OLYMPIC GAMES

China's Bin Tang, Ziwei Jin, Aihua Xi and Yangyang Zhang face the crowd during the medals ceremony for the Women's Quadruple Sculls at the Shunyi Rowing and Canoeing Park in Beijing on August 17, 2008. China won gold, Britain silver and Germany bronze. AFP PHOTO / FRED DUFOUR (Photo credit should read FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images)

History

The Olympic programme has included men's rowing since 1896 but rough seas in the Piraeus harbor forced the events to be cancelled at the first Olympic Games. Women have been rowing in the Olympics since 1976 and lightweights since 1996. The Olympic rowing programme includes 14 events.

Boats, or shells, were traditionally made of wood, but are now mostly manufactured from synthetic materials such as carbon fibre and plastic. A small fin is fitted in the underside of the shell for stability and a rudder, for steering, is attached to the fin or the stern (except on sculling boats).

In 2016, the Olympic Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 6 to 14 August. Read more about Rio's regatta venue here.

2008 Olympic Games - Beijing, China

Click here to meet the 2008 Olympic Champions.

For more information and useful links related to the 2008 Olympic Rowing Regatta, click here.

Boats

Width: 59.7 cm – 62.2 cm / Length: 8.2 m (single) – 19.9 m (eight) / Weight: 14 kg – 96 kg

Olympic Events

Men

• M1x Single scull
• M2x Double scull
• LM2x Lightweight double scull
• M4x Quadruple scull
• M2- Pair
• M4- Four
• LM4- Lightweight four
• M8+ Eight

Women

• W1x Single scull
• W2x Double scull
• LW2x Lightweight double scull
• W4x Quadruple scull
• W2- Pair
• W8+ Eight