BOSTON, Mar 28, 2005

After a series of Beta releases spanning 5 months, Digital Rowing has announced the release of RowPro 1.7, complete with live Internet Racing that's fully compatible with the earlier Concept2 e-Row program.

This means e-Row users and RowPro users anywhere in the world can race each other live in real time, with up to 8 participants in races ranging from 500 meters to full marathons.

"After RowPro itself, this has been our most challenging development to date" says Digital Rowing President Pete Loeffen. This technology has taken us over a year to bring together, and it opens up a major new dimension to RowPro going forward."

Since the first 1.7 Beta release in October 2004, interest in Internet Racing has been high, with 20-30 races being scheduled online by users each week, and a steadily growing community of participants using both RowPro and e-Row.

Digital Rowing has worked with Concept2 to ensure full compatibility with the earlier e-Row Internet Racing system. In time all remaining races will move from the old 'e-Row only' Race Server at Concept2 to the new 'e-Row + RowPro' Race Server at Digital Rowing. "We're particularly pleased to have achieved full compatibility with e-Row" says Pete Loeffen, "and extend a warm welcome to e-Row users to join RowPro users in forming an expanded community of Internet Racing."

As part of the Internet Racing System, Digital Rowing has created Oarbits, an online club for Internet Racing. Users can access Oarbits functions like scheduling races and viewing race results from within e-Row and RowPro, and online at www.digitalrowing.com and www.rerow.com.

"During the coming months, we will continue to refine the Internet Racing experience" says Pete Loeffen "as we learn more about how people want to interact with the Internet Racing system. Our goal is to make Internet Racing a simple, intuitive process that anyone can experience. We're also interested in developing other online activities besides racing, for example group training and club rowing, where people can just enjoy the thrill of rowing alongside other folks in real time, without the pressure of racing."

"We particularly appreciate the feedback from the wonderful online community that has formed through the Beta testing phase. We are delighted to see leaders emerging, making new participants feel welcome, creating races for others to join, and helping the new community find its feet. It's already clear that Internet Racing will grow to be a major part of the sport of Indoor Rowing."