Rowing

Sports Facilities

Travel to Lake Rursee is usually organized via carpooling.

Equipment

Various racing shells like single scull, pair, four and eight and gig boats are available at Wildenhof.

Please bring training clothing suitable for the respective wind and weather conditions. Adequate sun protection is also particularly important: sunscreen, headgear and sunglasses.

Drinking bottles that you want to take into the boat must be made of plastic so as not to damage the boats.

There are changing rooms with showers on site.

Special Participation Requirements

In order to participate in rowing during the summer season, you must have an university internal rowing permit. This is acquired in the rowing course Rowing Level 1.

If you have already gained many years of previous experience in a rowing club, please contact the rowing club representatives directly by e-mail.

Links and other activities

Subscribe to our mailing list to be informed about activities and updates.

You can find further insights on our Instagram pages @aachen_university_rowing and @rwth_achter.

In addition to regular training, we take part in regattas several times a year and usually go on a cruise once a year.

Target Group and Requirements

This is the right place for you if you have little or no previous rowing experience.

Before you register, please note that you are only allowed to take part in the course and rowing if you can swim! If you are unable to swim, you will not be allowed to take part in the course!

This is because rowing is a water sport and it can happen, especially at the beginning, that you lose your balance with a sloppy stroke or an unexpected wave and tip the boat into the water. The course teaches you how to get back into the boat.

Minors must submit a written declaration of consent from their parents or legal guardians to the University Sports Center before starting the course.

Contents and Goals

The courses take place on three consecutive days, usually from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon, at the Rursee.

You will learn how to scull (one oar in the right and one in the left hand) in several boat classes.

To ensure the correct sequence of movements, we start with technical exercises on land, including on the rowing ergometer. Step by step, you will be introduced to rowing independently, first in training sessions in the gig boat (wide boat) and then in the racing boat (narrow boat) and single scull. The course is supplemented by theoretical units.

This course gives you permission to take part in regular rowing activities afterwards.

In the first two weeks after the course, you will have the opportunity to take part in rowing training without a Rowing Semester Card on a trial basis. After this transitional period, you will need to purchase a semester card in order to continue taking part in rowing training.

Depending on the weather, this takes place regularly on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Particularities

Approximately one to two weeks before the course, you will be informed by email about a short meeting to get to know each other.

At this meeting, carpools will be formed, meals will be organized (self-catering kitchen) and any other questions will be clarified.

At the Rursee there is the possibility to camp and partly to stay overnight in shared rooms. The current fees can be found on the Wildenhof website.

Transportation, food and accommodation costs are individual for each participant and are not included in the course fee.

Please note in particular that swimming is not permitted at Wildenhof and is subject to fines.

If you have any questions in advance, you can of course contact the respective instructors or the representatives.

Course Cancellations and Facility Closures

You will be informed by e-mail of any short-notice, mainly weather-related, course cancellations and sports facility closures for this sports program.

Target Group and Requirements

All those who wish to participate in rowing outside of the Rowing Level 1 course must purchase a rowing semester card for the current semester. This is in particular for insurance reasons.

You must also already have an university internal rowing permit:

- You can obtain this by taking part in a Rowing Level 1 course.

- If you already have many years of previous rowing experience, please contact the representatives by e-mail. You will then receive your rowing permit after a short briefing by the instructors.

Minors must submit a written declaration of consent from their parents or legal guardians to the University Sports Center before participating in this sport.

Particularities

Your internal university rowing permit is marked by a level (Beginner, F1, F2). Please regard the corresponding information on the door of the boat hall.

One option is the regular semester card. By purchasing this, you commit to helping out on one of the two equipment maintenance days in the semester. The second option is the semester card without equipment maintenance hours. By purchasing this more expensive semester card, you are exempt from this obligation.

Please also note the general rules that apply at Wildenhof and on the Rursee:

There is a general ban on swimming outside official bathing areas and therefore also at Wildenhof. Violations will be punished with fines by the water management company (owner of the Rursee).

Course Cancellations and Facility Closures

You will be informed by e-mail of any short-notice, mainly weather-related, course cancellations and sports facility closures for this sports program.