Regatta Racers To Row Cuyahoga River This Weekend

The boats on the Cuyahoga River this Saturday won’t be filled with iron ore. Rowers take to the river for the Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta. Now in its 24 ^th year, the event draws over 2,000 athletes from 12 states ranging from high school students to adults who are master rowers.

The Cuyahoga regatta continues to grow each year, with last year’s races being the fifth largest one-day rowing event in the country. Interest in this sport is on the rise, particularly at the scholastic level.

“We’ve had in Cleveland alone a huge increase in high school participation, and that’s been nationwide. In the Midwest, we’ve seen the largest growth outside the typical West and East coast areas of rowing,” said Kirk Lang, Cuyahoga Rowing Foundation’s executive director.

[Dave DeOreo/ideastream]

Saturday’s regatta competition will be a head race, which differs from a sprint race.

In a sprint race “you’ll see six to eight boats across compete with the winner being the first across the line, unlike a head race style, which is a time-based, 5-kilometer race, so you are going up against the clock,” Lang said.

Rowers are attracted to the Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta for a number of reasons, including the river’s city location.

“We have seven bridges. The topography is very different than other cities. It is a really interesting place for competitors who start at a start line where there is a steel mill in the background and end in a downtown location,” Lang said.

[Dave DeOreo/ideastream]

Regatta racers and coaches also enjoy the unique challenge of the Cuyahoga River’s winding course.

“Coaches will plan out simple strategies on the straight course, on the turns, how to cut meters off, how to take the rate up and go faster in certain areas and where to pass people. It’s very interesting for the crew and coaches to come to Cleveland to race this course,” Lang said.

Rowing in the Cuyahoga River regatta is full of action.

[Dave DeOreo/ideastream]

“You have to row all the way to the start line, so not only do you have row your brains out down the 3.1 mile course, you actually row up the course, spin, and then come down the river. Rowers row backward, so you have an individual called a ‘cox’ that’s steering the course, as you are going race pace as you go down twisted turns and multiple bridges. You have to put your faith in that one individual that they can steer around the tight turns without crashing as well as passing other fellow boats. It’s something unique to be racing at a competitive level, four inches off the water, while putting your faith in another individual to coach or ‘cox’ you down the course,” Lang said.

[Dave DeOreo/ideastream]

There are a number of places to watch the regatta, but a few stand out to him along the river downtown.

“The finish line is at Rivergate Park, so you are finishing on a very large turn around the Columbus Road peninsula. One of the great places to view this course is to come to Carter or Columbus Road and you get to see boats coming up and down the river,” Lang said.

The 24th Annual Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta takes place Saturday, September 21 from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.