Right Around the River Blog
Celebrate Rowing on the James River at the Rocketts Landing Sprints Regatta This Weekend
Post Date: 06-18-2014
Our summer events are on a roll here at Rocketts Landing — and this weekend brings even more fun! This Saturday, we'll welcome crew teams from across the region to our riverfront community as they compete on the James River at our 11th annual Rocketts Landing Sprints Regatta. With great rowing action, positive vibes and friendly post-race gathering, we hope you'll join us for another year of competitive rowing, right around the river.
The Richmond city skyline overlooks the James River during the annual Rocketts Landing Sprints Regatta.
Hosted by the Virginia Boat Club — which makes its home at our community (and continues a centuries-long tradition of rowing at Rocketts Landing) — the Rocketts Landing Sprints Regatta is open to Masters and Masters Novices. And we’re excited to see 140 crews from 16 clubs compete this weekend! The clubs come from Virginia, D.C., Maryland and North Carolina, and bring with them around 308 participants, making this year's event VBC's second largest regatta on record.
While the summer heat is tough, the competition is even tougher from rowing teams from across the region.
Not only do we have a slew of rowers this year, we also have quite a range of athletes. Five rowers are over 70 years old — with the oldest being 82! Meanwhile, the youngest competitors are in their early 20s. We'll also see two new clubs participate this year from Northern Virginia: Prince William RC and Oakton Masters RC. Rowers will compete in heats every 10 minutes in 1000-meter sprints, while USRA officials referee the regatta and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary controls the racecourse.
Carrying a rowing shell takes strength, and with the James River's steep banks at Rocketts Landing, it's also a workout!
The Rocketts Landing Sprints Regatta will also feature three
adaptive events, with 11 crews racing in singles or doubles (that's crew-speak
for one- and two-person rowing). Organizations CapitalRC and Sportables/VBC
will be assisting our athletes with disabilities throughout the race and help
ensure a smooth, safe regatta.
When you have 8 people in one shell, launching becomes a truly choreographed, (hopefully!) graceful feat.
Once the race winds down, everyone comes together for a post-race gathering with food catered by Halligan's BBQ and live music serenading you as you nosh and mingle. We always enjoy when our community fills with enthusiastic river activity and — and we look forward to seeing you this weekend at Rocketts Landing!
- What: 11th Annual Rocketts Landing Sprints Regatta hosted by the Virginia Boat Club
- When: Saturday, June 21, 2014
- Time: Races run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Cost: Event is free and open to the public