Boat racing

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Boat racing is a

oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt,[1] and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other water-borne craft for as long as such watercraft have existed.[2]

A regatta is a series of

powerboat
race series are also called regattas. A regatta often includes social and promotional activities which surround the racing event, and except in the case of boat type (or "class") championships, is usually named for the town or venue where the event takes place; for example “valley field”.

Although regattas are typically amateur competitions, they are usually formally structured events, with comprehensive rules describing the schedule and procedures of the event. Regattas may be organized as

camaraderie, and general promotion
of the sport.

One of the largest and most popular rowing regattas is the

St. John's, Newfoundland
every year since 1818.

There exist other traditional and centuries old boat races like

Dragon Boat Race
from China.

Rowing

The Head of the Schuylkill Regatta
Rowing, by Lucien Davis, 1898.

World Rowing Federation championship events

North America

United States

Canada

  • The Brentwood Regatta is held in the spring and is one of the largest high school rowing regattas on the west coast of North America.
  • Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, in the first week of August is one of the largest annual regattas in North America, attracting hundreds of clubs in 128 junior, senior, and master's events.
  • St. John's, Newfoundland
    , North America's oldest annual sporting event.

Europe

United Kingdom

Continental Europe

Sailing

Sailing race events are typically held for a single

Intercollegiate Sailing Association
(college) regattas.

The

Barcolana regatta of the yacht club Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano is currently the Guinness world record holder as the "largest sailing race" with 2,689 boats and over 16,000 sailors at the starting line.[3]
Currently, The Three Bridge Fiasco, conducted by the Singlehanded Sailing Society of San Francisco Bay with more than 350 competitors is the largest sailboat race in the United States.

Types

Oldest sailing regattas

Britannia Boating Club Regatta 1895
  • 1775 – Cumberland Cup, organised by the Royal Thames Yacht Club, UK
  • 1777 – Lough Ree Regatta, organised by Athlone Yacht Club, Ireland.
  • 1792 – Whitstable Regatta UK
  • 1822 – Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta, Dartmouth, UK
  • 1823 – Port of Plymouth Regatta, Plymouth, UK
  • 1826 – Cowes Week, Isle of Wight, UK
  • 1828 – Kingstown Regatta, (now renamed Dún Laoghaire), Ireland[4]
  • 1828 – Royal Harwich Regatta, Harwich, UK
  • 1834 – Lough Derg Regatta, at Killaloe, Williamstown and Drumineer, Ireland.[5]
  • 1837 – Sydney Australia Day Regatta, held every year since 1837, the longest running without a break
  • 1838 – Royal Hobart Regatta, Australia
  • 1840 – Auckland Anniversary Regatta, New Zealand
  • 1844 – Royal Geelong Regatta / Audi Victoria Week, Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Australia
  • 1845 – New York Yacht Club Regatta, United States
  • 1849 –
    Pass Christian
    Regatta Club on July 21, 1849; twelve boats participated. First regatta on the U.S. Gulf Coast
  • 1849 – Sandy Bay Australia Day Regatta Australia
  • 1850 – Race to the Coast, Southern Yacht Club Regatta. Oldest continuously running regatta in the Western Hemisphere United States
  • 1851 – America's Cup, usually competed for in the country of the current defender/holder
  • 1851 – Port Esperance Regatta, Australia
  • 1856 – Chester Race Week,[6] Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 1857 – Gorey Regatta, Jersey, Channel Islands
  • 1882 – Kiel Week, Kiel, Germany
  • 1885 – Appledore & Instow Regatta, North Devon, UK
  • 1886 – Torbay Royal Regatta, Torbay, UK
  • 1894 –
    Ottawa, Ontario
    , Canada

Current sailing regattas

School sailing regattas

University / college sailing regattas

Motorboat racing

A boat race seen from the International Space Station, 2006

Other notable regattas and boat races

Race format types

See also

References

  1. ^ Strouhal, Evžen (1992), Life of the ancient Egyptians, p. 46
  2. ^ "What is Boat Racing?". www.rookieroad.com. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  3. ^ "Barcolana, the largest regatta in the world is presented in London". Sail-World. 14 Jun 2019.
  4. ^ Hunts Yachting Magazine 1865
  5. ^ Leinster Express, 30 August 1834
  6. ^ Sapp, Claudette Gaudet. Sailor & Rattling Teacups: A History of the Chester Yacht Club.
  7. ^ Athlone Sentinel, 31 Aug. 1835
  8. ^ "Appledore & Instow Regatta". Archived from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Barcolana record falls, Esimit Europa 2 leads fleet of 1852 in the world's largest single start regatta". TheDailySail. Archived from the original on 2016-08-07. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  10. ^ http://www.yachtregatta.co.uk Archived 2013-05-04 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "FOWEY ROYAL REGATTA 2015 | RED ARROWS, CARNIVAL, FIREWORKS, GIANT PASTY & SO MUCH MORE!". Foweyroyalregatta.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-01-25. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  12. ^ HarvestMoonRegatta.com
  13. ^ "IYRL International Yacht Regatta Limited". Archived from the original on 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  14. ^ World Professional Powerboating Association Archived May 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, UIM

External links