An Exciting Indoor Race Season Ahead

At Concept2, we find endless inspiration and motivation from the energy and enthusiasm of our worldwide community of users. For all of you who take part in our Million Meter Club, Kids’ Distance Clubs and online challenges, as well as use our many resources that guide you on your fitness journey, we thank you!

 There's also a huge community of people who take part in the increasingly popular sport of indoor racing. There's a growing list of indoor rowing races around the world on Concept2 ergs that include both virtual and in-person options—open to anyone who wishes to participate. 

Most races take place over the Olympic regatta distance of 2000 meters, and there are recognized age group records for this and a number of other distances. The race season culminates with the World Rowing Indoor Championships (WRICH) that changes venue each year, showcasing a truly international sport and bringing the best athletes from all corners of the globe. Concept2 is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the 2024 World Rowing Indoor Championships that will take place on February 23–24, 2024, at the O2 Universum Hall in Prague, Czech Republic. 

For the second time, WRICH will be staged as a hybrid event, encouraging greater and wider participation. Participants from all continents will have a choice to compete in-person in Prague (no qualification necessary), or join the action “virtually” in real time on their Concept2 ergs using the same timing and results system (qualification is necessary for virtual racing). In addition to the usual age-category races, World Rowing is bringing back the Versa Challenge, a multi-challenge team competition that consists of five "surprise" events over two days. By using a point system, the overall winners in the Open Men’s and Open Women’s categories will become World Rowing Versa Champions. Qualification for the Versa Challenge is open now.

As equally exciting this race season is the return of the British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC) at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, England on December 9, 2023. Open to all from ages 11 years old and up, the BRIC will offer a mix of race events for Open and Women’s categories, U23, Junior, Lightweight, and Masters, and adaptive and para events, too. 

For the first time, BRIC will be a part of FitFest 2023, the UK’s one and only fitness festival for fitness competitors and enthusiasts that takes place over three days. 

The sport of indoor rowing was created in 1981 when Concept2 developed its first rowing machine and, within a year, the first indoor race was organized by a group of rowers in Boston, Massachusetts, looking to spice up their winter training. Hundreds of indoor rowing races are now held around the world each year, including the World Indoor Rowing Championships (WRICH). Our race calendar can help you find an event near you, while we also have a list of international races. 

Indoor racing is open to anyone—you don't have to be a champion. We encourage everyone to consider participating in a race, or at least coming to watch one. It makes a great training goal to get you through the tough sessions. If you’re thinking of taking part, check out our First Time Race Advice.