This section should provide those of you new to rowing (and indeed any of you experienced rowers who are simply ignorant to the sport's makeup!) an idea of the rowing structure in the modern day, as well as giving you a brief outline of the origins of the sport and its social history.

Modern day rowing is a highly professional and competitive sport which is carried out from school and club level nationally, right through to Olympic level. The body which oversees all of this world-wide is the FISA. This group is responsible for the majority of the international regattas such as the world championships and world cup meetings. In this country the governing body is the Amateur Rowing Association (ARA). The majority of clubs in this country are affiliated to the ARA who organise regattas all over the country which contribute to national league tables. This makes up the vast majority of the British rowing calendar. However outside of this are various smaller organisations examples of which are the Coastal Amateur Rowing Association (CARA), and the University Rowing League. They organise their own regattas and leagues not overseen by the ARA, although largely using ARA rules as guidelines.

This is particularly significant to Sussex Uni rowers who are not only a university club but are also affiliated to CARA club Shoreham. The ARA are not heavily involved in the university scene, but this is slowly changing. ARA events for example now often have university categories. But overall the main events in the university calendar are not ARA events e.g. the British University Sports Association (BUSA) regatta, and the student run University Rowing League which both have no ARA status.

There is a large amount of variation between regattas through all the highlighted levels, but generally races take place over 2000 metres in 8's (always coxed), 4's (both coxed and coxless), pairs (also coxed and coxless). These categories are known as sweep oar races with each competitor having one oar.

Also taking place are sculling races where each competitor has two oars. Scullers either race singly, in a double scull (two rowers), or a quad (four rowers).

At international level each of these categories is split into "open" and "lightweight", and obviously "male" and "female". At the smaller local regattas which you are likely to encounter you are unlikely to see boats entered in all the above categories. The BUSA regatta for example has no sculling, the Uni rowing league race only in 8's, where as CARA regattas have no 8's at all. At this level there is also no weight categorisation as their is at a higher level. Categorisation is much more likely to occur in terms of age (e.g. a veteran section for the 30+ or a section for the under 18's) and, in order to stop mismatches, ability categories are also set up which keep elite competitors apart from novices.

As Sussex Uni rowers you don't really have to concern yourself with the complicated set up outlined above. The only boats you need to worry about are 8's and coxed 4's, and the only sub division you will encounter is male and female. These two boats are the only ones you are likely to race in firstly because traditionally British Universities primarily race in these boats, and secondly we only own boats which fit into these two categories, so we can't enter any other races anyway! Obviously if you want to get all complicated and race in a lightweight double scull at ARA level S2 then you might want to join the local river club!

Although no one knows for sure which race were the first to make use of rowing it is generally accepted that the ancient Egyptians were the first to build rowboats. Over the course of history the idea was developed by various other groups such as the Romans and Vikings. Obviously in these cases the means of rowing were transport, exploration and conquest. Rowing as a competitive sport came much later, developed like many other of today's sports, here in England.

In the days when bridges were few and far between the only way to cross the river Thames was by boat, which in this period was simply a means of transport. But, as is the way when grown men draw side by side in a moving vehicle, getting from one side of the river to the other was simply not entertaining enough. Soon the gentry being transported began to place bets on whose oarsman could get them across the river in the quickest time. Such wagers often carried high stakes and the activity became a popular pass time. Therefore it was inevitable that the development of organised races would follow, and the Doggett and Coach Badge race was instituted as a result.

This sculling race first took place in 1716 and was rowed over a 5-mile course between two pubs situated along the Thames. It was open to watermen who had completed their apprenticeship, and incredibly still takes place today nearly 300 years on! The fact the race took place between two pubs is itself significant in highlighting the sport's origins as a social pastime, which are still very much prevalent today in this country.

Naturally as the sport became more competitive, and the need for faster boats more apparent, the result has been a series of radical changes in the racing boat design. Nowadays there is an accepted standard design for racing boats, but these differ dramatically from those used in early races. To begin with boats were heavy and wide, with fixed seats and oars rested on the side of the boat. The first significant development came in 1846 when Oxford developed outriggers. These allowed the oars to be secured away from the side of the boat, providing more leverage and stability, and therefore leading to the boats themselves becoming narrower and more streamlined.

The next major development was the transition from fixed seats to the sliding ones we have today, this change being implemented by Yale oarsmen in 1870. This was the last significant change to the overall design of the rowing boat, but right up to the present changes have taken place (and still do) in terms of materials used and minor changes in shape, all designed at creating more racing speed. Nowadays the boat design is more or less standard and any changes are closely monitored by the world governing body(FISA).

In terms of competition the sport has also come a long way. The first Dagett and Coach race was between single scullers only, but as the years passed more races were founded with increasingly diverse boats being raced. This has culminated in modern regattas which, as I have earlier highlighted, have numerous different racing categories.

The pinnacle of competitive international rowing is obviously the Olympics . Rowing is one of the original Olympic sports with the first modern Olympic games, held in Athens in 1896, due to be its debut. Unfortunately the weather was too rough to hold the event (something all us Sussex rowers can sympathise with I'm sure!) so rowing had to wait until 1900 in Paris for its Olympic debut. Women's rowing debuted at the 1976 Montreal games.

The next biggest event in the international calendar is the World Championship, held every two years, and nationally each country has its own national championships. What makes this country so unique is the survival of many privately held races which remain as a matter of tradition despite attempts to standardise the sport under one set of rules.

The Oxford-Cambridge boat race is a prime example of this. Perhaps the world's most famous race began in 1829, predating Olympic rowing. Although you wouldn't know it because of all the media attention, it is actually a private race and the two Universities decide on all the rules and regulations. Another good example is the Royal Henley Regatta. Although this event incorporates all the standard rowing categories it abides by its own rules. The course for example is less than the standard 2000 metres, and races consist of only two boats going head to head. Like the Oxbridge race Henley is seen as a private affair but unlike the former it has not become commercialised and receives only as much media coverage as a normal local event. It is as much a local social gathering as it is a serious sporting event.

It is clear that despite the high level of professionalism of rowing in this country, highlighted by our success at the Sydney Olympics, the traditional values of the sport as a social pastime, remain strongly. i.e. rowing is a good excuse for a piss up. On that note I'll see you all down the Pilot ..... sorry I mean the boathouse!

Tom Pattichis, Men's Team Captain