The sports event of the year is coming, and rowing is ready to make a splash. The City of Light will very soon welcome the 2024 Olympics, with the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium ready to host the rowing competition. From July 27 to August 3, 502 of the world’s finest rowers will try their best to write their stories into Olympic lore.
But what can we expect from the Olympics 2024 rowing competition? Here’s everything you need to know about the event, including tidbits of history, the venue, key dates, and British names aiming striving to bring home some well-deserved medals.
Rowing is a Sport Steeped in History
For the uninitiated, Olympic rowing might seem like a simple race from A to B. But there’s more to it than meets the eye. Rowers face backwards as they power through a 2,000-metre course, relying on teamwork, timing, and sheer grit. The events are divided into sculling (where each rower uses two oars) and sweep rowing (where each rower handles one oar).
While rowing served practical purposes in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, it wasn’t until the late 17th century that the English transformed it into a competitive pursuit. The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, first held in 1829, marked the birth of rowing as we know it today.
At the Olympics, rowing has been a constant since 1896, though it wasn’t until 1976 that women’s events were officially included. The sport has seen its share of legends, none more celebrated than Sir Steve Redgrave and Elisabeta Oleniuc-Lipă.
Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium: A Venue Fit for Champions
Opened in 2019, this state-of-the-art facility was the first new Olympic site completed for Paris 2024. Designed by architects from Auer+Weber+Assoziierte, the complex is a masterpiece of form and function. At its heart lies a 2,200-metre rowing and sprint canoe-kayak course, complete with a finishing tower.
But that’s just the beginning. The 4,400 sqm sports centre houses a white-water stadium with courses over 300 and 150 metres, a sports medicine centre, and a weight-training facility that would make any athlete’s eyes light up.
Post-Olympics, this 150-hectare site will transform into a recreational paradise for Parisians to spend sunny weekends trying their hand at rafting, hydrospeeding, or even stand-up paddleboarding.
The environmental credentials of this venue are equally impressive. With 450 newly planted trees, it’s as much a breath of fresh air for nearby residents as it is for the athletes who’ll push their limits here.
Olympics 2024 Rowing: Key Dates and Where to Watch
The Paris 2024 Olympic rowing events are spread over eight days. While every day has something to offer, here are the key dates:
- Saturday, July 27: Heats for all scull categories begin
- Sunday, July 28: Repechages for Skiff and Double Sculls
- Monday, July 29: Semi-finals E/F for Skiff; Repechages for various categories
- Tuesday, July 30: Quarter-finals for Skiff; Semi-finals A/B for Double Sculls
- Wednesday, July 31: C and B finals for Quadruple Sculls
- Thursday, August 1: A and B finals for Double Sculls; A finals for Quadruple Sculls
- Friday, August 2: A and B finals for Double Sculls
- Saturday, August 3: C, B, and A finals for Skiff; A finals for Eight categories
For UK viewers, BBC, Eurosport, and Discovery Max will provide coverage of the rowing events.
What We Can Expect From the British Team
From 1984 to 2016, rowing was the only sport where Britain won gold at every Games. While Tokyo 2020 saw a stop in this golden run, the 42-strong squad for Paris is ready to reclaim their place at the top of the podium.
Helen Glover, the two-time Olympic champion returning for her fourth Games. Her journey from London 2012 gold to motherhood and back to Olympic selection is one of the most engaging stories so far. “Selection for my fourth Games feels different,” Glover shared. “A huge reason for aiming for Paris was thinking how great it will be to have my family there to watch and support me and being able to share all of this with them is so special.”
Alongside Glover, is Tom Barras, who played a vital role in the silver-medal winning men’s quadruple sculls in Tokyo. His experience could be the spark that ignites British success on the water.
The squad also features an intriguing sibling duo in Tom and Emily Ford. These Holmes Chapel natives both competed in Tokyo and have since racked up impressive accolades. Tom has back-to-back World Championship titles with the men’s eight, while Emily claimed silver at both the 2023 and 2024 European Championships with the women’s eight.
Another name to watch is Sholto Carnegie, a two-time world champion in the men’s eight. His power and technique could be key to British hopes in the larger boat classes.
With 23 women and 19 men, and exactly half the squad making their Olympic debuts, this team embodies a perfect blend of experience and fresh talent. It’s a mix that British Rowing’s Director of Performance, Louise Kingsley, believes could be the recipe for success.
“We have selected a very strong team of athletes with a good mix of returning and first-time Olympians,” Kingsley stated. “I know they are relishing the opportunity to go out there and write a unique chapter in the legacy of the GB Rowing Team.”