We are dedicated to the sport of lightweight rowing: Past, present and future
Lightweight rowing has been an important part of rowing for the last 100 years
Since the inclusion of lightweight rowing in the World Rowing Championships and in to the Olympic Games in 1996, FISA’s membership has exploded.
There is a good reason for this. As a class, lightweight rowing makes the sport accessible globally. In fact, former President of FISA, Thommi Keller recognised that for rowing to grow beyond its traditional base, lightweight rowing would be the growth catalyst. His reasoning was that body types of the general populations of Asia, Oceania, Africa, South America and some European countries were far more suited to lightweight rowing.
At a local level across the world, lightweight rowing helps to make the sport of rowing accessible to all physiologies, breaking down the misconception that only larger people can participate and succeed.
It’s our goal to raise the profile of lightweight and ensure its inclusion at events. In doing so we will be helping to reinstate the sport as something available to all regardless of background or physical size. For us, this is one of the best ways to keep the public engaged and supporting our great sport.
A history of lightweight rowing
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In 1974 three men’s lightweight classes were added to the World Rowing Championships. Medal winners hailed from the US, Australia, the Netherlands, Switzerland and West Germany. This competition saw our alumni Geoffrey Rees and Colin Smith along with their teammates take gold in the Lightweight Men’s Four final.
The women’s class was introduced in 1985 and brought with it a range of medal winners from Australia, Romania, the US, Great Britain, West Germany and France. This competition saw Australia’s Adair Ferguson win gold in the Women’s Lightweight Single Scull. It was only her second year rowing. -
Lightweight rowing appeared in the Pan America Games in 1987 and has been a regular feature since.
It continues to produce lightweight medal winners from a broad and increasingly diverse range of Pan-American countries. -
The 1990 Asian Games were held in Beijing - this was the first large-scale event to be hosted by China.
This was also the first Asian Games which included a lightweight class. China won all of the gold medals available in the lightweight class, North Korea and Japan dominated the silver medals. Again, Japan took a bronze, alongside India, South Korea and Indonesia.
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Lightweight rowing was included in the Olympic rowing regatta in 1966. Specifically double sculls competitions for men and women and the men’s lightweight coxless four.
A total of seventy athletes participated in the Double Sculls competitions. The Men’s Lightweight Coxless Four saw the Danish team take Gold in a time of 6:09.58.
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Since the 1990’s lightweight rowing has continued to have significant success at the Southeast Asian Games.
Lightweight categories include lightweight doubles sculls, lightweight quadruple sculls and lightweight coxless four, for both the men and women’s sport plus lightweight singles scull for the men.
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Rowing was first featured in The African Games in 2007 and again in 2019. Prominent medal winners include Egypt and Tunisia.
The men’s and women’s lightweight single and double scull have been included both times. Lightweight rowing accounts for around half the rowing events in the competition.
The future of lightweight rowing
Our mission.
The World Lightweight Rowing Alliance is a not-for-profit group which aims to reinstate the relevancy of lightweight rowing amongst the sport, to ensure it not only survives, but thrives. We will do this by connecting past, present and future lightweight rowers, as well as championing inclusivity and participation on a global scale.
Our vision.
The World Lightweight Rowing Alliance envisions a world where rowing is accessible to all who want to participate, regardless of their size, educational background and social standing.
Our promise.
The World Lightweight Rowing Alliance promises to ensure the long-term advocation of world lightweight rowing. To create new opportunities for the development and future of the sport. To maintain the momentum required as an alliance, in the development of young athletes whilst championing inclusivity in rowing.
