The 138th Annual Royal Canadian Henley Regatta will be held in St. Catherine’s, Ontario from August 4th to August 9th. This is one of the most prestigious regattas in North America, and draws crews from all over the United States and Canada to compete over the course of the week. All racing is 2000 meters, and contested within age and experience categories.
More information about the overall regatta can be found on Regatta Central and the Canadian Henley Website.
The summer competitive team will conclude with racing at Canadian Henley. This trip will be open to any athlete from the team who wishes to compete. Based on who commits to the trip, coaches will determine the best lineups for team boats, and the best events for each athlete to be entered in based on their age, experience and proven racing ability. Athletes who plan on attending must be registered for this trip no later than July 1st, in order for coaches to register the team in appropriate events.
There will be a regatta fee for this trip (just like the other races over the summer). Last year, the fee was $300. An accurate fee for the 2020 trip will be available no later than the first day of the summer season. Regatta fees cover entries (influenced by the number of athletes racing), transportation costs for the equipment and coaches, and extended administrative costs associated with team travel.
Athletes will be responsible for their own transportation to Canada, and their transportation while at the regatta. Athletes will be responsible for their accommodations and meals while in Canada. All athletes must be accompanied by an adult during the entirety of the trip – the athlete’s own parent is preferred, but one parent can be responsible for several athletes if need be. Anyone traveling to Canada must have a passport – check right now to make sure you are eligible to travel!
Racing at Canadian Henley is broken down into Heats, Semis and Finals, each generally held on a different day, with athletes eliminated at each stage. For example, the Boys u17 1x may have Heats on Tuesday, Semis on Wednesday and Finals on Thursday. There is a real possibility that an athlete may not race beyond the heats. GBR will do our best to enter athletes into multiple events, in the best possible lineups, to increase their chances of moving on in the progression. When planning travel arrangements, athletes will want to plan as if they will make the final in each of their events, but understand that it is not a guarantee.
Athletes and their parents should plan on attending the meeting on Friday, June 26th at 6:00pm at the Boathouse to get a complete picture of what to expect when it comes to racing and traveling at Canadian Henley. This will be an opportunity to talk to the coaches and parents of athletes who have traveled to this race before and ask any questions you might have.
