How can I race friends on the erg?

Row the same piece at an agreed time and compare results, or send a time for a friend to beat. BLADES has leagues against friends, a one-crew-together mode that puts everyone in one boat, and a challenge link on your results.

Can we row as a crew from different places?

In BLADES’ one-crew-together leagues each person rows on their own erg and the sessions go into one boat’s season. See the guide for how it works.

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Rowing with friends on the erg

Pick a piece everyone knows (a 2k, a 6k, 30 minutes at rate 20), row it at the same time or send a time to beat, and compare. For something that lasts all winter, a league or a crew in one boat turns separate ergs into a season.

Four ways to do it

Way	What you need	Best for
Same piece, same time	A group chat and a time	A one-off 2k test day
A time to beat	One link or one number	A friend you’re trying to catch
A league	Friends, a season	Months of rowing with something at stake
One crew together	The old crew, a boat	Getting the whole boat back, each on their own erg

Make a fair race

Raw 2k times favour the big and the young. Race against your own history, or by percentage improvement on your last 2k, so everyone has something to chase. In BLADES leagues each athlete is set from their own 2k.

On BLADES

After a 2k, 5k or 6k, Send a challenge link: your friend opens it and sees your time to beat.
Leagues against friends, and one crew together for a whole boat. See the guide.
Share a card of the result, with the river behind it.

Get the crew together

Next: Holiday Challenge tips, workouts for ex-college rowers.

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BLADES isn’t affiliated with Concept2. Paces and zones are rules of thumb; train to how you recover, and check with a doctor before hard training if you’re unsure.