WHY Coastal Rowing: Karla’s Journey from Flat Water to Surf
When you think of rowing, you probably picture sleek boats gliding across calm water at sunrise. But what happens when you trade the calm for chaos—when waves crash, the race starts with a sprint down the beach, and every stroke is a fight against the sea?
For Karla, a longtime member of the El Salvador National Rowing Team, this isn’t a hypothetical. It’s her latest adventure.
From Flat Water Dreams to Coastal Waves
Karla started rowing as a student-athlete in El Salvador. Her collegiate experience wasn’t like the NCAA scene in the U.S.—no fancy facilities or big-name coaches—but she trained hard, dreamed big, and nearly qualified for the Rio Olympics, missing by just three seconds. She tried again for Tokyo. Life and COVID got in the way. After moving to the U.S. and taking time to recover, she got back in shape in late 2022 and returned to the elite level.
Now, she’s chasing LA 2028 in the single and aiming for a strong showing at the 2025 Central American Games in Guatemala—a key milestone in the Olympic cycle.
Why Coastal Rowing?
In recent years, World Rowing and FISA have sponsored beach sprint events across Latin America, offering athletes from smaller rowing nations like El Salvador a chance to compete internationally. It’s a more affordable, accessible, and action-packed form of rowing.
This year’s race in Costa Rica gave Karla and more of her teammates—6 women and 3 men—a shot at racing. Coastal rowing doesn’t require a complete shift in training, but it does demand flexibility, strength, and guts. Two weeks before, Karla added 200m sprints and beach running into her prep.
What’s a Coastal Race Like?
Chaotic. Fast. Unpredictable.
Here’s what Karla described:
You stand on the beach. At “Attention, Go,” you sprint barefoot to your boat.
You launch into the surf (waves crashing), jump in, put your feet into pre-prepared velcro straps, and start zigzagging through buoys.
The course: 250m out, sharp turn, 250m back to the beach, all while being sure to stay on the correct side of the buoys (first left, then right)
Sink the boat in the sand, jump out, sprint around a flag, and race back to the start line.
Time trials determine seeding. Top 8 move to semis, then finals.
“It’s more raw,” Karla said. “You’re muscling it. Some rowers were going at half-slide just to power through.”
And unlike flat water rowing, the waves don’t care how clean your stroke is. “You look back every few strokes to make sure you're on course. You never know when a wave might hit.”
The Most Challenging Part?
“The waves,” Karla said. “Running against them to launch the boat, keeping your balance, and staying calm. You’re barefoot, you’re trying to go fast, and you’re soaking wet.”
The boats are big—around 77 to 88 lbs—and setup is minimal. “Velcro straps. No shoes. Just go.”
From Fear to Fun
At first, she was scared. “I was worried about being thrown around, about panicking. But once you hear ‘Go,’ the fear vanishes. Your mind clicks in. It’s just you and the race.”
Despite a lifetime of flat-water training, Karla didn’t expect the heavy feel of the boat or the gritty, head-to-head intensity. But she’s hooked.
Advice for Young Rowers
“TRY IT.”
Even once. You might find it’s faster, more fun, and more intense. It’s still rowing—but with more adrenaline and less polish. You don’t need a perfect catch. You need grit.
What’s Next?
Karla’s not done. She’s already plotting how to improve—training to run in sand, refine course navigation, and master the launch. She raced the mixed double with a male teammate she’d never raced with—and they still made it through to the final, so that’s motivating.
Coastal rowing isn’t just an alternative to flat water. It’s a growing, gritty, global gateway to competition. And for athletes like Karla, it’s another lane on the road to the Olympics.
