For those who have been craving some sport and competition during these times of social distancing, you’re in luck. Vancouver Island-based Rowing Canada Aviron has announced they will be competing in an upcoming indoor rowing challenge alongside three other nations.
Some of Canada’s and Vancouver Island’s top rowers will be pitted against elite athletes from British Rowing, Rowing Australia, and Rowing New Zealand in the ‘One Minute Challenge.’
The mass-participation competition is not just for the top rowers, but challenges anyone with a rowing machine at home to see how far they can row in one minute.
Members of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams will compete against themselves as well as the other three countries for individual awards in age, weight, and Para rowing categories.
What is on the line? Well the One Minute Challenge is not an officially sanctioned Olympic event so Rowing Canada said it will be “international bragging rights” at stake for the country that records the furthest combined distance.
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand to highlight the value and connectivity of indoor rowing, both during these unprecedented times and in our everyday lives. We look forward to challenging ourselves and our fellow competitors to get active and take on the #minutechallenge this weekend.” said Rowing Canada Aviron CEO, Terry Dillon in a press release.
The Canadian sports organization is encouraging members of the public, who have safe access to a rowing machine, to test their physical abilities, join in on the One Minute Challenge, and row digitally with some of the best.
The competition is slated to run from Thursday, May 7 to Monday, May 11.
“We’ve had some fantastic indoor rowing competitions in Australia during these unprecedented times and it is wonderful that this One Minute Challenge enables us to connect, virtually, across the world to compete. We’re all in this global pandemic together and it is heartening to see all our rowing communities, across the world, coming together to compete in a digital format,” said Ian Robson, CEO of Rowing Australia in the release
Participants are being asked to log their scores on the competition’s web platform, which will be updated in real-time, according to Rowing Canada.
Entries can be submitted up until 3:59 PT on May 11.
Graham Cox
