How does a rowing race start?
B · Beginner · The start and the race · 3 of 5Crews must be attached to their starting positions at least two minutes before the start. The starter calls "Two minutes", names each crew in a roll call, says "Attention!", shows a red flag or red light and, after a clear pause, drops the flag with "Go!" or switches the light to green.
How it works
- The start zone: the first 100 metres of the course. A crew may enter it when the starter allows, and may enter its lane once the crews from the race before have left the zone and the starter has given it a lane.
- Two minutes: crews are attached to the start pontoons at least two minutes before the start time. The starter announces "Two minutes", which puts the crews under starter's orders.
- Alignment: an aligner has the boats moved until every bow is exactly on the start line. The judge at the start checks this and shows a white flag or light.
- The roll call: the starter names the crews in lane order. Each crew is responsible for being straight and ready by the end of it. Once the roll call has begun the starter takes no further notice of a crew that signals it is not ready.
- "Attention!": then the starter raises the red flag or turns the lights to red.
- The signal: after a clear pause that varies from race to race, the starter drops the flag to one side and says "Go!", or presses a button that turns the light green, sounds a signal and starts the clock.
The quick start: in bad weather or for another valid reason the starter may drop the roll call, say "All Crews" in its place and carry on from "Attention".
Tricky cases
A crew raises a hand during the roll call to say it is not ready. Does the starter wait?
No. Once the roll call begins the starter finishes it, "taking no further notice of any crew which indicates that it is not ready or not straight".
Can the race start without a crew that is late?
Yes. The starter may start "without reference to absentees". A crew arriving late may be given a yellow card, and a crew arriving after the start time may be excluded.
Can a race start before its scheduled time?
Yes. After "Two minutes", if all crews are ready, the starter may go ahead in adverse weather or other special circumstances without waiting for the scheduled time.
Why the rule exists
Boats differ in length, so the pontoons move to put every bow on the same line and every crew rows the same distance. The pause before the signal changes each time so that no crew can guess it and go early.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Rowing rules | As above | RR 67; RR 68 and bye-law |
| Flag starts | Red flag raised, then dropped with "Go!" | RR 68 bye-law (1 e, f) |
| World Championships, Games and World Cups | Starting lights with a sound signal are required | RR App R4 (3 a xi) |
| Olympic and Paralympic regattas and senior World Championships | A device that holds each bow on the line and releases it at the signal is mandatory | RR App R4 (3 a x) |
From the rule book
World Rowing Rules of Racing and Related Bye-Laws (Overall and Classic Rowing), Rules 67, 68 and 83 with their bye-laws and Appendix R4. Last updated 1 July 2025. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Rowing Rules of Racing (PDF).