastal and inland clubs such as Mayflower RC, Jersey RC, Tideway Scullers and Birmingham RC, also some international crews will compete, including Helsingborgs Roddklubb (Sweden), Le Mans Sarthe Aviron (France) and VK Slavia Praha (Czech Republic).
‘It’s free to watch this rowing extravaganza, so head down to Sandbanks Beach, Poole, to catch all the action live this weekend,’ British Rowing writes.
This is how it works:
Crews will start on the beach and sprint to their boats, which will be held in the water by boat holders. They will then slalom out to sea for 250m before turning around the final marker buoy for a straight sprint back to shore. When they reach land, one member of the crew jumps out and will sprint up the beach to cross the finish line.
Two crews will race head-to-head, in a knock-out competition until a championships winner is crowned for each boat class.
Crews will race in coastal single, women’s and men’s (CW1x/CM1x), coastal doubles, women’s and men’s (CW2x/CM2x) and coastal mixed quads (CMix4x). There is also a team relay where four athletes per nation will race in the men’s and women’s single, and a mixed double. All athletes have to row once in this fast and furious team event.
Racing at the British Rowing Offshore Championships:
Racing starts with competitors jumping into their boats before rowing off the shore to the first turning buoy, before heading out along the 4km course in the heats. Crews then row back to shore, with one nominated member of the crew jumping out of the boat with a sprint to the finish line on the beach. For the finals, crews take on a longer 6km course, with the same exciting beach finish.
Heats will take place on the Saturday afternoon from 1 to 6 p.m. with all finals held on Sunday morning from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Follow #CommonwealthBeachSprints and #BROC18 on social media for more information.
Hear The Boat Sing 
Many coastal rowing clubs recognise this event for the gimmick that it is. Trivialising the two thousand metre, with a buoy turn , races that occur at coastal regattas every week end during the season. I am all for increasing the spread of interest in our sport but not at the loss of its integrity.
Oh! Get over yourself, you pompous twit !
It is a shame that given the breadth of rowing subjects covered by this excellent site you would be hard pressed to find anything about The Coast Amateur Rowing Association or the Hants and Dorset Rowing association and the many clubs affiliated to them and the wonderful set up that they have for coastal rowing on the south coast of England. The Hants and Dorset has more than a dozen clubs competing in 13 championship regattas throughout the summer, only the CARA and H&D can claim this sort of organization or success with rowing on the coast.