Buffalo Regatta’s back
Biggest rowing event in SA to bring in flood of visitors to EL
The RMB Buffalo Regatta has grown from a Saturday morning event consisting of only a dozen races to three days running from Thursday to Saturday, with 12 hours of racing each day.
This makes it the biggest rowing event in the country.
The regatta involves almost 1,000 competitors taking part in more than 200 events over the three days, attracting a flood of visitors to East London.
The regatta began in 1881 and, pre-Covid, took place every year except during World War 1 and 2.
The 2021 regatta was cancelled due to the pandemic, but 2022 sees its return.
This will be the 134th time the regatta takes place on the Buffalo River, with many schools and universities eager to get back into racing on the same water as the RMB National Squad.
The Buffalo Regatta events includes the Selborne Schools Sprint Regatta, which is a unique sprint challenge held over 500m.
It generates enormous excitement in fiercely competitive events, where spectators can enjoy schools rowing at its best.
Selborne will be hosting its 62nd sprints regatta, but what is even more special about this year is that Selborne is celebrating its centenary in rowing during the school’s 150th jubilee year.
Selborne has trained hard for this momentous occasion and are eagerly anticipating a podium result.
“We remind all participants that sportsmanship, team spirit, and teamwork are the foundation of a strong sportsman and team,” said Selborne College headmaster Andrew Dewar.
A key imperative of ELBA is to grow and foster the sport through creating awareness and helping schools and other institutions start their own rowing clubs.
The focus is to increase the number of participants in the sport, as well as its development through transformation.
The Leander Rowing Club in East London has 12 members of their youth development team, ranging in age from 16 to 21, participating in this year’s regatta.
This passionate group of rowers all live in Duncan Village, and their commitment is nothing short of inspiring with the young members overcoming many obstacles to show up and train together.
They often having to walk from Duncan Village to the Buffalo River where they train three times a week on the water.
Land-based fitness training takes place under the guidance of Stephen Hartwanger and Des Beard of the Leander Rowing Club. The team will be back to defend their title in the Senior B Men’s coxed 8, having won the event at the 2020 Buffalo Regatta.
“The Leander Rowing Club members sponsored our youth development teams so that they could attend the 2020 SA Senior Rowing Champs in Pretoria,” said Graeme Mountfort, the secretary of the Leader Rowing Club.
“Most of the team had never left the Eastern Cape before. This sport and its comradeship is something special.”
RMB spokesperson Blake Dyason said: “As a committed supporter of rowing in South Africa, RMB invests a great deal in the sport and development of athletes, including equipment, facilities and coaching.
“We trust that the new regatta control tower will benefit the rowing community.”