For now, consider all information on this page to be preliminary, shared with the intention of receiving feedback. The most important priority to establish is the date. One choice would be Sunday April 13, with the only other regatta in USRowing's NW region being the Covered Bridge Regatta in Eugene, Oregon. For RowingBC, the Mill Bay Regatta is that weekend. The other potential weekend would be the weekend of the San Diego Crew Classic, March 29-30. That seems to be a free weekend in Canada and the NW Region. It is early in the year, but definitely not the first regatta of the season.
The second thing to consider is the intended audience. Our event list will be very similar to the Burton Beach Invitational (now Swiftwater Sprints), with emphasis placed on sculling and youth, although we will most likely have some masters races. There has been considerable interest among the northwest coaches to have an event targeted to the middle school age, and we are happy to make that happen. Most of our rowers are U15 and U16. For that age group, would coaches prefer a 1,000 m or 1,500 m course, or keep it at 2,000 m in preparation for Youth Regionals and Nationals? (For context, Green Lake and masters events everywhere are 1,000 m, the Swiftwater Sprints are 1,500 m like in the Olympics, and Elk Lake is 1,850 m). It's tempting to make it 2,000 m because we can, but a shorter course has some advantages too, like making more of the course visible to spectators, less time needed between starts, and a quicker round-trip for the referees following the race, meaning fewer are needed.
The second thing to consider is the intended audience. Our event list will be very similar to the Burton Beach Invitational (now Swiftwater Sprints), with emphasis placed on sculling and youth, although we will most likely have some masters races. There has been considerable interest among the northwest coaches to have an event targeted to the middle school age, and we are happy to make that happen. Most of our rowers are U15 and U16. For that age group, would coaches prefer a 1,000 m or 1,500 m course, or keep it at 2,000 m in preparation for Youth Regionals and Nationals? (For context, Green Lake and masters events everywhere are 1,000 m, the Swiftwater Sprints are 1,500 m like in the Olympics, and Elk Lake is 1,850 m). It's tempting to make it 2,000 m because we can, but a shorter course has some advantages too, like making more of the course visible to spectators, less time needed between starts, and a quicker round-trip for the referees following the race, meaning fewer are needed.
Here is the 1,000 m course.
Here is the view from the Fisher Cove Lot, looking straight down the 2,000 m racecourse.
Here is the view from the location marked "Finish Line Referees," looking straight across the lake.
Potentially the trailers would be parked at the Fisher Cove Lot. The picture below shows the lot, but not the parking area.
Most teams and spectators would be in the WDFW-owned boat ramp lot. Adventure Passes are required.
