Getting back on the sliding saddle for the Concept2 Fall Team Challenge

I will suck. I haven't erged in forever. I am sure I will suffer and my body will balk. That said, starting September 15, in just 5 days, I will be stepping into the Potomac Boat Club's virtual team boat and row and ski as many meters as I can between then and October 15 for the Concept2 Fall Team Challenge 2021. Wish me luck; or, why don't you sign up, sign in, and register! It's free and it's awesome. All you need to do is find a Concept2 erg, join the Concept2 logbook, and then either join a team or create a team.

What is a virtual team challenge?

Instead of there being a rowing regatta where boats race each other over the course of the day for W, virtual team challenges are free, seasonal, annual, online-only competitions sponsored by Concept2 that require that you have access to their own branded indoor rower, their own skierg, or even their own bikeerg. They last for a month instead of a day and the winners win because they have collectively, as a team, collected the most meters. There are boat club teams, there are online-only teams; there are teams of two and there are teams of thousands. There will be awards for total number of meters, there will be team placements for all of these divisions: virtual, education, military, on-water, health/fitness, corporate, emergency services, medical facility, correctional facility, and CrossFit. 

What is the Fall Team Challenge?

The Fall Team Challenge is a challenge where team members each individually try to reach either 100,000 meters or 200,000 meters between September 15 and October 15. Meters may be accumulated on a RowErg, SkiErg, BikeErg, or a combination of the three. There are free certificates of completion and prizes for purchase (available from our third-party vendor). To either start or join a team, visit the Teams page of your logbook. If you're a member of a team, make sure you confirm your participation in the challenge.

The best news is that I can always shift between the indoor rower and the SkiErg to keep things interesting. The even better news is that my fitness will improve as I row. So, while I might suck wind for the first week, I have another four weeks to make up for it. And, as my friends always say, no matter how much you suck in the seat, you are still doing better than everyone who is stuck on the couch. Amen.

The Details

• Each team completes as many meters as they can collectively between 12:00 a.m. September 15 and 11:59 p.m. October 15.
• Indoor rower, SkiErg and BikeErg meters only (no on water/on snow meters please). You can combine meters from each machine to reach the challenge goal. Note: BikeErg meters are counted as half when applied to the challenge.
• This is a team challenge. You must belong to a team to participate. This is not the same as your club affiliation in your profile. See "Information for Team Members" below.
• Teams must consist of at least two (2) people. Team members will not appear on challenge boards until at least two people are taking part.
• Important deadline: Complete the following tasks by September 30 23:59 GMT (19:59 ET) or your team will not be enrolled in the challenge and/or your team members' meters will not count for the challenge:
  • All team members must be added to your team.
  • Team members who have their own logbooks must indicate in their logbooks that they are actively participating in the current challenge. (See the Team member page for more information.)
• Meters must be entered online. Because of the large number of participants in the challenge, we cannot accept results via phone, fax or email. We suggest that any members who have access to the internet create their own profile so that they can enter their own results.
• Meters completed each week should be entered no later than midnight on Friday of that week. This works on the honor system. It makes it fair and fun for everyone if you can watch the progress of the teams that you are competing against.
• Concept2 reserves the right to ask for proof of meter totals if they seem suspect and to disqualify any team from the challenge who we feel is not participating honestly.
• Deadline for entering meters: October 18 23:59 GMT (19:59 ET).

Who Can Participate

Virtual teams (not based on or around a specific physical location) can be made up of anyone fromanywhere who wants to participate—friends, family, co-workers, old schoolmates, rowing teammates, and so on. Teams can also be “real clubs" with a physical location. Team captains will be asked to indicate their club division when registering their team for the first time. The choices are:

• Virtual
• Education
• Military
• On-Water
• Health/Fitness
• Corporate
• Emergency Services
• Medical Facility
• Correctional Facility
• CrossFit

Team placements in all divisions will be posted online throughout the duration of the challenge. There will be separate Honor Boards for each club division, so you can compare your club's performance with other similar clubs.

Incentives and Rewards

Anyone who participates in the challenge and completes either 100k or 200k is eligible for the following rewards:

• A special 100k certificate of completion.
• A special 200k certificate of completion.
• A special 50k certificate of completion for adaptive athletes and kids.
• The option to purchase Fall Team Challenge items from our third-party shop (availability varies by country).
• Inclusion on the Fall Team Challenge Honor Board—a list of all the teams and team members participating in the challenge.

Information for Team Members

Please visit the Joining A Team for more information on how to join a team.

Important: Team members need to confirm they intend to take part in each challenge. You do this from the Team member page.

Information for Team Captains

Please visit the Starting and Managing a Team page for more information on how to setup and run a team.