Weara Website

Welcome to the Web site for the West of England Amateur Rowing Association (WEARA), it represents the interests of rowers throughout the South Western Counties and has an affiliated membership of 17 clubs. The web site was set up for use by the various WEARA committees and to provide a forum to introduce the sport of rowing in the Southwest.

Rowing is often described as the ultimate team sport and a world-class performance has been described to be as difficult as "getting eight guys to run a four minute mile, in step."

The sport has received unrivalled coverage through the successful performances of the British national squad at the 2000 Olympics, where Britain continued its record of winning an Olympic Gold medal in every games since 1984, a feat unrivalled by any other British Sport. At the 2000 games, rowing's most well known practitioner, Steven Redgrave, achieved an unbelievable fifth successive Olympic Gold medal, something never achieved by any other Olympian in any other sport.

This is of course rowing at its highest levels, but rowing is fundamentally based on a group of people who simply enjoy messing about in boats, whatever the level - competitive or recreational. It is a sport that exercises more muscles than any other, and constantly supports the body weight, placing less strain on joints and making it a sport suitable for any age group, people start rowing at school, university or with a club at any level of fitness and at any age.

To row you need good kinaesthetic co-ordination (-you know where your limbs are in relation to your body!) this is a much more common skill than good 'hand-eye co-ordination' and so if you can't catch, hit or kick a ball then you really want to start thinking about practicing your sport sitting down.

Hope you enjoy a look at rowing in the West country.