Malta Rowing Federation

VO/2163

2025 Malta National Indoor Rowing Championships

All participants must register online by Tuesday, 4 November 2025, at 10:00 PM. The Race Schedules will be available here once published. They will include official results of all pre-event races, if any. Please report any errors immediately via email to rowing.malta@gmail.com. For further information, you may also contact the organisers at the same address. Detailed rules and protocols that must be followed are available on the Indoor Racing Rules page.

Type of Event, Date, and Venue

The 2025 Malta National Indoor Rowing Championships is an in-person, medalled event to be held on Saturday, 15 November 2025, at the Dar tal-Providenza Gym, Siġġiewi. The first race is scheduled to start at approximately 11:30 AM.

Registration

All participants must register online by Tuesday, 4 November 2025, at 10:00 PM.

Weighing In

In accordance with World Rowing rules: “Lightweight rowers shall be weighed wearing only their racing uniform on tested scales not less than one hour and not more than two hours before their first race of each lightweight event in which they are competing, each day of the competition.” Participants competing as Lightweight must therefore weigh in on the day of their race at the venue, 1–2 hours before their first race.

Schedule (Draft)

11:30 – Race 1: 2000m Women
11:50 – Race 2: 2000m Men
12:10 – Race 3: 2000m Women LW
12:30 – Race 4: 2000m Men LW
12:50 – Race 5: 2000m Para

13:30 – Race 6: 1000m Women
13:50 – Race 7: 1000m Men
14:10 – Race 8: 1000m Women LW
14:30 – Race 9: 1000m Men LW
14:50 – Race 10: 1000m Para

15:30 – Race 11: 500m Women
15:50 – Race 12: 500m Men
16:10 – Race 13: 500m Women LW
16:30 – Race 14: 500m Men LW
16:50 – Race 15: 500m Para

A detailed schedule (start lists) will be emailed to all athletes and uploaded once finalised and is published on www.maltarowing.com/indoor. This supersedes the draft schedule above,

Eligibility

Although this is a national event, participation is open to everyone. Ranking will be made under two categories for each event:

  • Overall Ranking – all athletes, irrespective of nationality, with medals awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each 2000m, 1000m, and 500m category.
  • National Ranking – separate ranking for holders of Maltese passports.

This is an inclusive event and we are proud that, since 2017, the Championships have also featured Para/Adaptive Categories. Athletes wishing to participate in a para/adaptive category should contact the organiser on +356 7904 9865 or email rowing.malta@gmail.com (cc: maltaparacom@gmail.com).

Entry Fees

Per 2000m / 1000m / 500m race:

  • Rowers registered with Malta Rowing Federation Clubs: €25
  • Regatta Rowers (Regatta Malta Clubs): €30
  • Others: €35

Payment should be made by credit card though http://pay.vivawallet.com/malta-rowing or though a bank transfer:

Account Holder: Malta Rowing Federation

IBAN: GR9305700009950218707110503
BIC: PRXBGRAA

Summary of Championship Rules

By entering the competition, competitors agree to be bound by the following:

  1. Concept2 Indoor Rowers will be used.
  2. Competitors may participate in multiple races but may enter each distance only once.
  3. Races will be held over 2000m, 1000m, and 500m distances.
  4. Subdivisions: Men/Women, Lightweight/Open Weight, Para/Adaptive.
  5. Para/Adaptive athletes must contact rowing.malta@gmail.com and maltaparacom@gmail.com for eligibility confirmation and national classification.
  6. Rowers need not be registered with an affiliated club. Obviously, it’s always great to be part of a rowing club and indoor rowers are encouraged to join one.
  7. Rowers registered with Malta Rowing Federation member clubs (Siġġiewi RC and University of Malta RC) must compete under their club’s name and benefit from reduced fees. Regatta Rowers registered with Regatta Malta through an affiliated club (Birgu, Birzebbuga, Bormla, Kalkara, Marsa, Marsamxett, Senglea and Siġġiewi) have the option to compete in the name of their club (provided their club consents) and also benefit from a special arrangement.
  8. Competitors may select any drag factor, but it must remain unchanged during the race.
  9. All races are considered finals; times will be ranked accordingly. Sometimes (e.g. when the number of participants in a particular race exceed the number of available ergometers) more than one heat will be held, with their results combined to produce a single ranking for a particular category.
  10. Competitors will automatically be entered into the open categories (if over 16) and eligible age categories.
  11. Equipment failures may be reviewed at the organisers’ discretion.
  12. A provisional schedule will be sent by the preceding Tuesday (8:00 PM). Corrections must be submitted at least 48 hours before race time.
  13. The Malta Rowing Federation enforces a strict Anti-Doping Policy, aligned with WADA, World Rowing, and NADO standards. Details: maltarowing.com/antidoping. This anti-doping policy allows the Federation, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), World Rowing and the National Antidoping Organisation (NADO) to perform tests on competitors both in-competition and out-of-competition. This is because we believe that our rowers have the right to compete with the peace of mind that they know that they, and their competitors, are clean. The use of performance-enhancing drugs and doping activity severely damages the legacy of sport and undermines the integrity of true athletes. Further details may be obtained from https://maltarowing.com/antidoping/ or from here. Note that those who are registered with the Federation as a Rower or Affiliate may be tested at any time during their registration period in accordance with LN 17(2015) of the Laws of Malta.
  14. Detailed rules and protocols which must be followed are available on the Indoor Racing Rules page.
  15. By registering, a participant (the athlete) is agreeing that:
    • The information in their registration form is correct and he/she is obliging him/herself to inform the Association whenever there is a change in this information. 
    • The athlete is bound to honour the rules set by the Malta Rowing Federation, including but not limited to the Statute, Code of Discipline, as well as any rules set by World Rowing (FISA) and/or other competent entities including AIMS and SportMalta. Malta Rowing Federation and other entities reserve the right to change their rules over the years whenever and however they deem fit. 
    • The athlete will agree to participate in Doping Tests if s/he is asked to do so and that s/he knows about the anti-doping regulations as explained in the LN 104(2021) (Sports Act, CH 455 of the Laws of Malta). The athlete is also agreeing that information regarding his/her registration will be held and passed to other entities as is needed, in accordance with the Data Protection Act (Ch 440 of the Laws of Malta). 
    • The athlete declares that s/he does not suffer from health problems, disabilities or conditions which may endanger him/her or anyone in the vicinity during training and/or a competition. 
    • The athlete (and/or his/her family members and/or his/her dependants) exonerates any individual involved in the organisation and running of these Championships, Malta Rowing Federation as well as any members, employees, volunteers and executive of the Malta Rowing Federation for material, physical, moral or other forms of damage which may be suffered by him/her, his/her family members and/or his/her dependants. S/he agrees to compensate for any damages that the Malta Rowing Federation as well as any members, employees, volunteers and executive of the Malta Rowing Federation and/or their dependents in the case that these damages would have been caused by the athlete’s negligence or actions.
  16. Athletes under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. The parent/guardian of athletes under the age of 16 must consent to the terms above on behalf of the athlete.

Further Information: Ranking Categories

Gender

Separate rankings for Men and Women.

Weight

Separate Lightweight (LW) rankings (ages 16+):

  • Men ≤ 75 kg (LW-M)
  • Women ≤ 61.5 kg (LW-W)

Weigh-ins as per World Rowing rules (see above). Those failing to make weight may compete in Open Weight against a late registration fee.

Age Categories

(a) Open (16+) – 500m, 1000m, 2000m. Medals to top 3 in each gender/weight class.
(b) Youth (U19) – U13, U16, U19 as per World Rowing age limits (no weigh-ins for U13/U16)*.
(c) Masters (30+) – 500m, 1000m. Medals to top 3 per category: 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–70, 70+.

Detailed rules on age categories are available on the Indoor Racing Rules page.

* IMPORTANT: Athletes who reach the age of 16 in the year of the championship, whose 16th birthday is before the date of the championships, may, if they request so, be entered in both the U16 and open categories. Athletes within this age bracket who qualify to compete as LW will be weighed 1-2 hrs before their race.

Para/Adaptive Rankings

The Malta National Indoor Rowing Championships include Para/Adaptive events in collaboration with the Malta Paralympic Committee (MPC).
Classification follows the system on Concept2 Adaptive Rowing.
Local classifications are valid only for this championship. For international classification, contact the Malta Paralympic Committee.

Important Notes:

(a) National Ranking & National Team Selection: Results from the Championships will determine the national indoor rankings and may be used for National Team selection as part of the athlete’s testing programme to be eligible to join the Federation’s “long list” or “extended long list” for the National Team. Only athletes registered with a Malta Rowing Federation member club are automatically eligible for such selection or to receive official support. However, for indoor rowing competitions only, a special concession is being made for athletes registered as “regatta rowers” with Regatta Malta to be eligible for selection to form part of national Indoor Rowing team (and/or receive support) as “affiliates” provided that (i) they are given written consent to do so by Regatta Malta and/or their Regatta Club, and (ii) they sign a specific temporary registration form directly with Malta Rowing Federation which only relates to indoor rowing. This specific temporary registration shall normally be made in the months of October to December and have a maximum registration duration of fifteen months ending on the 31st December of the year following the signing of the specific temporary registration. The affiliation and uniform to be used in such competitions by “affiliates” will be determined on a case-by-case basis and will normally be that of their respective regatta club or Regatta Malta.

(b) Concessionary Measure for Malta Rowing Federation athletes unable to compete on the day: In exceptional circumstances (e.g. hospitalisation, overseas travel, necessity to act as coach to athletes with disability), alternative racing arrangements may be made. This option is available only to registered rowers of the Malta Rowing Federation who are required to race for the purpose of national team selection. Such racing arrangements may be in-person or virtual, supervised with a video call. LW athletes competing virtually under special concession will complete weigh-ins via a video call.

(c) Backup Plan: In the unlikely event that the Championships are held virtually, races will take place via the RaceErg application, which is compatible with any Concept2-PM5 rowing ergometer. In this case, LW applicants must send a photo of themselves on a weighing scale (taken within the required time window) to indoor.regatta@gmail.com.

(d) Previous Events / Rights: The 2025 Championships will be building on the success of the earlier National Indoor Rowing Championships organised in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 by Malta Rowing Association. The Malta Indoor Rowing banner/logo is the work of art of Jean Paul Grech and cannot be used by third parties without consent. His other work can be found here. No Championships were held in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

.