title: Rowing performance of female and male rowers.
abstract: This study evaluated the rowing performance of female and male rowers with regard to their body size. Body height, body mass, fat-free mass, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), and "2000-m" rowing ergometer performance were measured in 71 females (age range 18-24 years, height 153-173 cm, body mass 43-69 kg, fat-free mass 34-55 kg; VO2max 2.1-3.9 L min(-1); 2000-m time 437-556 s) and 120 males (age 18-24 years, height 164-193 cm, body mass 58-95 kg, fat-free mass 50-81 kg; VO2max 3.4-5.6 L min(-1); 2000-m time 378-484 s). Rowing performance was correlated to body height (r=-0.81, P<0.001), body mass (r=-0.85, P<0.001), fat-free mass (r=-0.91, P<0.001), and VO2max (r=-0.90, P<0.001). However, rowing time was slower in the females than in the males with a similar body height (by approximately 10%) and body mass (by approximately 9%), but the sex difference was smaller when the fat-free mass (by approximately 4%) and VO2max (by approximately 4%) were matched. This study suggests that individuals with large body size and aerobic capacity possess an advantage for a 2000-m row on an ergometer. However, among females and males the variation in body size and aerobic capacity cannot explain the entire sex difference in ergometer rowing performance.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*