‘Weighing in’ on coxes in competition

TW: this article discusses weight and weight loss

As the leaves start to change and the weather begins to chill, another year of rowing begins anew. With sights set on the 2024-25 racing season, there is no better time to review how competitions are run and make changes for a better and more inclusive sport.

One of those changes must be in the process for cox weigh-ins, specifically for competitions, which can be harmful or embarrassing, especially for younger athletes.

For those unaware, British Rowing (BR) 2024 Rules of Racing state that a coxswain must weigh a minimum of 55kg (45kg for J15 and younger) to participate in competitions. If they are lighter, they must carry dead-weight while racing. Coxes consent to be weighed when they choose to enter competition and this usually takes place the morning of race day.

My experience weighing in has been relatively painless and the process is usually very simple. You go to race control the morning of competition and enter a room with one or two people – often adults – that have a scale and list of crews competing. You step on the scale, they determine if you meet the requirements, you get a wristband and some dead-weight if needed, and then off you go to warm up with your crew.

Sometimes the person weighing you will read out the number on the scale, perhaps to an assistant. Sometimes you will be in a large club room with rowers, coaches, and families milling about. For some, this process seems harmless. For others, it sounds mortifying.

We should first address the obvious: why weigh coxes in the first place? According to BR guidance, the rule safeguards coxes against pressure to lose weight to gain a competitive advantage. Although 55kg has the potential to become a target weight of sorts, especially in the highest level of the sport where races are won by mere milliseconds, there seems to be a general consensus that a steady hand or well-timed call from the cox are much more effective in increasing boat speed than the 0.2 seconds saved per kg of dead-weight. I believe the minimum weight requirement is an enforceable, clear rule and thus remains an important safeguarding measure.

However, I argue that the process of being weighed has room for improvement.

The relationship between weight, body image, disordered eating, and other mental health concerns is complex. The topic of weight monitoring, especially for J18 athletes, requires the utmost care to protect their welfare and keep every athlete safe. In fact, a 2021 study found that U.S. university students who had weight-related self-monitoring behaviours also experienced an “increased eating disorder symptomatology.” That is, behaviours like tracking weight have possible links with disordered eating and body dissatisfaction. One careless action in these scenarios has the potential for long-term harm to athletes’ mental well-being. 

Crucially, BR acknowledged the risk of weighing rowers/coxes and produced a document in 2022 with guidance on how to do so safely. The section concerning weighing for competition includes the following:

• No subjective comments concerning weight should be made by anyone.
• Weighing should be conducted in an area “where no other individuals can see or hear the measurements except the person taking the measurements” and “with another appropriate adult present if the athlete is J18 and under”.
• The same scales should be used each time.
• At their request, athletes “can be weighed at a competition without being told or shown their weight.”

Unfortunately, my experience with being weighed in at competition often fell short of this guidance. Being weighed in a common area was uncomfortable; I can only imagine how mortifying or scary it could be for a young girl to step on a scale in front of a middle-aged stranger without anyone else present. Thus, point two is good in theory but requires more planning to execute properly.

For instance, race control could be in a space away from common areas, with adults of different genders and a screened-off area with the scale. Having a trusted adult present for J18s should be mandatory and codified in the rules as such; I remember seeing young coxes being weighed alone in queues ahead of me. 

And, once the cox gets into this private room, having the number on the scale read out loud for any reason is, in my opinion, wholly unnecessary and can do much more harm than good. In fact, having to request to not know their weight, as point four suggests, can be more humiliating and invite unwanted scrutiny. Every measure should be taken to treat this information with discretion. If the athlete wants to know, they can ask (or look down at the scale themselves). 

For every athlete, from young schoolchildren to university students and older adults, the risk of mental health concerns resulting from weight monitoring is very real. British Rowing and competitions across the country have a responsibility to safeguard all of their athletes, and taking the process of weigh-ins seriously is one step towards doing that. 

This issue was first brought to my attention at a Northern Rowing Regional Committee AGM in November 2023. Since then, the Northern Rowing Umpiring Committee (NRUC) has considered the issue and agreed that changes could be made. They set out to create briefing materials and reference guides for competition teams that specifically address coxing weigh-ins. It is unclear what these briefing materials will include, but actions like this indicate that change is possible and I hope the rest of the country will follow suit. 

If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s health, you can contact BEAT, the UK’s eating disorder charity, 365 days a year on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk

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Hannah Schmalstich

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