Coastal rowing: the evolution of traditional rowing
Coastal rowing: a new way of understanding rowing
Coastal rowing is a relatively recent and rapidly growing sport that has quickly spread all over the world, also winning its debut at the next Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
This extreme version of rowing, which focuses on the relationship between rowers and nature, takes place in the sea or on large lakes characterised by wind and wave motion. It is very different from traditional rowing, where the water is still and the courses are protected. Coastal rowing means rowing in rough waters and in often difficult conditions. It is therefore essential to have a good knowledge of the basic rowing technique that the athlete must refine and perfect in order to be able to tackle the race course.
There are two particular types of coastal rowing:
- The long distance regatta that follows a course of 6,000 metres (4,000 metres in the preliminary rounds), marked by course buoys located in the open sea and with a start / finish either from the water or the beach;
- The sprint regatta that takes place on a circular slalom course of 250 metres, starting from and ending on the beach.
Coastal rowing originated in France at the end of the eighties from an idea of the ocean navigator Gerard D’Aboville. It was then developed by a technical commission which included the Monegasque Jannot Antognelli and the Marseillais Denis Masseglia, member of the International Rowing Federation (FISA ) since 1992.
The original idea was to replace the wooden yole, that is the narrow rowing boats typical of rowing, with boats capable of withstanding a sea stirred by waves and wind. Thus the Yole de mer was born, with one, two and four rowers and a cox, which began to appear on the southern coast of France and soon after on the Atlantic coast and in the French overseas colonies.
Italy discovered coastal rowing in 1996 thanks to the CIPS Association of Imperia and to Sanremo’s Piercarlo Roggero, who rowed up the entire Atlantic coast. However, it is Sanremo’s athlete Renato Alberti who encouraged and promoted the participation of Italian crews in regattas on the French Riviera.
The FICSF (Italian Federation of Fixed Seat Rowing) organised the first international regatta in Italy, in Noli in western Ligurian, then, in 2006 came the first ever Italian Coastal Rowing Championships, organised by Canottieri Sanremo, combined with an international regatta open to all foreign crews. The event was also repeated in 2007 and 2008.
In 2008, Liguria also hosted the second edition of the Coastal Rowing World Championships: 485 athletes, 171 crews and 110 companies representing 16 nations (Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Monaco, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States).
Coastal Rowing Academy: coastal rowing conquers Forte Village
Forte Village, an award-winning resort surrounded by the splendid Sardinian sea, opens the doors of its Coastal Rowing Academy to expert rowers and to all those looking for a sporting activity at one with nature.
The Forte Village Coastal Rowing Academy, also open to children aged 14 and over, offers the most exclusive rowing boats, and indoor sessions to learn the basic technique and check your progress. It also offers plenty of opportunities to practise in the water with expert instructors and sporting legends.
Practical sport is one of the strengths of the resort which offers adults and children the opportunity to pit themselves against the professionalism, enthusiasm and experience of the great international champions within the various sports academies of Forte Village.
In the sports academies you can participate in personalised training sessions, receive useful advice to improve your technique in team and individual sports, have the unique opportunity to play under the observation of great professionals and learn about new disciplines never tried before.
At Forte Village there is space for all kinds of sports: from football to freestyle football, from basketball to boxing, from fencing to swimming, as well as chess, tennis, golf and much more.
Do you want to test yourself with coastal rowing and experience a dream holiday in a true paradise? Discover the Forte Village Resort in Sardinia.
