Extra-oardinary regatta
First Red Island Regatta gets plenty of positive feedback
Organizers are crossing their oars in hopes that a unique regatta held over the weekend could become a growing tourism niche for eastern P.E.I. The first ever Red Island Regatta P.E.I. Rowing Championship saw lots of positive feedback from participants after the Brudenell River was transformed into a scenic rowing course on the weekend.
“It was just like glass,” Regatta co-chair Tim Mair said of the water conditions on Sunday after finishing a scenic coastal tour to Panmure Island. “It was perfect.” Nancy Russell, an organizer with Rowing P.E.I., said there were about 60 participants involved in the competitions, with about two thirds coming from other provinces. Many have also pledged to come back. “All these people from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are saying ‘we’re coming back next year’. It’s a perfect setting for it,” said Russell. “We’ve learned a lot from the feedback and we think we could really grow this in years to come.” Saturday featured competitions, with sprint races held in the morning before rowers switched into coastal boats to compete in a five km loop along the river in the afternoon. The event is unique in that organizers believe it is the first regatta in Canada to combine traditional rowing sculls and sturdier coastal boats in the same championship. The event wrapped up on Sunday with a lengthy coastal tour to Panmure Island.
It was the first coastal sail for many involved, including Fredericton Rowing Club’s Shelley Swift, who said she believes the sport could become a future tourism aspect for P.E.I.
“I believe it’s an up and coming sport,” said Swift, who has seen her home club grow immensely since she joined two years ago. “(Rowing P.E.I. members) are amazing and put on an amazing regatta this weekend. It all just seemed to fit, as far as competitiveness and recreational aspects, people who wanted to were able to do both.”
“This was really fun, and I think part of it’s the Island hospitality too.”
Officials for Saturday’s races were also pleased with the event. “We were so impressed by what the local rowers were able to do here, it was just amazing,” said Joan Backman, one of four umpires from Halifax, N.S. who attended the event. “Everybody had a great time and they did a wonderful job organizing it.”
Mair said the event’s success also relied on the regional support in the Three Rivers area. He noted that Andrew Rowe, of Montague’s Waterfront Development Committee, provided support by supplying boats, as did a number of other locals. Local restaurants also provided participants with food, while the Georgetown Fire Department supported the event by providing first responders. “Georgetown was a key ingredient for the whole thing and the town came through with flying colours,” said Mair. The event also supported members of the P.E.I. Canada Games training team by also inviting them to take part.