Rowing performance of female and male rowers

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 (VO_2max), 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; VO_2max 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; VO_2max 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 VO_2max (r = -0.90, P < 0.001). However, rowing time was slower in the females than in the males with a similar body height (by ∼10%) and body mass (by ∼9%), but the sex difference was smaller when the fat-free mass (by ∼4%) and VO_2max (by ∼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.