USRowing Lightweight Certification

USROWING JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT COMPLIANCE PROGRAM PROTOCOL

SPRING 2020 SEASON LIGHTWEIGHT REGISTRATION: Jan 15 – Mar 15, 2020

To participate in the Lightweight Category, rowers must be healthy and ready to compete while weighing 130 pounds or less on race day and participate in the weigh in process at the regatta.

If you want the opportunity to row in lightweight events and are naturally under 130 pounds then you would need to complete the USRowing Lightweight Certification Protocol. There is no pressure to do this, but we do not want to deny the opportunity to athletes who are naturally less than 130 pounds and want to participate. As always everyone will be put in the line up that is the best fit for them athletically and technically. Becoming ‘lightweight certified’ does not guarantee that we will row a lightweight event. We will continue to enter in open weight events which are open to all rowers. 

USRowing has introduced a new protocol to attain this certification this year. This new evidence-based protocol is designed to ensure that participating athletes are “true” lightweights and do not lose weight in order to meet weight standards of their respective gender, focusing on the health and safety of youth rowers.

Athletes participating in all USRowing Youth National Championshipsqualification regattas, the USRowing Youth National Championships and any USRowing registered regatta with junior lightweights held between March 15 and June 30 must comply with this process to meet liability insurance requirements.

Athletes not registered with USRowing as junior lightweights by March 15, 2020, are not eligible to participate in lightweight events at USRowing Youth National Championships qualification regattas, the USRowing Youth National Championships and any USRowing registered regatta with junior lightweights held between March 15 and June 30. NO EXCEPTIONS.

USRowing also will introduce the following policy/rule to discourage unsafe behavior for all athletes (including adults):

Rower health and safety remain paramount in USRowing’s mission. Any observed incident of unsafe, abusive, or aggressive weight loss practices (including, but not limited to, “garbage bag runs,” sweatsuit runs, aggressive erg workouts or verbal references to unhealthy practices such as purging, laxative use, or sweat runs), either directly by, or reported to, a USRowing or regatta official, will result in the immediate exclusion of the athlete and the crew from any lightweight event.

For more information from USROWING go to: USROWING JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT COMPLIANCE PROGRAM PROTOCOL

If interested in registering for Lightweight Status, please complete the following steps:

Step 1. Schedule Appointment for Rower with Healthcare Professional

  • Inform your healthcare professional in advance of the purpose of the visit and reference the “three years of CDC growth chart weight percentile data” requirement on the form.

Step 2. Download & Complete the USRowing Junior Lightweight Clearance Form

  • Download the latest version of the form to take to the appointment with the healthcare professional. Go to USRowing Junior Lightweight Clearance Form.
  • The Healthcare Professional will complete page 1.
  • Parent/Legal Guardian and Athlete will complete page 2.

Step 3. Mail original signed form to USRowing

  • Forms should be postmarked no later than March 15, 2020.
  • Be sure to retain a copy for your records.
  • Mail to:

USRowing
c/o Lightweight Registration
2 Wall Street
Princeton, NJ 08540