The Sphinx Stela of Amenhotep II (1450 -1425 B.C) records that he stroked a boat for some three miles.
According to the available records, sometime in 2000 B.C. the Mesopotamians used to hold a kind of boat race on the river Euphrates. A few centuries later, the Egyptians started having rowing competitions on the river Nile. Today, boat racing is a popular sport in the world.
Rowing is divided into two basic types of competition. Regatta events are knocking out competitions, ending with a race between two or more finalists. Head, the other type of the river races, which are not used in international championships, are processional; the boats set off at intervals and the result is decided by their times over the course. Regattas are held over a stretch of river, lake, coast or artificial course while Head races are held over a stretch of river of variable length.
The first boat race of modern times was held in England in 1716. This was organized by an actor called Thomas Doggette. He arranged for a single-sculling race (light racing boat having a single rower) among the Thames ferrymen. This became a popular and regular annual feature. It is called Doggette’s Coat and Badge.
The first boat race at the University level took place between Oxford and Cambridge at Henley on Thames in 1829. This was an eight-oar race, i.e. eight participants rowing one boat. By the late 19th century, rowing as a sport was known in most of the countries. Since the World War II, however, boat racing became a professional and prestigious sport.
In such competitions the number of oarmen in a boat varies. There are eight, four or even two oarmen in one boat. In the eight oar competitions there is also a coxswain (man in charge of a rowing boat and its crew) to steer the boat. In other contests, the boat is steered by connecting the rudder (broad flat piece of wood) to a pivoted pad under one of the oarmen’s feet.
The European and Americans are very good at rowing but now the Chinese too give stiff competition.