Rowing

Rio de Janeiro's natural features provided the necessary conditions for the sporting fever that took over the Rio belle époque, starting in the 1840s. Guanabara Bay, in particular, proved favorable for various types of water activities. While in Niterói preference fell to yachting, in Rio it was rowing that attracted all social classes, complete with organized fan clubs.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a regatta on the Lagoa, taken in the 1970s. On the left side, there is a large mountain covered in vegetation, while on the right there is another mountain with buildings visible. In the center, the lagoon is calm, reflecting the mountains. In the foreground, at the edge of the lagoon, a crowd of people has gathered, watching the competition. On the right, three flags are raised on the beach.

Brought to Rio de Janeiro by English immigrants, water sports were seen by the elite and public administrators as “civilizing activities” that should be encouraged. The formation of clubs and the establishment of an organized calendar of events, together with press coverage, completed the favorable landscape for their spread.

It all began with the dispute between the victorious fishing canoe Cabocla, commanded by helmsman Alecrim, and the canoe Lambe Água, commanded by helmsman José Ferro, as recorded in the ‘Jornal do Commercio’ of August 20, 1846. The route went from Praia de Jurujuba, in Niterói, to Praia dos Cavalos (today the start of Avenida Antônio Carlos), in downtown Rio. Throughout the second half of the 19th century, several nautical clubs dedicated to rowing were formed in this stretch of the bay. The Grupo dos Mareantes was the first, followed by the Club de Regatas Guanabarense, the Grupo de Botafogo, the Club de Regatas Cajuense and the Club Atlético Fluminense.

At the time, it was common to hold regattas to celebrate important dates, following the tradition of bullfights: in 1888, a competition took place to celebrate the Abolition of Slavery. In 1892, the Sociedade Carnavalesca Tenentes do Diabo sponsored a regatta to announce the following year's carioca carnival. New rowing clubs kept emerging – such as Internacional, Boqueirão do Passeio, Botafogo, Fluminense, Vasco, and Flamengo – and the circuits multiplied. The busiest one ran from Ponta do Calabouço, where the Santos Dumont Airport is currently located, to Morro do Pasmado, at the end of Praia de Botafogo.

Rowing was so successful in Rio de Janeiro that newspapers created specific columns about the sport. In 1900, Olavo Bilac called for state support for regattas, claiming they were a “tool of civilization”. Mayor Pereira Passos heeded his appeals and not only provided financial aid but also built the Pavilhão de Regatas at Praia de Botafogo. In 1902, the Federação Brasileira das Sociedades de Remo was created.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a rowing event. In the foreground, we see a team of rowers in a boat, with the rowers seated in rows, each holding an oar. On the left, a rower is standing, apparently preparing to get into the boat. In the background, there is a large grandstand packed with spectators, arranged in several rows. The grandstand is built in two sections, with the upper section still under construction, revealing wood and iron structures. The image conveys a sense of movement and competition, typical of sporting events.

Starting in the 1930s, with the intensification of commercial traffic in Guanabara Bay and the craze for sea bathing, rowing clubs moved to the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, where the Estádio de Remo da Lagoa, founded in the 1950s, is still located today. Rowing remains a widely practiced sport in Rio, with regular competitions organized by the Rowing Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Most participants come from the rowing clubs Flamengo, Botafogo, Piraquê, Vasco, and Guanabara.

Image description: The image is a photograph of rowers in a canoe. From back to front, the rowers are arranged in a straight line, each holding a paddle. The water reflects light, creating a pattern of white highlights. There are no distinct colors, as the image is predominantly black and white.

Rowers from Rio de Janeiro's clubs have also been standing out in international competitions. Flamengo brothers and athletes Xavier Vela Maggi and Pau Vela Maggi won the silver medal at the 2019 Pan American Games. Botafogo rowers Lucas Verthein and Uncas Tales Batista took home the bronze. At the 2012 (London) and 2016 (Rio) Olympic Games, Rio-born rowers Fernanda Nunes and Luana Bartholo were part of the Brazilian delegation.

Rowing in Rio is not just about medals and international regattas, though. On June 17, 2019, for example, Fernanda Charbel and Marcela Carrocino were rowing in Barra da Tijuca when they were surprised by a humpback whale leaping out of the water. Sport and nature: two of the strongest expressions of this Rio in motion!

Humpback Whale in Barra da Tijuca. Video by Marcela Carrocino – June 2019