Masters regatta grows to four days

It’s official. The World Rowing Masters Regatta has developed and matured from a three to four day regatta. In its 36th year, the masters regatta has gone a full circle and this year will return to Vienna, Austria where the regatta was first held in 1973.

Since then the regatta has grown to nearly five times its original size and a fourth day has been established to cater for this greater demand.

Chair of FISA’s Masters Rowing Commission, Peter Morrison says the decision to go to four days – from Thursday to Sunday – has been made slowly over the last three years.

“There are a few reasons,” says Morrison. “The entry number is now generally big enough to justify it. Three days is no longer enough to hold the regatta and the Thursday afternoon racing helps the regatta organisers to start the regatta more gradually and iron out any points which need attention in a slightly more relaxed manner.”

The regatta is known for its tight schedule and hefty umpire workload with races over the 1000m distance leaving the starting blocks every three minutes and continuing often from dawn until dusk.

Morrison continues, “It is well known that rowers will enter more events in different age/boat categories when they have the chance, so this helps everyone involved as well.”

Competitor statistics have recorded an increase in numbers in the older age categories and with this a new category, the J category, for over 80 year olds, has been added. This extra category means more events have to be slotted in and therefore, again, an extra day has become prudent.

At Vienna this year, Thursday racing will be a short, 13 event part-day followed by a full Friday and Saturday of racing with Sunday held aside for mixed, “scratch” events.

This year’s World Rowing Masters Regatta will take place from 3 to 6 September 2009.
 
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