The purpose of this study was to determine the best prediction factors of traditional rowing performance in traditional elite (ER) and amateur (AR) rowers. Average power during the 20-min all-out test (W 20 min), average power output which elicited a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol l-1 ( W4 \textmmol \textl - 1 ), W4mmoll-1 power output in 10 maximal strokes (W 10 strokes), maximal strength and muscle power output during a bench pull (BP) and anthropometric values were all measured for 46 trained male rowers aged 21-30 with 8-15 years of rowing training experience. The ER group showed greater body mass (5%, p < 0.05), greater fat free body mass (5%, p < 0.05), greater 1RMBP (13%, p < 0.001), longer training experience (43%, p < 0.001), and a shorter time in the 2,000 m test (4%, p < 0.05) than the AR group. The ER group showed higher power output values in W 10 strokes (9%, p < 0.01), W 20 min (15.4%, p < 0.01) and W4 \textmmol \textl - 1 W4mmoll-1(17.8%, p < 0.01) compared with the AR group. Significant relationships were observed between W4 \textmmol \textl - 1 W4mmoll-1and W 20 min (r = 0.65 and 0.80; p < 0.01 in ER and AR, respectively). The indices for rowing performance suggested that W 20 min, W4 \textmmol \textl - 1 , W4mmoll-1W 10 strokes and 1RMBP were the most important predictors of traditional rowing performance in elite and amateur rowers.
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