Eight (rowing)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Eight icon
Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race

An eight, abbreviated as an 8+, is a

sweep oars, and is steered by a coxswain
, or "cox".

Each of the eight rowers has one

2+, it is generally considered unsafe to race the 8+ coxless or to have a bowloader cox.[2]

Coxed eight on the River Severn at Worcester

Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag to a minimum. Originally made from

carbon-fibre reinforced plastic) for strength and weight advantages. Eights have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw and to help the rudder. The riggers are staggered alternately along the boat so that the forces apply asymmetrically to each side of the boat. If the boat is sculled by rowers each with two oars the combination is referred to as an octuple scull
. In a scull boat, the riggers apply forces symmetrically. A sweep oared boat has to be stiffer to handle the unmatched forces, and so requires more bracing, which means it has to be heavier and slower than an equivalent sculling boat. However, octuple sculls are not used in main competitions.

"Eight" is one of the classes recognized by the

International Rowing Federation and one of the events in the Olympics.[3] The first Olympic eights race
was held in 1900 and won by the United States.

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eights.
  1. ^ Speed Rower Archived December 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Rowing Glossary - Dallas United Crew
  3. ^ FISA World Rowing – Olympic Games Archived 2009-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eight_(rowing)&oldid=1161082587"