Going the Distance

The dramatic removal of the lightweight men’s four from the Olympic program wasn’t the only consequential decision to come out of February’s FISA Extraordinary Congress in Tokyo. Delegates from the various national governing bodies also voted to extend the distance for para-rowing at worlds and Paralympic Games from 1,000 to 2,000 meters. And for the first time, female coxswains will be able to cox international male crews and vice versa, with the minimum coxswain weight now 55 kilograms for both sexes. The minimum weight for women’s boats was previously 50 kilograms.