TB
Thijs Bon
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Wind Prediction and Fairness in Rowing
A Study of Lane Differences on the Bosbaan Rowing Track
The Bosbaan rowing course, located in the Amsterdam Forest (Netherlands), is preparing to host thousands of athletes for the World Rowing Championships in 2026. The track is a matter of discussion among the stakeholders of the sport due to instances of unfair conditions experienced by athletes despite modifications aimed at increasing fairness on the track. The unfairness is caused by lane differences; i.e. different rowing crews that deliver the same amount of power will take different times to cover the same distance in different lanes. These unfair conditions are well known yet largely unexplored due to their complexity. The lane differences are governed by the behavior of the wind, which also drives the flow of water on the track and the generation of waves. Lane differences can be a result of wind on the rowers and parts of the boat above water, the influence of water flow on the hull underwater and the influence of waves on the boat. Therefore, a detailed analysis of the physics of the wind can reveal important insights about the relationship between wind patterns and unfairness.
Through this work, we have analyzed the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) on and around the rowing track using Large Eddy Simulations (LES). We have specifically focused on the physics at the microscale of the ABL, where transport processes are strongly influenced by the terrain, with vegetation and the built environment acting as roughness elements and often challenging to model. Whiffle’s LES-based Atmospheric Simulation Platform for Innovation Research and Education (ASPIRE) was used to model the ABL. The performance of ASPIRE for simulating atmospheric flows at a very high resolution of 5 m was assessed, which is not typical for its usual applications. A simulation setup capable of predicting the difference in the dynamics of the wind across the lanes with reasonable accuracy was devised as a result of validation using wind measurements. In addition to its application in this work, validated data at such high resolution can also be used as a benchmark for any future studies.
Finally, to understand the nature of unfairness due to wind conditions, year-long simulations of the ABL were performed. The simulated results showed strong influence from the direction of wind and mean flow dynamics of the track on the behavior of the ABL and consequently lane differences. Through the analysis of long-term results, it is demonstrated how the patterns in the direction and strength of the wind can be used to predict the degree of unfairness on the track using readily accessible wind direction and wind velocity data. This work proves the feasibility of improving fairness protocols in rowing by the addition of physics-based and data-driven insights. The results of this work are specific to the Bosbaan rowing course, but the methodology used here can be generalized for other rowing tracks and sports where fairness is significantly affected by dynamics of the wind. ...
Through this work, we have analyzed the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) on and around the rowing track using Large Eddy Simulations (LES). We have specifically focused on the physics at the microscale of the ABL, where transport processes are strongly influenced by the terrain, with vegetation and the built environment acting as roughness elements and often challenging to model. Whiffle’s LES-based Atmospheric Simulation Platform for Innovation Research and Education (ASPIRE) was used to model the ABL. The performance of ASPIRE for simulating atmospheric flows at a very high resolution of 5 m was assessed, which is not typical for its usual applications. A simulation setup capable of predicting the difference in the dynamics of the wind across the lanes with reasonable accuracy was devised as a result of validation using wind measurements. In addition to its application in this work, validated data at such high resolution can also be used as a benchmark for any future studies.
Finally, to understand the nature of unfairness due to wind conditions, year-long simulations of the ABL were performed. The simulated results showed strong influence from the direction of wind and mean flow dynamics of the track on the behavior of the ABL and consequently lane differences. Through the analysis of long-term results, it is demonstrated how the patterns in the direction and strength of the wind can be used to predict the degree of unfairness on the track using readily accessible wind direction and wind velocity data. This work proves the feasibility of improving fairness protocols in rowing by the addition of physics-based and data-driven insights. The results of this work are specific to the Bosbaan rowing course, but the methodology used here can be generalized for other rowing tracks and sports where fairness is significantly affected by dynamics of the wind. ...
The Bosbaan rowing course, located in the Amsterdam Forest (Netherlands), is preparing to host thousands of athletes for the World Rowing Championships in 2026. The track is a matter of discussion among the stakeholders of the sport due to instances of unfair conditions experienced by athletes despite modifications aimed at increasing fairness on the track. The unfairness is caused by lane differences; i.e. different rowing crews that deliver the same amount of power will take different times to cover the same distance in different lanes. These unfair conditions are well known yet largely unexplored due to their complexity. The lane differences are governed by the behavior of the wind, which also drives the flow of water on the track and the generation of waves. Lane differences can be a result of wind on the rowers and parts of the boat above water, the influence of water flow on the hull underwater and the influence of waves on the boat. Therefore, a detailed analysis of the physics of the wind can reveal important insights about the relationship between wind patterns and unfairness.
Through this work, we have analyzed the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) on and around the rowing track using Large Eddy Simulations (LES). We have specifically focused on the physics at the microscale of the ABL, where transport processes are strongly influenced by the terrain, with vegetation and the built environment acting as roughness elements and often challenging to model. Whiffle’s LES-based Atmospheric Simulation Platform for Innovation Research and Education (ASPIRE) was used to model the ABL. The performance of ASPIRE for simulating atmospheric flows at a very high resolution of 5 m was assessed, which is not typical for its usual applications. A simulation setup capable of predicting the difference in the dynamics of the wind across the lanes with reasonable accuracy was devised as a result of validation using wind measurements. In addition to its application in this work, validated data at such high resolution can also be used as a benchmark for any future studies.
Finally, to understand the nature of unfairness due to wind conditions, year-long simulations of the ABL were performed. The simulated results showed strong influence from the direction of wind and mean flow dynamics of the track on the behavior of the ABL and consequently lane differences. Through the analysis of long-term results, it is demonstrated how the patterns in the direction and strength of the wind can be used to predict the degree of unfairness on the track using readily accessible wind direction and wind velocity data. This work proves the feasibility of improving fairness protocols in rowing by the addition of physics-based and data-driven insights. The results of this work are specific to the Bosbaan rowing course, but the methodology used here can be generalized for other rowing tracks and sports where fairness is significantly affected by dynamics of the wind.
Through this work, we have analyzed the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) on and around the rowing track using Large Eddy Simulations (LES). We have specifically focused on the physics at the microscale of the ABL, where transport processes are strongly influenced by the terrain, with vegetation and the built environment acting as roughness elements and often challenging to model. Whiffle’s LES-based Atmospheric Simulation Platform for Innovation Research and Education (ASPIRE) was used to model the ABL. The performance of ASPIRE for simulating atmospheric flows at a very high resolution of 5 m was assessed, which is not typical for its usual applications. A simulation setup capable of predicting the difference in the dynamics of the wind across the lanes with reasonable accuracy was devised as a result of validation using wind measurements. In addition to its application in this work, validated data at such high resolution can also be used as a benchmark for any future studies.
Finally, to understand the nature of unfairness due to wind conditions, year-long simulations of the ABL were performed. The simulated results showed strong influence from the direction of wind and mean flow dynamics of the track on the behavior of the ABL and consequently lane differences. Through the analysis of long-term results, it is demonstrated how the patterns in the direction and strength of the wind can be used to predict the degree of unfairness on the track using readily accessible wind direction and wind velocity data. This work proves the feasibility of improving fairness protocols in rowing by the addition of physics-based and data-driven insights. The results of this work are specific to the Bosbaan rowing course, but the methodology used here can be generalized for other rowing tracks and sports where fairness is significantly affected by dynamics of the wind.