Indoor Rowing | Invictus Games 2025

ABOUT INDOOR ROWING

Indoor Rowing at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 is a powerful display of endurance and strength. Taking place on Sunday, February 16, 2025, at the Vancouver Convention Centre (VCC), competitors will race against the clock on rowing machines (ergometers), relying on their upper body power and mental fortitude to maintain speed over a set distance. This adaptive sport pushes participants to their physical limits, stroke by stroke, showcasing their resilience and determination as they compete to achieve personal bests.

In this high-intensity event, competitors will not only demonstrate their physical capabilities but also celebrate their ongoing recovery journeys, highlighting the Invictus spirit of perseverance and strength.

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

Competition takes place on indoor ergometers, which are stationary rowing machines often used for training and known informally as “ergs” (similar to a rowing machine you would find in the gym).

Competitors can adapt the rowing erg to meet their impairment requirements by using adaptive equipment such as fixed upright seats with strapping, flat-fixed seats, active handles and d-handles.

There are two events – competitors can compete in one or both: 

One (1) minute individual sprint

Four (4) minute individual endurance

Competitors are ranked based on their distance rowed in the designated time (1 minute or 4 minutes) with the furthest distance winning.

HOW ARE COMPETITORS CATEGORISED?

The categorisation process aims to ensure the best possible competitor experience at the Invictus Games. The Invictus Games is a unique competition which enables all participants to compete fairly across all sports, no matter their impairment type.

Each sport has a different categorisation system as the different injuries, illness and impairments affect competitors in different ways in each sport. Each competitor is allocated a category (e.g. IT1, IJ4) for each sport that they compete in. The categorisation system relies on integrity and honesty, and a collaborative relationship between all competitors, and all team staff.

HOW DID THE SPORT COME TO BE?

The start of Indoor Rowing dates back to the 4^th century BC in Greece, where wooden frames were used in military training for inexperienced oarsmen to perfect their technique. 

HOW MANY TEAMS ARE THERE?

Indoor Rowing is an individual sport, there are no teams.

HOW MANY COMPETITORS ON THE COURSE AT ONE TIME?

We are currently planning for there to be 30 ergs on the field of play at one time and so there could be up to 30 competitors competing at any one time!

HOW LONG IS THE GAME?

Competitors will race in a one (1) minute individual sprint and/or four (4) minute individual endurance.

The competition will finish once all competitors have completed their chosen ‘race’.

IS THIS A NEW SPORT FOR THE INVICTUS GAMES?

Indoor Rowing featured in the first Invictus Games in 2014 and has appeared in every Invictus Games since!

INTERESTING FACTS

Indoor Rowing is the only sport in IG25 to have a master’s category: within the IR6 category (Open & MFI) the competition has been split to separate those under to those under 40 years old and those over 40 years old to compete in the Indoor Rowing Masters.