Paris 2024 Olympics: history, program, rules... rowing at the Olympic & Paralympic Games

Published by Manon de Sortiraparis, Philippine de Sortiraparis · Published on August 1, 2024 at 04:56 p.m.
History, records, rules, athletes... We take stock of everything you need to know about rowing, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic events to be held at the Vaires-sur-Marne nautical stadium, from July 27 to August 3, 2024, then from August 30 to September 1, 2024 with para-rowing.

While the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be held in France from July 26 to August 11, the 14 rowing events will take place from July 27 to August 3, 2024. The events, which are the same for women as for men, are as follows: single sculls, double sculls, double sculls, coxless quadruple sculls, quadruple sculls, eight sculls and lightweight double sculls.

On the Paralympic side, para-rowing events are making their grand entrance to the Olympic program! The events, which will take place from August 30 to September 1, 2024 ,adapt rowing for athletes with physical disabilities. Competitions take place in boats specially modified to meet the needs of participants, offering fairness in performance. Races can include skiffs and double sculls, with classifications based on athletes' abilities.

Croisière olympique sur l'île Saint-Denis - aviron Île des VannesCroisière olympique sur l'île Saint-Denis - aviron Île des VannesCroisière olympique sur l'île Saint-Denis - aviron Île des VannesCroisière olympique sur l'île Saint-Denis - aviron Île des Vannes Paris 2024 Olympics: when and on which channels to watch the para-rowing events on TV?
The Paralympic Games have arrived after an exceptional Olympic Games in the capital! From August 28 to September 8, 2024, athletes from all over the world arrive in Paris to compete in the various Paralympic events. Find out where and what time to watch the para-rowing events. [Read more]

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Top start for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games! Are you following the para-rowing events or, on the contrary, haven't had the time? Here's a global roundup of medals and remarkable feats by para-rowing athletes. [Read more]

All will take place at the Vaires-sur-Marne nautical stadium, a complex due to open in 2019 in Seine-et-Marne. While you're waiting to see these exciting competitions on the water, (re)discover thehistory of rowing, learn the rules of this water sport and recall the memorable records and great sporting moments in the history ofrowing.

JO de Paris 2024 : Histoire, records, règles, athlètes... Tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur l'avironJO de Paris 2024 : Histoire, records, règles, athlètes... Tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur l'avironJO de Paris 2024 : Histoire, records, règles, athlètes... Tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur l'avironJO de Paris 2024 : Histoire, records, règles, athlètes... Tout ce qu'il faut savoir sur l'aviron

The history of rowing :

Rowing has its roots in maritime traditions, with rowers competing on Europe's waterways in the late 17th century. The rise of rowing as a sport is often attributed to England, where rowing boat races were popular from the early 18th century. In 1829, the first official rowing race between university teams, between Oxford and Cambridge, marked the beginning of the rivalry between these institutions, later evolving into the famous regatta The Boat Race.

The rowing craze then spread to North America, with the creation of clubs and competitive organizations. In 1852, the first amateur rowing championships were held in the United States. Rowing became an Olympic sport at the Athens Games in 1896, with men's events only. It wasn't until 1976 that women joined the competition, at the Montreal Games.

Since then, rowing has continued to evolve, integrating different boat categories and expanding its international reach, becoming one of the world's most prestigious water sports.

Rules of rowing :

Rowing races take place over a distance of 2,000 meters, using a variety of boats, fromsingle boats (skiffs) to crew boats with 2, 4 or 8 rowers. While rowing consists in all cases of a boat propelled by the power of oars attached to the boat, there are two disciplines: single-handed rowing, with the rower handling a single oar with both hands; and sculling, with the rower handling an oar in each hand.

At the start of the race, the boats are lined up side by side. The originality of rowing lies in the fact that athletes position themselves with their backs to the finish line and row in the opposite direction of the race to minimize the effect of current or wind. Coordination and synchronization between rowers are crucial!

Boats with 8 rowers require a coxswain, who is responsible for steering and race strategy. However, some categories are coxless, and rowers must steer the boat themselves. When a boat gets ahead, it must avoid hindering other competitors by staying in its assigned lane. Penalties may be imposed for infractions such as interference, false maneuvers or unsportsmanlike behavior.

Victory is determined by the first boat to cross the finish line. Races can be extremely close, and the photo-finish is sometimes necessary to break the tie!

Rowing records :

While the USA has long dominated the discipline at the Olympic Games, the USSR and Germany have subsequently vied for the top spots in the rankings.

Yet the title of greatest rower in history belongs to an English athlete, Sir Steve Redgrave, with no fewer than five gold medals from five editions of the Olympic Games. In the women's event, Romanian Elisabeta Oleniuc-Lipă won the most titles, with five Olympic titles, two silver and one bronze.

Rowing athletes:

A total of 502 rowers are expected to compete in the seven Olympic boat classes at the Paris 2024 Games. France has already qualified three hulls (two men's and women's sculls and four men's coxless) for the Worlds in Belgrade in September 2023. The next qualifying round will take place in May 2024, at the final Olympic qualifying regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The program at the Paris Olympics :

Saturday, July 27

  • 09:00 Skiff - men, heats
  • 10:12 Skiff - women, heats
  • 11:30 Men's double sculls, heats
  • 12:00 Women's double sculls, heats
  • 12:30 Men's quadruple sculls, heats
  • 12:50 Women's quadruple sculls, heats

Sunday, July 28

  • 09:00 Skiff - women, repechages
  • 09:36 Skiff - men, repechages
  • 10:10 Women's double sculls, repechage
  • 10:20 Men's double sculls, repechages
  • 10:30 Women's double sculls, heats
  • 11:00 Men's double sculls, heats
  • 11:30 Double sculls pl - women, heats
  • 12:00 Double sculls pl - men, heats
  • 12:30 Four de pointe - women, heats
  • 12:50 Men's quadruple sculls, heats

Monday, July 29

  • 09:30 Skiff - men, semi-final E/F 1
  • 09:42 Skiff - men, semi-final E/F 2
  • 09:54 Skiff - women, semi-final E/F 1
  • 10:06 Skiff - women, semi-final E/F 2
  • 10:20 Men's two-peat, repechages
  • 10:30 Women's double sculls, repechages
  • 10:40 Men's double sculls, repechages
  • 11:00 Women's double sculls, repechages
  • 11:20 Four sculls - men, repechages
  • 11:30 Women's quadruple sculls, repechages
  • 11:40 Huit de pointe - men, heats
  • 12:00 Huit de pointe - women, heats

Tuesday, July 30

  • 09:30 Skiff - women, quarter-finals
  • 10:10 Skiff - men, quarter-finals
  • 10:50 Female double sculls, 1/2 final A/B 1
  • 11:00 Female double sculls, 1/2 final A/B 2
  • 11:10 Men's double sculls, 1/2 final A/B 1
  • 11:20 Men's double sculls, 1/2 final A/B 2
  • 11:30 Four de pointe - women, repechages
  • 11:40 Men's quadruple sculls, repechages

Wednesday, July 31

  • 09:30 Men's double sculls, C final
  • 09:42 Women's pl double sculls, final C
  • 09:54 Skiff - men, semi-final C/D 1
  • 10:04 Skiff - men, semi-final C/D 2
  • 10:14 Skiff - women, semi-final C/D 1
  • 10:24 Skiff - women, semi-final C/D 2
  • 10:34 Men's deuce, 1/2 final A/B 1
  • 10:44 Men's two-peat, 1/2 final A/B 2
  • 10:54 Women's two-peat, 1/2 final A/B 1
  • 11:04 Double sculls female, 1/2 final A/B 2
  • 11:14 Double sculls pl - men, 1/2f A/B 1
  • 11:24 Double sculls pl - men, 1/2f A/B 2
  • 11:34 Double sculls pl - women, 1/2f A/B 1
  • 11:44 Double sculls pl - women, 1/2f A/B 2
  • 12:02 Men's quadruple sculls, B final
  • 12:14 Women's quadruple sculls, B final
  • 12:26 Men's quadruple sculls, A final
  • 12:38 Women's quadruple sculls, A final

Thursday, August 1

  • 09:30 Skiff - women, semi-final A/B 1
  • 09:40 Skiff - women, semi-final A/B 2
  • 09:50 Skiff - men, semi-final A/B 1
  • 10:00 Skiff - men, semi-final A/B 2
  • 10:10 Huit de pointe - women, repechages
  • 10:20 Men's top eight, repechages
  • 10:30 Women's double sculls, B final
  • 10:42 Men's double sculls, B final
  • 10:54 Four de pointe - women, B final
  • 11:06 Men's quadruple sculls, B final
  • 11:18 Women's double sculls, A final
  • 11:30 Men's double sculls, A final
  • 11:50 Women's quadruple sculls, A final
  • 12:10 Men's quadruple sculls, A final

Friday, August 2nd

  • 09:30 Skiff - men, final F
  • 09:42 Skiff - women, final F
  • 09:54 Skiff - men, final E
  • 10:06 Skiff - women, final E
  • 10:18 Skiff - men, final D
  • 10:30 Skiff - women, final D
  • 10:42 Men's two-peat, final B
  • 10:54 Women's double sculls, B final
  • 11:06 Men's double sculls, B final
  • 11:18 Women's double sculls, final B
  • 11:30 Men's double sculls, A final
  • 11:42 Women's double sculls, A final
  • 12:02 Men's double sculls, A final
  • 12:22 Women's double sculls, final A

Saturday, August 3rd

  • 09:30 Skiff - women, final C
  • 09:42 Skiff - men, final C
  • 09:54 Skiff - women, final B
  • 10:06 Skiff - men, final B
  • 10:18 Skiff - women, final A
  • 10:30 Skiff - men, final A
  • 10:50 Eight de pointe - women, final A
  • 11:10 Men's top eight, final A

The program at the Paris Paralympic Games :

Friday August 30 :

09:30: Series PR1 Skiff - Women
10:10: Series PR1 Skiff - Men
10:50: Series PR2 Double sculls - Mixed
11:30: Series PR3 Double sculls - Mixed
12:10: Series PR3 Four peaks with bar.

Saturday August 31st

09:30 : Repêchages PR1 Skiff - Women
10:10 : Repêchages PR1 Skiff - Men
10:50 : Repêchages PR2 Double sculls - Mixed
11:10 : Repêchages PR3 Double sculls - Mixed
11:30 :Repêchage PR3 Four de pointe with bar.

Sunday, September 1st

09:30 : Finale B PR1 Skiff - Women
09:50 : Finale B PR1 Skiff - Men
10:10 : Finale B PR2 Double sculls - Mixed
10:30 : Finale B PR3 Double sculls - Mixed
10:50 : Finale B PR3 Four de pointe mix. bar.
11:10 :Final A PR1 Skiff - Women
11:30 : Final A PR1 Skiff - Men
11:50 : Final A PR2 Double sculls - Mixed
12:10 : Final A PR3 Double sculls - Mixed
12:30:Final A PR3 Mixed four-peat bar.

Practical information

Location

Rue de Torcy
77360 Vaires sur Marne

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