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"Laughter expert Julie Whitehead claims that laughing gives you a mental feel good factor, that it can help you get better when you're ill, and is really good exercise to boot; in fact two minutes of laughing is as good as ten minutes on a rowing machine!"

http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=888

The Indoor Rowing News - as funny as several dozen 100k events.

The world loves a good head to head. Ali versus Frazier; Botham versus the Aussies; the Indoor Rowing News's Granny versus the bloke behind the counter at Chiswick Post Office. Whatever the result, the public's the winner. Except, somewhat annoyingly, this Sunday, when the World IRC will be going mano a mano with the Manchester Grand Prix.

In Manchester, you've got the conclusion of this year's Grand Prix series at the most excellent Manchester Velodrome. The second biggest race in the UK after the British IRC, Manchester always provides a good day's racing and, with many of the overall series medals still up for grabs, Sunday should be no exception.

For more information on the Grand Prix series: go to http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp/.

On the same time but five time zones apart, a 70-strong British team will be in Boston trying to come close to last year's superlative World IRC medal haul of seven golds, two silvers and five bronzes. You can find a team list up at the World IRC site. If you're not going, however, and want to keep up with what's going on: never fear. Results will be going up throughout the day, and we aim to have all the results, along with reports and photographs, online by about 11pm GMT at http://www.concept2.co.uk.

If you've got access to a broadband connection between 1pm and 9pm GMT, you can also watch things unfold in real time via the webcast at http://www.concept2.com.

Olympic silver medallist and, more importantly, British IRC gold medallist Debbie Flood is the latest sporting star to appear in BBCi's Sport Academy, which aims to help get youngsters involved in sport. Debbie challenges you to see how far you can row in one minute. If you go to http://tinyurl.com/4t8pb you can see the results of her effort.

Previous Sports Academy videos involve Matthew Pinsent demonstrating a basic upper body workout (http://tinyurl.com/63cox)) and James Cracknell running through basic technique on the Indoor Rower (http://tinyurl.com/3kako). Make sure you watch James' video to the end for a somewhat harsh assessment of Matthew's technique.

The first ever Faroe Isles IRC took place on the 29th of January. The Faeroes are (we think, but to be honest with you we have researched this fact not a sausage) the only country in the entire world where rowing is the national sport. Despite an overall population of under 47,000, they were therefore still able to attract a turn out of 84 competitors, a ratio which, if it was carried through to the British IRC, would result in over 107,000 pitching up at the NIA.

Full results for the championship can be found at http://www.drekin.fo/default.asp?Page=main&Mode=showarticle&articleid=468.

The Concept 2 Shop has recently been updated to include all the very latest Polar Heart Rate Monitors. We now carry over half a dozen of the Polar F range, ranging from the basic F1 to the bells, whistles and cornets of the Polar F92ti. There's also the S120 for runners, the S150 for cyclists (pictured), and the entire AXN range, designed for people who aren't happy unless they're up a mountains or down a crevasse.

Due to the new range of monitors, several of the most popular models are now heavily discounted. You can now buy a Polar WM 21 or WM 22 for £69.99 - a saving of thirty pounds off the previous price, while the WM 41 and WM 42 are now £99.99 - down from £139.99.

There's a good argument to say that, after an Indoor Rower natch, a heart rate monitor is the single most valuable piece of equipment you can own. The heart is the most accurate way to gauge performance and owning a decent heart rate monitor introduces an objective way to measure improvement. With the cheapest heart rate monitor coming in at just £24.99, it's definitely worth making the investment if you haven't already.

The Heart Rate Equipment section of the Concept 2 Shop can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/shop/heart_rate_equipment.php.

Robert Tighe: "I was in Sri Lanka during the recent tsunami. When my family and I were in need, the Sri Lankan people helped us, now I want to help them by raising funds for The Disaster Emergency Committee.

"With some friends I propose to row the 1,674km from Banda Aceh (the epicentre of the tsunami) to Galle (my bungalow at the time). I estimate that we can do this in a relay in 140 hours.

"Concept 2 has supported this huge challenge by providing us with 15 indoor rowing machines and we plan to row in slots of 10 or 30 minutes. Anyone who wishes to row for longer is very welcome. If you can participate in this record breaking event, by rowing as many or as few slots as you like; getting your friends to row; pledging cash or providing any other help or support, please let me know at robert.tighe@tesco.net

"The extravaganza takes place on 5th March 2005 at the Silverwing Lake, Wraysbury, Middx, TW19 5AQ. M25 Junction 13."

If you can't take part in the event, you can still donate money towards the cause by going to http://www.justgiving.com/concept2challenge

Fletcher Larkin: "I'm a fitness instructor from Torquay's "Lifestyle Health And Fitness Suite" at the Riviera International Centre. Myself and three others have just raised almost £1,000 for the Tsunami Appeal. Our challenge was to row 80 miles in eight hours. We alternated continuously doing one-mile intervals. Our finish time was 7 hours and 57 minutes, an average 500m split of 1:51.

"The rowers were myself (Fletcher Larkin, 28), a gig rower for Riverteign rowing club; Ryan Bell, 29, western area heavyweight boxing champion; Neil Aggett, in training for UK Iron Man and Mark Le Breton, 45, ex Royal Marine and legendary endurance trainer. All in all it was a great day, and it was nice raising money for charity doing something you love."

Geoff Lane: "I started indoor rowing during the summer of 2002, mainly to improve my strength and general fitness for windsurfing. We bought ourselves an Indoor Rower and I love it. My incentive at the moment is to row a marathon on 17th April to coincide with the Flora London Marathon. If I'm going to one, it seems a shame to put in all that effort and not get something from it, therefore I intend to row for charity. My chosen charity is the Blood Pressure Association. Their aims are to provide people with high blood pressure (like me) with information and services that meet their needs."

For more on Geoff's row, along with his sponsorship details, visit http://www.geofflane.co.uk/Rowing.php

Remember, if you're involved in an event using the Indoor Rower, make sure you send the details to editor@concept2.co.uk.

A three minute video of last year's championship can now be found up at http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/news.php?story=birc_sponsorship. The video gives a good sample of the atmosphere from the day, as well as interviews with the likes of Steve Redgrave and James Cracknell. Multi-millionaires or people in charge of sponsorship departments at big businesses are especially urged to have a butcher's.

Also on the BIRC front, Neil Gear has produced a DVD from footage he shot at the championship. Available to purchase at the price of £7.50 including postage and packing, we haven't had chance to watch it yet, but there's a thread on the Forum about it at http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6848 or you can email Neil at neilgear@tiscali.co.uk for further details.

Olympic legend Sir Steve Redgrave knows a thing or two about rowing challenges, and he has added his support to a marathon attempt set to take place at Monmouth Comprehensive School next month.

There are few comprehensive schools in the UK which have their own boat club and can therefore offer pupils the chance to get involved in the sport of rowing – although it was at Great Marlow Secondary Modern School that Sir Steve's talent was first spotted.

Monmouth Comprehensive School Boat Club offers that chance to more than 100 pupils each year, and currently has a competitive squad of more than 30 students who compete regularly at regional and national events, winning a bronze medal at the National Championships in 2004.

On February 26th, each member of the club is planning to row the equivalent of an Olympic race (2,000 metres) 12 times on indoor rowing machines in a 12-hour marathon designed to raise money for both the club itself and the Steve Redgrave Trust.

In addition, teachers, governors, parents, local politicians and others are being challenged to keep a 'guest' machine running for the duration of the marathon.

In previous years, the boat club's marathon has raised around £100 for each person involved, giving a target of more than £3,000 in 2005 - which organisers hope will be beaten thanks to Sir Steve's support.

Sir Steve said: "I think it is vital that the grass roots of any sport are maintained, and members of boat clubs such as the one at Monmouth Comprehensive School are part of the future of the sport of rowing. Clubs such as this one offer the chance for all pupils, irrespective of their personal finances, to get involved in healthy sporting activity and may also unearth some sporting stars of the future."

Dave Toseland: "The fourth Alcester Grammar School Annual Inter House Rowing Championships took place on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd February. During the two days, a total of 294 pupils and 14 staff rowed in 18 races over 2,000m (year 7 girls rowed 1,000m), using 17 machines on loan from Concept 2, plus five of our own machines making a total of 22 ergos.

"We have three houses and 12 boys and 12 girls from each house in each year group from 7 to 10 rowed in either an A or B race depending on their ability, based on previously established times for the distance. This meant 24 children from each house out of a total of 30 were needed per team; four of the remaining six could row on the extra machines, so with absences and injuries, every single pupil present in school on the day in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10, apart from the injured, took part in the event. Well over 90% of the children achieved personal bests for the distance.

"The races take place in the pupils' games lessons so cause no disruption to the timetable. The games lessons last about 70 minutes, enough time to fit in the four races for that year group - e.g. Year 8 Boys A, Year 8 Boys B, Year 8 Girls A, Year 8 Girls B. The atmosphere is amazing, the pupils love seeing their names on the screen and watching their progress through the race. We have the sound system going with Queen being the perfect band to accompany the rowing. Don't Stop Me Now, Another One Bites The Dust and We Are The Champions are some of the favourites!

"In addition we had a Senior race for years 11, 12 and 13 during lunchtime; two of the Year 12 boys going under seven minutes in a head to head with our strongest staff member, who did 6 minute 50 seconds. One pupil did 6 minutes 42 seconds and was disappointed he didn't break 6:40 even though he achieved a PB! The other one also rowed 6:50 and was gutted that he failed to beat the staff member by a few tenths when he had knocked 20 seconds off his PB!

"The grand finale was the staff handicap with 14 staff (10 men and four women, with PE staff not allowed to enter). First place went to Mike Mavromatis (Chemistry), five seconds in front of the 2004 champion, Adele Dixon (Geography). 20 seconds covered the first 12 finishers, and 40 seconds covered the whole field, not a bad result for the handicapper when the actual times rowed ranged from 9:20 to 7:29.

"The whole event is without doubt one of the highlights of the whole school year.

"An interesting footnote is that the Head of Maths, who took part in the staff race, wants us to put all the results on the school website so that the students who are studying Statistics can access them for different projects for their coursework."