| Oar Selection |
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Which oars - an informed choice... As each rowing season ends and coaches review their program and make plans for the next season, equipment is a prominent consideration. Whilst off season is the ideal time to test and trial new or different products, in reality most programs cannot do any on water testing during this time. It is also true to say that in reality most coaches never have the time or resources to do meaningful testing of equipment. Rowing faces so many variables in conditions alone that it’s very difficult to see a trend in results. Selection of Oars is a prime example. In most cases, we find that coaches rely on ‘gut feel’ or take the seemly safer option of following what others are using. We believe that coaches who take the time to trial oars (see http://www.concept2.com/us/oars/pursuit/oar_testing.asp for more information) and gain a better understanding of the interplay of blade choice, oar length and gearing on loading profiles will end up with a better result. Some difficulty arises as experienced rowers will nearly always rely on “feel”. The coach then needs to blend  Oar Testing - Peter and Dick Dreissigacker The more information a coach has available will give a better understanding of the possible feeling that the rowers experience and the more likely that both will agree on what is best for the crew. For an in-depth review of blades available from Concept2 visit www.concept2.com/oars. Currently at World and Olympic level we still see many different blade options being used suggesting that no single blade type or oar weight suits all crews. As a case in point, listed below are a few examples of blades used in prominent rowing races in 2010.
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