EDITORIAL
Welcome to the NEW World Rowing
After months of preparation, we are proud to release the new brand of World Rowing. This is
far more than just a new logo because in its every manifestation, it embodies the philosophy,
character and values both of our sport and the people who row.
As a sport, Rowing has developed a very strong
set of values and its own personality. To a great
extent, these derive from the people who row –
whether for their nation or their club, university,
school or for fitness and leisure, or as an indoor
rower. But the environment in which we row is also
very important to us; we need clean water and
fresh air, and must do our very best to preserve
this life-giving aquatic habitat – for others as
much as ourselves
Finding the right way to depict these values and
personality in a simple, modern and effective way,
is a challenge which has taken our team several
months of preparation. We are delighted with the
result and very proud to at last be able to share
this new image with the World.
World Rowing’s new logo has been designed
in an art form which comes from the Far East.
Surprisingly, the people who practice this art form,
Sumi-e, have many similarities with the sport of
rowing. In Sumi-e, the artist, the brush and the
ink work in perfect harmony to create the prefect
brush stroke and the quality of the brushstroke
is said to reveal the depth of enlightenment of
the artist.
And, just as it takes a lifetime’s dedication to
create the simple but perfect brush stroke, rowing
requires the same kind of focus and dedication
to develop the skill and feeling through which
the body, oar and water combine to produce
the perfect stroke. And the “enso”, the circular
symbol of Sumi-e, itself also shares the shape
and form left from a rower’s perfect stroke. It
became obvious to us that our new World Rowing
brand should be designed in this art-form with
this symbol.
We are fortunate to be at the heart of a sport
which can boast many strong values. Teamwork,
endurance, closeness to nature, fairness and
inclusiveness define who we are, and we aim to
keep these values at the centre of everything we
do to promote our beautiful sport.
In fact, World Rowing identified these values
many years ago, but recent research confirmed
to us that, despite the many social, cultural and
technological changes which are affecting sport
in general, the core values of rowing and rowers
remain integral to our sport, and so must be
preserved. They are the very essence of what
our sport is about.
© FISA
The new World Rowing brand does not change
who we are. On the contrary, it strengthens our
image and better identifies our personality and
we strongly believe that rowing, in all its forms,
is the truest of sports.
We hope you shall embrace our new image just
as we have.
● Denis Oswald
President
