British Indoor Rowing Championships
Encyclopedia
The British Indoor Rowing Championships (BIRC) is an indoor rowing event organised by Concept2
. It first began in 1991 with the first event held in Henley-on-Thames
attracting 200 competitors. Over the years it outgrew all of its venues and has been held since 2000 at the National Indoor Arena
in Birmingham
. The 2005 championships had over 3,000 entrants and is currently the world 's biggest indoor rowing event and Britain's biggest mass-participation indoor sporting event. Olympic rowing gold medalists Steve Redgrave
and Matthew Pinsent
have won open titles at the event in the past.
However the 2012 British Indoor Rowing Championships will be held at Nottingham University.
The races are separated Men, Lightweight Men, Women, and Lightweight Women - with these further split into age categories. All competitors over 16 race 2,000 m (the Olympic rowing distance) with shorter time-based events for Juniors.
There are also team races where teams of four race 4,000 m as a relay.
The event is staffed by the University of Birmingham Boat Club and the University of Warwick Boat Club
.
Concept2
Concept2 is a manufacturer of rowing equipment based in Vermont, USA. It is best known for its air resistance indoor rowing machines , which are considered the standard training and testing machines for competition rowers and can be found in most gyms...
. It first began in 1991 with the first event held in Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
attracting 200 competitors. Over the years it outgrew all of its venues and has been held since 2000 at the National Indoor Arena
National Indoor Arena
The National Indoor Arena is a large indoor arena and is owned by the NEC Group. It is situated in central Birmingham, England and was opened in 1991, as the largest indoor arena at the time in the UK...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. The 2005 championships had over 3,000 entrants and is currently the world 's biggest indoor rowing event and Britain's biggest mass-participation indoor sporting event. Olympic rowing gold medalists Steve Redgrave
Steve Redgrave
Sir Steven Geoffrey Redgrave CBE is an English rower who won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000. He has also won three Commonwealth Games gold medals and nine World Rowing Championships gold medals...
and Matthew Pinsent
Matthew Pinsent
Sir Matthew Clive Pinsent CBE is an English rower and broadcaster. During his rowing career, he won 10 world championship gold medals and four consecutive Olympic gold medals, of which three were with Steve Redgrave...
have won open titles at the event in the past.
However the 2012 British Indoor Rowing Championships will be held at Nottingham University.
The races are separated Men, Lightweight Men, Women, and Lightweight Women - with these further split into age categories. All competitors over 16 race 2,000 m (the Olympic rowing distance) with shorter time-based events for Juniors.
There are also team races where teams of four race 4,000 m as a relay.
The event is staffed by the University of Birmingham Boat Club and the University of Warwick Boat Club
University of Warwick Boat Club
The University of Warwick Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Warwick. It was founded in 1966 and currently has over 100 members.The club caters for all levels of rowers, from novices to Boat Race winners and Olympians.-Facilities:...
.