2001 Regatta Update
(Released 15^th August 2001)

Are you the next Steve Redgrave?
How far can you row in 1 minute?

A Rowing Competition on Concept II rowing machines, which is open to all comers including non-rowers, is being organized by the City of Oxford Rowing Club as part of the Oxford City Royal Regatta.

The Regatta, organized by City of Oxford Rowing Club, is one of the oldest in the country, with the Regatta Trophies dating back to 1841. The course is 1000 m on the Isis, starting just below Folly Bridge next to Christ Church Meadows, and finishing at Longbridges (near Hinksey Weir).

This year over 240 crews representing 58 clubs from all over the country will compete in a total of 58 events, many sponsored by local companies. Local clubs are particularly well represented, including City of Oxford RC (29 crews), Falcon RC (12 crews), Wallingford RC (10 crews), and the University (23 crews). In all, 204 races have been scheduled to run at 2.8 minute intervals throughout the day, starting at 9.00 am and finishing at 6.30 pm without a break.

Amongst the special events being organized are:

• Invitation Corporate Eights, in which crews of beginners are sponsored by local companies to learn to row at City of Oxford Rowing Club and compete in a Regatta within 8 weeks. This year’s sponsoring companies are Edmundson Electrical, Exitech, Oxford GlycoSciences, R.T. Harris & Son and W.S. Atkins.
  
  Mr Ian Batty of A.R. Wentworth (Sheffield) Ltd. will present a new trophy, the Corporate Eights Challenge Cup, to the Regatta.  

• Invitation Adaptive Sculls Two sculling events for disabled rowers, organized in conjunction with Oxford Adaptive Rowing Club.
  
• Events for Junior Rowers. Boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 16 who have learned to row at City of Oxford Rowing Club will take part in a range of  single- and crew sculling events. The rising demand for Junior events at the Regatta is a result of the City of Oxford RC's involvement in Project Oarsome, a national initiative funded by the Amateur Rowing Association and Sports England to recruit local school children into rowing. The schools involved are Isis Middle School and Cardinal Newman Middle School. (Details.)

The Lord Mayor of Oxford will attend the Regatta to present prizes to winning crews at the Finish at Longbridges (on the towpath side of the river just north of Donnington Bridge) between 4.30 pm and 5.30 pm. He will be ferried down the course to the start at  4.15 pm in a launch provided by Four Pillars Hotels.

The Regatta is free to spectators, who can watch the racing all day from any point along the towpath between Folly Bridge and Longbridges. Refreshments will be available throughout the day from the marquee next to the Finish at Longbridges or from the bar at City Boathouse at Donnington Bridge.

The rowing machine competition will be held in a marquee near the Regatta Finish at Longbridges between 10.00 am and 3.00 pm.

Medals and other prizes will be awarded to the fastest over 1 minute in a range of categories for men, women, juniors, seniors, rowers and non-rowers . T-shirts and 1 year's free social membership of City of Oxford Rowing Club will be awarded to each of the fastest overall male and female competitor of the day.

Paul Azzopardi (Regatta Chairman)
Tel. 07714 205745
Email. azzopard@ermine.ox.ac.uk  

Full details of the Draw and Timetable are posted at:

Oxford City Royal Regatta: http://i.am/corc