Women have more flexibility to take the time off to train

Women are much more photogenic, get publicity, and fundraise, more easily.

All these rowing things are stupid, regardless of gender. Especially in a craft that large the person's contribution to propelling it is negligible.

There's an idiot around here who has tried to do this several times and his boat has either sunk or been blown back right where he started, each time wasting a lot of public resources in terms of emergency services.