Gearing Up for Rio

The countdown to the Olympic Opening Ceremony is underway (as of today, 60 days and counting!) and athletes’ tickets are being stamped for Rio. For rowers, the qualification process involves many steps including qualifying both the boat class and the athletes.

Each country must prove it can field Olympic-caliber talent in an event in order to earn an entry. Separately, each country decides which athletes will row that event—which may or may not be the same athletes who qualified that boat class. As a result, not all countries will compete in each event. The Olympic Regatta has a limited schedule and venue constraints. These restrictions mean that rowing at the Olympics is already a hard-earned honor after years of training, no matter what the final results show in Rio.

The often confusing qualification procedure means that many athletes who have been chasing their Olympic dreams for four years (or more) end up disappointed. For others, it’s a dream come true after thousands of hours of putting the oar in the water. Concept2 has been along on this journey for all these athletes, supporting them with indoor training on the Concept2 Indoor Rower and on water with Concept2 oars and sculls.

Our partners at Row2k.com provide comprehensive coverage of the Olympics, including detailed reporting on our own US National Team. We’ll also be following World Rowing which provides full details on the international rowing scene. The official Olympic Regatta website will also be covering the event.

Eager to participate in your own way? Concept2 is hosting the Rowlympics and PaRowlympics Challenges this year, so you can row along during these events. Earn a gold, silver or bronze “medal” for the hours you row during the Rio Regattas. It’s a great way to watch all the action and also get in your workout!