It’s official: the gauntlet has been thrown down.

Orcas Island Rowing Club (OIRA) is challenging Orcas Island and the rest of the world to show who is the fittest at their indoor rowing competition.

The Island Madness Indoor Rowing Fest (IMIRF) requires a lot of drive to maintain the kind of output necessary to win. Fortunately, say organizers, it takes little skill to use the rowing machines commonly know as “ergs.” Health clubs and gyms all over the world now have rowing machines.

The event is being held at the Odd Fellows Hall in Eastsound at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5. Nutritious snacks and drinks will be available for refueling.

“OIRA thinks they have the fittest individuals and the fittest team! Can you show them otherwise? Pick up the gauntlet!” challenges the club’s members.

The rowing club has held this competition for the past three years, primarily as an internal event. This year, the club is challenging the rest of the world to a contest to see who is the fastest on a rowing machine over 2km (2 kilometers). Every individual, every sports team, club, health club, any group or individual of any kind is challenged to come compete. Two km takes between six and 10 minutes, depending on the individual.

Contact Martin Taylor at martin@ednagallery.com or 376-6935 for information or to sign up. There is no charge for entry although donations of $5 or more per entrant are encouraged to help cover the cost of the event and support the junior rowing club.

There will be trophies in a number of categories, including best man and woman overall, best junior boy and girl as well as the team that has the best average time. Teams can be mixed in age and sex, but must have at least five members.

“By the way, this event is being held the day before Super Bowl Sunday,” Taylor said. “So it is a great opportunity to immunize yourself against the food you trough on Sunday.”