Questions and answers
The most common questions about age handicaps and the method behind them.
Based on 5967 races from 14 regattas (2015–2026) · Data as of 15 September 2026
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What is an age handicap in masters rowing?
It is a time adjustment that levels the field between competitors of different ages racing together. Masters rowers are split into categories from AA (21+) to M (89+), and the handicap expresses how many seconds of difference come from age alone. That is what allows crews from different categories to race in the same event.
How are the values on this site calculated?
For every combination of gender, boat class and age category we collect the winning times of all available finals, remove outliers using the IQR method with a 1.5 multiplier, and take the median of what remains. The median resists the single extreme results that masters regattas produce regularly.
Where does the data come from?
From the official results of the World Rowing Masters Regatta (the masters world championships organised by World Rowing) and the Euro Masters Regatta. The database covers 5967 races from 14 regattas between 2015 and 2026. Every race keeps a link to the source results PDF.
Which category is the reference?
Category B (ages 36–42). The adjustment tables show the difference in seconds relative to it, because that is how official federation tables are built.
Do the times cover all distances?
No. Every value is for 1000 m, the standard distance for masters regattas. Races over other distances are rejected when the data is loaded.
How often is the database updated?
After each major masters regatta. Last update: 15 September 2026. Lightweight events and non-age categories are excluded, because they are not comparable with the open AA–M categories.
All times are for the 1000 m distance. The handicap value is the median of winners’ times after removing outliers with the IQR method (1.5×).