Introducing New Race Types in ErgRace: The Elimination & The Chase

Concept2’s ErgRace software has long been a staple for indoor rowing competitions, whether running large competitions or local club nights. Now, with two brand-new race formats added to the mix—Elimination Races and Chase Races—coaches, athletes, and event organizers have some innovative ways to engage both competitors and spectators. 

Elimination Race: Go Hard or Go Home 

Elimination races are a high-intensity format where athletes must stay ahead of the competition or be dropped from the race. 

How It Works: 

• The race takes place over the course of several timed rounds. 
• At the end of each round, the last-placed athlete is eliminated. 
• The race continues until just one person remains and is crowned the winner. 

Why It's Exciting: 

• Every round is a mini battle, as each round you start again, so you never get chance to rest. 
• As competitors get eliminated, the stakes get higher! 
• Perfect for short, explosive efforts and engaging audiences. 
• Ideal for clubs, as the format keeps energy and attention high. 

Setup Tips: 

• Keep race rounds short (1-to-2 minute intervals) to maintain urgency. 
• Show the race display on a big screen if possible. Watching the last-place fight to stay alive is half the fun. 
• You can choose the number of rounds and the number of athletes to be eliminated per round. We recommend eliminating one athlete per round and having one less round than the total number of athletes. 
• It is also possible to run a team elimination race, with teams of athletes competing against each other.  

The Chase: Can You Stay Ahead? 

Chase races introduce a virtual pacer. Your goal is to stay ahead, while the paceboat can get faster and faster as it goes along. 

How It Works: 

• Set up a normal distance/time race and add a PaceBoat (PB). To eliminate athletes, you also need to check “Stop athlete and record score when paceboat passes.” 
• A target split time is set (e.g., 2:00/500m) along with the head start the athletes get. 
• The pacer starts off at that pace, but you can choose to increase the speed throughout 
• Competitors must avoid being overtaken. When the paceboat catches them, they are knocked out of the race. 

Use Cases: 

• Adds a new dimension to races: if you set the speed of the paceboat correctly, you can choose how long each race will last. 
• Great for benchmarking fitness: can you beat your PB pace? 
• Useful for training sessions where rowers push to maintain or beat a standard. 
• Fun for coaching scenarios, allowing rowers to get real-time pacing feedback. 

Setup Tips: 

• Using the class functionality, you can set a range of paceboats for different athletes, allowing people of different levels to compete at the same time. 

The Chase was part of last year’s British Indoor Rowing Championships. According to Dan Hetherington from British Rowing, “Concept 2’s Chase format, introduced as part of the British Rowing Indoor Super Sprints in December, brought a dynamic and exciting new approach to indoor racing. Athletes were not just racing each other—they had to stay ahead of the paceboats to remain in the competition. This unique format added a tactical layer of intensity at every level, often resulting in dramatic, edge-of-your-seat finishes. Its debut sparked strong interest, with many more competitors eager to take on the challenge—ensuring its return for 2025.”   

These new race types in Concept2's ErgRace software bring fresh options to indoor races and training. Whether you are eliminating athletes round-by-round or being chased by a pacer, these formats can help to inject new energy into racing. 

Want to try it yourself? 
Download the latest version of Concept2 ErgRace to explore the new race settings. Make sure all Ergs have up-to-date firmware. It is possible to use ErgRace to update them all at once.