Masters Nationals Results and Photos

USRowing hosted the Masters National Championship Regatta from August 12th to 15th on the Cooper River in Camden County, New Jersey. There were over 1,560 entries from 138 clubs, representing 31 states and three countries. PRRA members turned in an exceptional performance, winning eight gold, two silver and three bronze medals. Of the 16 PRRA members who competed, 14 won medals. Congratulations to all competitors on great racing and fine results! The Masters Nationals will be held in Oklahoma City next year.

event	result	crew
Men's Club G 4x	1st	Jeff, Tony, Bill, Charlie B.
Men's Club B 4x	1st	Charlie S., Ben, Dave, Anthony
Women's Lwt. C 1x	1st	Denise
Women's Lwt. B 2x	1st	Helen, Denise
Women's E 8+	1st	Andrea, unaffiliated rowers
Women's E 4+	1st	Andrea, unaffiliated rowers
Women's E 4x	1st	Andrea, unaffiliated rowers
Men's A 2x	1st	Jim, unaffiliated rower
Women's Lwt. A 4x	2nd	Helen, unaffiliated rowers
Mixed B 4x	2nd	Jim, Helen, Denise, PRRA alumnus Chris
Men's B 4x	3rd	Charlie S., Clemens, Dave, Anthony
Mixed F 4x	3rd	Tony, Gail, Jeff, unaffiliated rower
Men's B 2x	3rd	Jim, PRRA alumnus Chris

Fall Youth Programs Announced

PRRA will conduct a fall competitive youth program for experienced rowers as well as a learn-to-row session for new athletes thinking about competing in the spring. Registration for the competitive youth program will be held on Saturday, September 11th, from 10am to noon at the PRRA boathouse. The program begins on Wednesday, September 18th, and runs through the end of October. Races will include: Head of the Hudson (Albany, NY); Head of the Passaic (Lyndhurst, NJ); and Head of the Fish (Saratoga, NY). Additional information is available under youth programs. We encourage you to distribute our printable flyer.

Diamond States Masters Regatta Results

Members of PRRA's competitive team participated in the 20th anniversary of the Diamond States Masters Regatta in Middletown, Delaware. Although the regatta was cut short by fierce thunderstorms and a tornado warning, 11 members competed in at least one event each.

Bob DeVita Scholarship Winners

On Saturday, July 24, our Friends and Family Day began with the dedication of the new heavyweight quad in the name of Bob DeVita, followed by the Bob DeVita Scholarship Awards presented by Bob's nephew, Jonas DeVita. The winners of the inaugural Bob DeVita Scholarship Awards are Bree Fearon from Kearny High School and Bryan Villaruel from Belleville High School. Both recipients were four-year rowers for their respective high-school programs. Afterwards, friends and family participated in an introduction to rowing programs, including rowing on the Passaic River. Overall, the day was a huge success. Special thanks to Gail for organizing the event and to PRRA members who volunteered to help out.

Pictured from left to right: Jonas DeVita, Bree Fearon, Bryan Villaruel, Jeff Lahm

Help Keep Our Boats Clean

We all share in the responsibility of keeping our PRRA boats clean. This requires only a few minutes of effort after each use. We have added a new set of orange towels and a drying rack in the boathouse to enable wipe-down of each boat after use. We are adding a couple of watering cans to facilitate rinsing before wiping. So what do we do with this new equipment?

1. Each time you finish rowing a PRRA boat, place it in slings outside the boathouse for rinsing and wipe-down before returning the boat to its storage rack.

2. Use a watering can to rinse debris and dirt off the boat. River water, or water from home, will do until our water line to the boathouse is installed.

3. Completely wipe the hull and deck of the boat with one of the orange towels.

4. Place the towel(s) on the drying rack, and the watering can(s) on the floor at the foot of the drying rack for the next user.

5. Dirty, dry towels may be placed in the basket at the foot of the drying rack for laundering.

Thanks for your help!

July 24th is Friends and Family Day

Date: Saturday, July 24th
Time: 10 am
Place: PRRA boathouse

If your friends and family have been wondering just what takes up so much of your time and energy, this is the opportunity for you to show them what it's all about. They will have the chance to do some hands-on erg/dock work and even get out and row! If they are not quite ready for the full crew experience, maybe a tour of the Passaic in a launch would be appealing.

In addition to the friends and family fun, we will be dedicating our new heavyweight 4x, the Bob DeVita, and awarding the Bob DeVita scholarship to the winners.

Please R.S.V.P. with how many people you will be bringing and how you would like to help—we'll need launch drivers and volunteers for boat/erg/dock demos. Please bring a treat to share.

Thanks,
Gail

Saturday Smackdown (the sequel)

It's time again to get out a big can of whoop-ass and do some race pieces.

Date: Saturday, July 10th

Time: 6:00 am

See you then!

Firecracker 500 on July 3rd

To celebrate the 4th we will have a little 500 meter smackdown on Saturday. Everyone is welcome.

Date: Saturday, July 3rd

Time: 10 am

Everyone interested in racing, meet on the north side of the Lyndhurst bridge at 11:30. This will allow plenty of time to get your small-boat coaching or warm-up in. Youth are welcome to stay and participate.

We will be racing from the Bridge to the middle of the dock. Please wear something patriotic, bring a treat to share, and get ready to start your engines!

Coaching Sessions for Community and Recreational Members

Coaching sessions will begin Saturday, July 3rd at 10 am. The sessions are offered during the months of July and August and are open to all community and recreational members. There is no fee for these coached sessions, although participants are asked to donate $1 to cover miscellaneous expenses. Community and recreational rowers are reminded to sign up in advance by emailing Jeff Lahm.

Catch the Cooper Results

Members of PRRA's competitive team traveled to the Cooper River in Camden on June 26th to compete against 28 clubs from eight states. Twenty members competed in eight events throughout the day. Congratulations to all competitors, especially to Valerie Spies, who competed in her first regatta.

Carnegie Lake Regatta Results

Members of PRRA's competitive team traveled to Carnegie Lake in Princeton on June 19th to compete against 24 clubs from seven states. Seventeen PRRA members competed in nine events throughout the day. Congratulations to all competitors!

Navy Regatta Results

Last weekend the Masters' Competitive Team attended their first race of the season, the Schuylkill Navy Regatta, with promising results. Fourteen rowers entered eleven events throughout the day. Congratulations to all competitors at our first regatta!

Full results are available from the Schuylkill Navy.

Saturday Smackdown

Racing season is upon us. The first race of the season, the Navy Regatta, is a week away. What a perfect time for a Saturday Smackdown event! Come one, come all! Be at the boathouse by 6 am so that boats can be organized for everyone.

When: On the water this Saturday, June 5, at 6:15 am, ready to race.

Where: High-school race course, racing in both directions.

What: Race whoever shows up, at least three across with staggered starting positions by boat size and ability. Plan for two, three, or four race pieces altogether.

Because this is so close to the first race, some boats may be rowing their race lineup for the Navy Regatta. Others will be looking to make pick-up boats. Please write to Anthony Scarpelli if you already have a boat in mind for Saturday and list who will be in it so that we can reserve it for you.

Hope to hear from you soon and hope to see you there!

Anthony Scarpelli
Competitive Committee Chairperson

June 5th is National Learn to Row Day

The Passaic River Rowing Association throws open its doors on Saturday, June 5th, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in order to educate the public about the sport of rowing. We will have boats on display, rowing machines available to try out, and further information about how to get out on the water.

Check out the directions to our boathouse and bring a friend or two!

Community Rowing to Begin on May 15th

On Saturday, May 15th, the Community Rowing program will begin at 10 am. We will start with a brief review of the traffic patterns and safe rowing zones, and we will watch a video clip on getting back into a single that has flipped. After the review, we will row.

Hope to see you then.

Jeff Lahm
Committee Chair, PRRA Rowing Programs

Paddlers Needed this Saturday

We need 3 additional canoe paddlers to participate in the Passaic River Paddle Relay this Saturday, May 8th. PRRA has supported this event with club participation as well as sponsorship of the event. If you are interested, please write to Vinnie Chell.

—Vinnie Chell

Council Meeting on Thursday

The biweekly council meeting is being held in the Tops Diner at 500 Passaic Avenue in East Newark on Thursday, April 29 at 6:00 in the morning. All PRRA members are welcome to attend.

Reminder: Saturday Smackdown in the Morning

As announced earlier, the first intra-squad race of the season will take place at 6:00 am on Saturday, April 17th. All recreational and competitive team rowers are invited to attend. Everyone will likely be able to race several times over the 1000-meter course. Just make sure your membership fees are fully paid, and send a message to entries to reserve your boat for the race.

New Heavyweight Quad Arrives

The new Kaschper heavyweight quad has arrived. It remains unrigged, and is stored on the rack where the Good Intentions was. The Good Intentions is now under the two eights.

Here are some guidelines on the usage of the quads:

The new Kaschper heavyweight quad will be used by the competitive team. As per our prior discussion, Scarp and Rainer will rig it before its first use, using either the sculling riggers that came with it or the sweep riggers we purchased with the Quad Almighty. (The boats are the same width, and the riggers are interchangeable.)

The Good Intentions will still be available for competitive use, as well as for open row sessions once Community Row starts. If the new quad is rigged for sweep, and the weighty competitive rowers want a quad for sculling, please use the Good Intentions, not the Quad Almighty. (One reason we bought the HW quad is to relieve the overuse of the Quad Almighty, in some cases by rowers too heavy for a mid-weight boat.)

I'll welcome any questions, and look forward to feedback from those who take the new quad out for its first few rows.

—Bill McCord

PRRA Hosts the Passaic River Northern New Jersey Championship Regatta

On Saturday, April 10th, 488 high-school athletes together with their coaches, families, and alumni came to PRRA for the inaugural Northern New Jersey Championship Regatta. The regatta, jointly hosted by the Kearny Crew and sponsored by the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) with volunteer assistance from PRRA, Kearny, Belleville, Nutley, Ridgewood, and Nereid, was a great success. The finish line was the newly renovated PVSC site, where bleachers gave spectators a full view of the race course from start to finish. Scott Belford, Head Coach for Christian Brothers Academy, congratulated the regatta committee by email: "Just wanted to say thanks for hosting us. It was a great regatta and fantastic day of racing!"

PRRA Youth Win Gold Medal at Passaic River Northern New Jersey Championship Regatta

In an exhibition event, PRRA members Talia Bronfin and Jessica Geiger won gold in youth doubles. As members of a public rowing club, they were not formally eligible for the high-school regatta, but were invited to compete against the Nereid Boat Club in an exhibition race. Talia and Jessica, along with other high-school students, are members of PRRA's first spring youth program. The program, coached by Jeff Lahm with assistance from Wolfgang Hiller, offers experienced rowers an opportunity to train and to compete in spring regattas.

Intra-Squad Race on April 17th

The adult competitive team is holding an intra-squad race on Saturday, April 17th. Please be ready to launch at 6:00 am and be at the line to race at 6:30. We will use the high-school race course, which measures approximately 1000 meters. We are planning staggered starts so that boats of all sizes and skill levels can participate. Each boat will probably have the opportunity to race several times. This is our first race of the season; it's better to get the cobwebs out at home!

Reminders:

1. In order to race next week, you must pay your membership fee in full.

2. We would like to have everyone fund their escrow account so that we are ready for regatta registration.

We hope to see you bright and early on April 17th!

—Competitive Team Committee

Small Boat Rowing Resumes

The river seems to have calmed down somewhat, although the current is still running faster than normal. All rowing can resume subject to standard safety guidelines.

Be mindful of the 90-degree safety threshold: we recommend that small boats stay in the vicinity of a coaching launch when the air and water temperatures add up to less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, if the water temperature is 46 °F (as it was yesterday), small boats are advised to row near a coaching launch while the air temperature is below 44 °F.

Also bear in mind that your 2010 membership fees and liability waiver are due before you may go on the water.

Small Boat Rowing Suspended

Due to the turbulent flow of the Passaic, small boats (singles and doubles) are prohibited from rowing until further notice. Large boats should exercise great caution in the meantime. Thank you for your understanding.

Boathouse Closure on April 10th

PRRA will be the host site for the Northern New Jersey Championships high-school regatta on Saturday, April 10th. Due to the expected volume of activity, our facility will be closed for the entire day. All PRRA members (except those participating in the regatta) are asked to refrain from rowing on April 10th. We appreciate your cooperation.

Boat Cleaning on Saturday; Volunteers Wanted

We are planning a work session for this Saturday morning, March 27th, to clean, rig and adjust our club boats in readiness for the coming season. We'll meet at the boathouse at 7:00 am and should be finished by 9:00 am. We'll need 12-15 volunteers. While we consider this primarily a competitive team undertaking, since it's early in the season, we won't turn any volunteers away. Please bring a bucket, a sponge, and an old towel or two to assist with the cleanup.

—Bill McCord

Adult Team Meeting at Lyndhurst Diner

The Adult Competitive Team will be meeting at the Lyndhurst Diner at 540 Riverside Avenue on Monday, March 22nd at 5:00 in the morning. All adults who plan to race for PRRA this season must attend this meeting. See you there!

Adult Team Row Postponed to Friday

With the high water levels following the recent storm, the river is not yet safe for rowing. The adult competitive team row is now scheduled for Friday morning at 5:00. The team meeting is still scheduled for Monday.

Adult Competitive Team Starting Up Soon

If you have been thinking about racing for PRRA, come on down and learn about the adult competitive program at our next two events.

Friday, March 19th, 5:00 am—Team Row in big boats. Grab some oars, get a seat, and get used to getting up early all over again.

Monday, March 22nd, 5:00 am—Team Meeting at the Lyndhurst Diner at 540 Riverside Avenue. If you are planning to row at the competitive level this season, you must be at this meeting. We will not be going on the water; the purpose of this meeting is to convey important information. Even if you don't plan on rowing with the rest of the team at the regular practice times, we have to see you at the meeting if you plan to race this season.

Docks Successfully Installed

Despite the wet and windy conditions, the docks were installed without mishap on Saturday. The work was done by a group of volunteers headed by Jeff Lahm, who wishes to thank all those who came to lend a hand, including the Ridgewood Crew contingent. A crane will install the gangway on Monday, bringing us another step closer to the start of the new rowing season. Last year's memberships expire on March 31, so don't forget to register for the 2010 season soon.

Dock Installation Weather Alert

The dock installation promises to be a challenge given the weather forecast and water conditions. Since we really need to get the docks in this weekend, we are monitoring the weather closely. At the moment, we are still planning for Saturday morning at 6:30. However, in the event of unfavorable conditions, the backup plan is Sunday morning at 7:00. We will need plenty of volunteers to overcome the challenges that we expect whether we go on Saturday or Sunday. We hope you can support us on either day.

Please check your email on Saturday morning before you leave home for any change of plans. If you don't receive a message, we are going ahead on Saturday as originally planned.

Docks Going in March 13—Help Needed

We are planning to reposition and secure the docks on Saturday, March 13. Since high tide is at 6:51 am, we will gather at the boathouse at 6:30 in the morning. Please mark the date on your calendar if you can lend a hand.

We will need plenty of volunteers to lift the truss arms into place and secure the cables. A crane is scheduled to install the gangway on Monday, March 15.

General Meeting on February 24

All PRRA members are encouraged to attend the General Meeting on Wednesday, February 24, from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm.

The meeting will be held in the Parks and Recreation Building at 44 Park Avenue in Nutley. The room number will be announced when it is known.