Oak Ridge Rowing Association Archives

Oak Ridger, teammate advance to world rowing championship quarterfinals

Posted at 1:52 pm August 9, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Kristopher Fisher of Oak Ridge (bow) and Cooper Tuckerman of Bozeman, Montana (stroke), cross the finish line in the white boat at center in a 2,000-meter race in the second heat of the Junior Men’s Double Sculls event at the World Rowing Junior Championships on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, in Racice, Czech Republic. (Photo by Kimberly Bell)

Representing the United States, an Oak Ridge rower and his teammate advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Rowing Junior Championships this week in the Czech Republic.

Kristopher Fisher and his teammate Cooper Tuckerman of Bozeman, Montana, are racing in the Junior Men’s Double Sculls in Racice, which is outside of Prague.

They finished fourth among six teams in the second of five heats, Heat 2, on Wednesday.

The top four teams in each heat advanced to the quarterfinals, meaning 20 of the 30 teams advanced from the five heats.

The quarterfinals are Friday. Fisher and Tuckerman, the U.S. junior men’s double team, will compete in Lane 1 at 6:06 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (12:06 p.m. in the Czech Republic). [Read more…]

Fisher, an ORHS graduate, competes in world rowing championships this week

Posted at 3:59 pm August 7, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Local rower Kristopher Fisher participates in a signing ceremony with Temple University at Oak Ridge High School on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Local rower Kristopher Fisher, who attended Oak Ridge High School last year and signed with Temple University in February, will compete in world rowing championships in the Czech Republic this week.

Fisher and Cooper Tuckerman of Bozeman, Montana, will race in the Junior Men’s Double Sculls event at the World Rowing Junior Championships, which are scheduled from August 8-12 in Racice, outside of Prague in the Czech Republic. (You can see the start list here and the Heat 2 start list for Wednesday here.) More than 750 athletes from 57 nations are competing.

Fisher and Tuckerman swept the Men’s U19 2x at the USRowing National Team Trials in July, winning the best-of-three format handily with victories in both the first and second event, according to the Oak Ridge Rowing Association.

On July 5, Fisher and Tuckerman were tightly matched by Jeremy Wolpert of San Juan Capistrano, California, and Michael Fairley of Saratoga Springs, New York, through the first 500 meters before pulling away in the middle 1,000, finishing in 6:56.41. The second place pair finished well back in 7:08.03. [Read more…]

Three Rotary clubs present Flatwater Festival on June 2

Posted at 11:54 am May 18, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Ridge City Ramblers perform at the Flatwater Festival in 2017. (Photo courtesy Flatwater Festival)

Bands, beer, boat races, and bounce houses. Wine, water, and soda. Face painting, food vendors, and fun for all, including corn hole games.

The second Flatwater Festival presented by the three Rotary clubs of Oak Ridge will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, at Melton Lake Park.

What’s new this year? A team-building regatta featuring up to 20 boats will be held from 12:30 to 5 p.m. in collaboration with the Oak Ridge Rowing Association. A “build a boat” race by participants who make their own cardboard boats ahead of time will be held at 5 p.m.

In addition, the festival at Melton Lake Park is sandwiched between the Flatwater Tales Storytelling Festival events on Friday, June 1, at the University of Tennessee Arboretum and Sunday, June 3, at the Oak Ridge Playhouse.

The three-day festival will be a fundraiser for the three Rotary clubs’ community service projects, including four new benches for the Oak Ridge waterfront in 2018, a press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Rowing Association hosting USRowing Masters National Championships this week

Posted at 4:10 pm August 16, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships will be held in Oak Ridge in August. The championships are scheduled for August 17-20 on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy USRowing)

Oak Ridge Rowing Association will host the 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships from Thursday, August 17, to Sunday, August 20.

“With 3,000 rowers coming to town to compete in the highest masters level race and a peninsula filled with food and shopping, come experience the event!” the Oak Ridge Rowing Association said in a press release distributed by the City of Oak Ridge.

This regatta will take place down at the Oak Ridge Rowing Association Boathouse and on the waterfront. Rowers will arrive on site to practice on Wednesday, August 16, and will compete August 17-20, the press release said.

The parking lot in front of the boathouse will remain closed from August 17-20 for the championship regatta, the press release said. The public boat ramp next to the boathouse will be closed for the duration of the regatta also. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will close the waterway that is affected by the regatta until Sunday, August 20, the press release said. [Read more…]

Road detour for USRowing Masters National Championships this weekend

Posted at 3:53 pm August 15, 2017
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The USRowing Masters National Championships will be at Melton Lake Park this weekend, August 17-20.

There will be a detour for non-local traffic at Melton Lake Drive and Emory Valley Road to reduce congestion and increase pedestrian safety, a press release said. The Melton Lake Greenway will be open as usual, but users should be cautious as there will be considerably more activity on the section that parallels the rowing course, the press release said. The parking lot and boat ramp at Melton Lake Park will be closed to the public from Thursday through Sunday.

Oak Ridge Rowing Association is the local host of the regatta. Questions or concerns should be directed to the regatta director, Sarah McAuliffe, at (508) 488-0868.

Explore Oak Ridge will be on site supporting the event and providing visitors with information about Oak Ridge, the press release said.

USRowing Masters National Championships is in Oak Ridge this week

Posted at 12:11 pm August 14, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships will be held on the Oak Ridge rowing course from August 17-20. (Photo courtesy USRowing)

The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships are in Oak Ridge this week.

The rowing races are scheduled from Thursday, August 17, to Sunday, August 20, on the Oak Ridge rowing course on Melton Hill Lake.

The 2016 regatta had more than 2,000 entries as 165 clubs converged on the waterways of Lake Quinsigamond for the largest USRowing event ever. For Oak Ridge Rowing Association Regatta Director Sarah McAuliffe, it set the bar even higher for this year, and she is looking forward to the challenge, a press release said.

“Oak Ridge Rowing Association is extremely excited to provide an excellent athlete experience for rowers at Masters Nationals 2017,” McAuliffe said. “With our race course recognized as one of the best in the country, and an organization that has decades of experience hosting high-caliber events, rowers will have the ability to connect with other athletes socially and competitively.” [Read more…]

Current too strong for regatta on Oak Ridge rowing course, forcing cancellation

Posted at 10:28 pm April 27, 2017
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The destruction of the Oak Ridge rowing course is pictured above after heavy rains in the past week led to flooding and now strong currents on the Clinch River, causing the cancellation of the Dogwood Regatta on April 29-30, 2017. (Photo courtesy Explore Oak Ridge)

The strong current on the Oak Ridge rowing course forced the cancellation of the Dogwood Regatta this weekend, April 29-30, a press release said.

“The rain over the last several days has caused major flooding in the area,” said Sarah McAuliffe, Oak Ridge Rowing Association regatta director. “The current is about 10 times the norm and has done damage to our race course and other infrastructure, but the larger issue is athlete safety. “

The Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Coast Guard have confirmed that the water flow rate will remain too high for safe rowing regatta operations over the weekend, the press release said. [Read more…]

Dogwood Jr. Regatta canceled due to increased water flow, unsafe rowing conditions

Posted at 1:08 am April 27, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

This story was updated at 9:55 a.m.

The Dogwood Junior Championship Regatta scheduled for this weekend has been canceled due to increased water flow on Melton Hill Lake and unsafe rowing conditions, the Oak Ridge Rowing Association said on Twitter.

All coaches received a cancellation notice by email through Regatta Central.

“We regretfully announce this cancellation,” the Rowing Association said. “Thank you for all support and understanding that our main goal is to keep rowers safe.” [Read more…]

Oak Ridge will celebrate new eighth rowing lane on Friday, April 28

Posted at 11:02 am April 19, 2017
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Rowers are pictured above on the Oak Ridge rowing course in the spring of 2017. The area that needed work to recently add the eighth lane is pictured at center-right along Melton Lake Drive. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Oak Ridge will celebrate the new eighth rowing lane with a special dedication ceremony on Friday, April 28, the city said in a press release.

The dedication, announced by the City of Oak Ridge, will be at 3 p.m. Friday, April 28. It is expected to include state and local leaders, and it will help kick off one of the biggest rowing weekends of the season, the press release said.

The eighth rowing lane, which is now complete, has been on the city’s wish list for many years. Officials have said that it could help attract even more and larger regattas (rowing races) and help maintain the Oak Ridge course as one of the top-ranked rowing venues in the United States.

Those who attend Friday’s dedication ceremony will gather in Melton Lake Park at the pavilion across from the Oak Ridge Rowing Association and then take a short walk on Melton Lake Greenway to the new overlook for the eighth rowing lane, the press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge will host NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships in 2020

Posted at 4:14 pm April 18, 2017
By John Huotari 4 Comments

The Oak Ridge rowing course is pictured above during the 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The 2020 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships will be in Oak Ridge.

The selection was announced by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) on Tuesday, April 18. The NCAA said it has selected more than 600 host sites for preliminary rounds and finals of predetermined championships in Divisions I, II, and III to be held from 2017-18 through 2021-22. The selections for Division I are posted online at the NCAA website.

The hosts for the 2020 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships at the Oak Ridge rowing course are the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge Rowing Association.

The championships will be in Indianapolis in 2019 and in Sarasota, Florida, in 2021 and 2022.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

SIRA Regatta in Oak Ridge this weekend

Posted at 1:20 pm April 14, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta is pictured in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association, or SIRA, Regatta is in Oak Ridge this weekend. The regatta started Friday, April 14, and it will end Saturday, April 15.

It’s hosted by the Oak Ridge Rowing Association. It’s the 49th annual SIRA Regatta in Oak Ridge, a press release said.

“Few partnerships have stood the test of time like that of SIRA and Oak Ridge,” said the press release, which was from Explore Oak Ridge.

This year, the regatta will feature 59 teams from 12 states.

“This is the largest regatta in SIRA history for an Easter weekend,” said Sarah McAuliffe, Oak Ridge Rowing Association regatta director. “We are looking forward to a great weekend of rowing.”

The race distance is 2,000 meters, or about 1.25 miles. You can view the start line from Calhoun’s restaurant on Melton Lake Drive. Teams cross the finish line downstream at the UT-Battelle Rowing Tower. Coaches and spectators can now view races from start to finish with no obstructions because of the recent completion of the eighth lane, the press release said. [Read more…]

Eighth rowing lane complete in time for spring training

Posted at 8:43 pm March 10, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 4 Comments

Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge

The eighth lane on the Oak Ridge Rowing Course has been completed on schedule and under budget, just in time to welcome teams for spring training and the season’s first regatta, the City of Oak Ridge said Friday.

“Previously, the course utilized seven rowing lanes, taking Oak Ridge out of the running for any event requiring eight lanes for competition,” a city press release said. “Part of the waterway was widened, and a retaining wall installed in order to create the additional lane.”

Spring training started in late February, and Oak Ridge has already welcomed dozens of teams to town, the press release said. The first regatta on this season’s schedule, the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational, kicks off Saturday, March 11. Approximately 12 teams will compete in the event before it wraps up on Sunday, March 12.

First Place Finish Inc. was selected to carry out the project back in September. The $548,350 contract was awarded to the company during a meeting of Oak Ridge City Council. A partial closure of Melton Lake Greenway and a temporary speed limit reduction along part of Melton Lake Drive were both lifted this week. [Read more…]