Indoor Rowing Relay Race – Rules and Regulations – 2026
1. Race Distance
1.1. Each race will cover a total distance of 1,000 metres on an indoor rowing machine.
1.2. The winning team will be the team completing the 1,000 metres in the shortest time.
2. Team Composition
2.1. Each team must consist of a minimum of 2 athletes and a maximum of 4 athletes.
2.2. All registered team members must participate in the race by rowing at least once.
2.3. There is no minimum or maximum distance that an individual team member must row, provided that all registered team members participate.
3. Relay Format
3.1. Team members must take turns rowing, with each member completing at least one section of the race.
3.2. Teams may decide how to divide the 1,000 metres among their members.
3.3. There is no restriction on the number of changeovers during a race.
3.4. Only one athlete may row at any given time.
4. Changeovers
4.1. Each team must use the same rowing machine throughout the race.
4.2. Team members may change over at any point during the race.
4.3. During a changeover, the outgoing athlete must stop rowing and vacate the seat before the incoming athlete takes their position.
4.4. Team members may assist one another during changeovers, including helping with foot straps and adjusting footrests.
4.5. No athlete may assist another by pulling the handle or otherwise contributing to the rowing effort.
4.6. The rowing machine’s distance counter must remain active throughout the race. The timer will continue running during changeovers, and any time lost during a changeover will count towards the team’s final time.
5. Race Categories
The competition will comprise the following 15 categories.
A. Female – Open Age
- All team members must be female.
- No age restrictions.
B. Male – Open Age
- All team members must be male.
- No age restrictions.
C. Mixed Gender – Open Age
- Both male and female athletes must be represented.
- No age restrictions.
D. Female – U16
- All team members must be female.
- All athletes must turn 15 years of age or younger during the calendar year of the competition.
E. Male – U16
- All team members must be male.
- All athletes must turn 15 years of age or younger during the calendar year of the competition.
F. Mixed Gender – U16
- Both male and female athletes must be represented.
- All athletes must turn 15 years of age or younger during the calendar year of the competition.
G. Female – U19
- All team members must be female.
- All athletes must turn 18 years of age or younger during the calendar year of the competition.
H. Male – U19
- All team members must be male.
- All athletes must turn 18 years of age or younger during the calendar year of the competition.
I. Mixed Gender – U19
- Both male and female athletes must be represented.
- All athletes must turn 18 years of age or younger during the calendar year of the competition.
J. Female – Masters
- All team members must be female.
- All athletes must be over 27 years of age.
- Average team age must be at least 40 years.
K. Male – Masters
- All team members must be male.
- All athletes must be over 27 years of age.
- Average team age must be at least 40 years.
L. Mixed Gender – Masters
- Both male and female athletes must be represented.
- All athletes must be over 27 years of age.
- Average team age must be at least 40 years.
M. Female – Inclusive – Open Age
- All team members must be female.
- At least one team member must be a person with a disability.
- No age restrictions.
N. Male – Inclusive – Open Age
- All team members must be male.
- At least one team member must be a person with a disability.
- No age restrictions.
O. Mixed Gender – Inclusive – Open Age
- Both male and female athletes must be represented.
- At least one team member must be a person with a disability.
- No age restrictions.
6. Inclusive Categories
6.1. Inclusive categories are open to teams comprising athletes with and without disabilities, provided that at least one team member has a disability.
6.2. Athletes with disabilities may also participate in other race categories, provided they satisfy the relevant eligibility requirements.
6.3. Reasonable adaptations may be permitted to facilitate the participation of athletes with disabilities, subject to approval by the organisers.
7. Age Calculation and Eligibility
7.1. Ages will be determined by the age each athlete attains during the calendar year of the competition.
7.2. The following age requirements apply:
- U16: Athletes must turn 15 years of age or younger during the competition year.
- U19: Athletes must turn 18 years of age or younger during the competition year.
- Masters: Athletes must be over 27 years of age, and the average team age must be at least 40 years.
- Open Age: No age restrictions apply.
7.3. For the 2026 competition, the following birth-year requirements apply:
| Category | Eligible athletes |
| U16 | Born in 2011 or later |
| U19 | Born in 2008 or later |
| Masters | Born 14-Nov-1998 (i.e. reached the age of 27 on the day of the championships) or earlier, with a team average age of at least 40 |
| Open Age | No age restrictions |
7.4. For Masters categories, the average team age will be calculated by adding the ages attained by all team members during the competition year and dividing by the number of members.
8. Team Entries and Athlete Participation
8.1. Each club may enter an unlimited number of teams in any race category.
8.2. An athlete may only compete as a member of one team within the same race category, but may participate in multiple categories, provided the relevant eligibility requirements are satisfied.
8.3. The same group of athletes may register and compete together in more than one race category, provided they qualify for each category.
8.4. For example, a group of male athletes whose average age is at least 40 years, and whose individual members are all over 27 years of age, may register as the same team in both the Male – Open Age and Male – Masters categories.
8.5. Similarly, a U16 team may also compete in the U19 and Open Age categories, provided it satisfies the respective eligibility requirements.
8.6. However, an athlete cannot be registered with two different teams within the same race category, even if both teams represent the same club.
9. Club Representation and Team Affiliation
9.1. Teams may represent clubs affiliated with the Malta Rowing Federation, clubs affiliated with Regatta Malta, or participate as non-affiliated teams.
9.2. For teams representing clubs affiliated with the Malta Rowing Federation or Regatta Malta, more than half of the team members must be affiliated with the club being represented.
9.3. The remaining members may come from other clubs or be unaffiliated.
9.4. The minimum number of athletes affiliated with the represented club is:
| Team size | Minimum affiliated athletes |
| 2 athletes | 2 |
| 3 athletes | 2 |
| 4 athletes | 3 |
9.5. Non-affiliated teams are not subject to the club membership requirements outlined above.
10. Relay Participation
10.1. All registered team members must row during the race.
10.2. There is no minimum distance that an individual team member must complete.
10.3. Teams are responsible for organising their changeovers and ensuring that every registered athlete participates.
11. Winning Team and Results
11.1. The winning team in each category will be the team completing the 1,000 metres in the shortest time.
11.2. The official finishing time will be the time recorded by the rowing machine’s performance monitor, subject to verification by race officials.
11.3. Results will be classified separately for each race category.
12. Rowing Machines and Equipment
12.1. For the 2026 competition, all races will be conducted on Concept2 rowing ergometers without slides.
12.2. All rowing machines will be provided or approved by the organisers.
12.3. Each rowing machine will be programmed for a race distance of 1,000 metres, with the performance monitor recording the total elapsed time.
12.4. Teams may adjust the damper setting and footrest positions according to individual preferences, including during changeovers.
12.5. Athletes must remain seated while rowing, with their feet positioned on the footrests, except where an adaptation has been approved for an athlete with a disability.
12.6. The performance monitor must not be reset, paused or otherwise interfered with during the race.
12.7. The race is completed when the performance monitor records the full 1,000 metres.
12.8. In the event of a machine malfunction, race officials will determine whether a restart or another appropriate remedy is necessary.
13. Entry Fees
13.1. The following registration fees apply per team, per race category:
| Team representation | Entry fee |
| Teams representing clubs affiliated with the Malta Rowing Federation (Siġġiewi Rowing Club and/or University of Malta Rowing Club) | €40 |
| Teams representing clubs affiliated with Regatta Malta | €60 |
| Non-affiliated teams | €80 |
13.2. A team registering in more than one race category must pay the applicable entry fee for each category entered.
13.3. The applicable entry fee will be determined by the club represented by the team or its non-affiliated status, subject to the requirements outlined in Rule 9.
14. Fair Play and Officials
14.1. All athletes and teams must follow the instructions of race officials.
14.2. Teams must compete fairly and must not interfere with other competitors or rowing machines.
14.3. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in disqualification.
14.4. The organisers reserve the right to resolve any matters not expressly covered by these regulations.
14.5. The decisions of the organisers and race officials concerning race conduct, eligibility and results shall be final.
