Bring LWTs back to 2021 CRASH-B Sprints!

[jpitchford]

I'm posting here to ask for help. CRASH-B and USRowing have decided to exclude lightweight categories from the US Championships erg competition on March 7th. Perhaps if enough members of this Forum contact them, they will reconsider this odd, unprecedented, and unfair position.

So far, USRowing has emailed me that the decision is due to "the inability to verify weights in an effective and private way."

Well, "virtual" rowing is already an honor system. To solve this particular concern, all it takes is the willingness to accept a photo or video as proof of a valid weigh-in. Other indoor regattas, including this year's World Rowing Indoor Championships, are handling it this way. There is still time for USRowing and CRASH-B to correct their mistake!

PLEASE take a moment to join me in nudging USRowing and CRASH-B to reinstate lightweight categories for 2021. I have the following contact info so far:

* Amanda Kraus, USRowing CEO: amanda.kraus@usrowing.org
* Sarah McAuliffe, USRowing Senior Events Manager: sarah.mcauliffe@usrowing.org
* USRowing telephone: 609.751.0700
* CRASH-B office: office@crash-b.org
* CRASH-B mailing address: CRASH-B Sprints, c/o Howie Schmuck, 55 Everett Ave., Watertown MA 02472-1811

THANKS!

[jamesg]

Well, "virtual" rowing is already an honor system.

Not at national and international level, nor in the C2 ranking tables.

Rowing organisations are intent not on keeping all happy all of the time, but on making sure rowing is a tough sport that's well worth a lot of effort.

Since erging is considered a part of rowing, and this is the honor, at national and international level erging has to comply with rowing rules. But if we want to organise a race in our backyard, we can set any rules we want.

Same may well apply to skiergs and bikes: there are no weight classes in either of the "parent" sports. And if an event involves climbing 5000 meters and/or 2-300 km, sobeit. There are plenty of other sports and local events if such doings make anyone unhappy.

[Tsnor]

Well, "virtual" rowing is already an honor system.

Not at national and international level, nor in the C2 ranking tables.

C2 rankings run on the honor system. They even post unverified results. That's an honor system. Way to easy to change things. (slant of rower? Heavy fan blowing you backward assisting the stroke ? etc.) Prior to covid the only results that really got closely controlled were 2K world records.

The honor system is "don't do any mods that would effect performance." Use a seat cushion if you want, but if you think it will make the rower go faster unfairly then don't use it.

[jpitchford]

Hmmmm.

To 'jamesg,' AOK if you don't support the effort to reinstate lightweight categories at CRASH-B's...but what's driving your disdain for lightweights?

Well, "virtual" rowing is already an honor system.

Not at national and international level, nor in the C2 ranking tables

If you are rowing at home on your own erg, virtual rowing competition IS an honor system. It is particularly an honor system in the majority of virtual competitions, where video proof that YOU are the one rowing is not required. If video proof IS required, why not add video proof of a weigh-in? This is what the World Rowing Indoor Championships are doing, including all the regional qualifying races. USRowing and CRASH-Bs could adopt this simple solution.

Rowing organisations are intent....on making sure rowing is a tough sport that's well worth a lot of effort.

Excluding lightweight categories from CRASH-Bs does not help USRowing ensure that "rowing is a tough sport." Rowing (indoors or out) is a tough sport---equally tough for lights and heavies.

Since erging is considered a part of rowing, and this is the honor, at national and international level erging has to comply with rowing rules. But if we want to organise a race in our backyard, we can set any rules we want.

CRASH-Bs can set any rules they want, but once they embrace the title of "National Championships" and have USRowing sponsorship, those rules ought to be inclusive. By the way, the CRASH-Bs have included lightweight categories since at least the early 90's. Why abandon a hard-working group of athletes now?

[ArmandoChavezUNC]

No one is excluding or abandoning LWs..... You just race in the "open" category.

Just be happy there's even a "virtual" form of CrashB and focus on more important things in this world.

By the way, LW rowing is slowly being eradicated. Might as well get used to it.

[bencoolb]

No one is excluding or abandoning LWs..... You just race in the "open" category.

While it's true that lightweights can enter the "open" category, the weight advantage on the erg is pretty severe.
I raced a lot of events this year without a lightweight category. When I've won or placed, I've considered it more of statement on the lack of competition at the regatta than on my personal speed on the erg.

Instead of saying lightweights can "race" in the open category, I'd say at best they can "participate" in the open category, because it doesn't feel much like a competition. Also, I imagine, for most heavyweights, there isn't a great deal of satisfaction of beating someone they outweigh by 50 pounds.

www.usltwtirnc.com

[PaulG]

No one is excluding or abandoning LWs..... You just race in the "open" category.

Just be happy there's even a "virtual" form of CrashB and focus on more important things in this world.

By the way, LW rowing is slowly being eradicated. Might as well get used to it.

LWT rowing is clearly on the way out OTW at the internatonal level and probably should be. But that's no reason to drop it indoors especially for age group rowers. It's simpy a dumb idea for a sport with an inclusion problem to exclude a category of participants that have traditionally been major component of the sport. That's not how you make a sport grow.

[jpitchford]

Good news coming about masters lightweights at CRASH-B's. Expect more official info soon....