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Tag: Great Bay Rowing Club
10 Rowing Instagram Accounts We Love
If the past seven or so months have taught us anything, it’s the power of social media platforms to keep us engaged in the things we feel passionate about. The disappointment we all initially felt about lost training partners and racing seasons has been greatly reduced precisely because it is a feeling shared among so many rowers—together this awesome community has decided to make the best of things.
As we all embraced the erg and home workouts and (oh so much!) hiking and, as summer and fall rolled around, singles sculling, Instagram has become a major force shaping our sport and encouraging us all to keep rowing however we can. Reminding us that something is better than nothing. That there is always room to improve. That virtual results count as much as live ones, and that we are downright lucky to witness so much beauty on our favorite waterways.
With that, the RowingPad crew would like to share some of the Instagram accounts we love. Some are inspirational, some informative, and some just full of the most stunning rowing photos. Follow along with us, and share your own favorites below.
Great Bay Rowing (@greatbayrowing)
RowingPad is based in Dover, New Hampshire, and right up the road is the boathouse where Great Bay Rowing sends its rowers of all ages out onto the Cocheco River. In different times, this is the home base for several of RowingPad’s rowing members. On Instagram, GBR celebrates each milestone for its rowers, as they begin a seasonal program and complete it, or move on to join collegiate rowing programs. The feed is playful and positive, and reminds us that rowing should be, above all, a fun endeavor.
Dartmouth Heavies (@dartmouth_heavies) and Dartmouth Women’s Rowing (@dartmouthrowing)
Our New Hampshire collegiate rowing neighbors to the north share glimpses of their beautiful home course along the Connecticut River. We enjoy reading about the crew members and watching how the teams persevere despite the current challenge. Mostly we remember all the feels of those early morning training sessions.
Gevvie Stone (@gevgevs)
Our fellow New Englander and Boston’s hometown rowing champ has her sights on Tokyo 2021 as she seeks to add another Olympic medal to her collection. Her Instagram feed is full of beautiful images of the Charles and other racing venues around the world, as well as cheery snaps of her training, adventuring, and goofing around with fellow rowers and friends. Hiking, biking, skiing, swimming, sailing…Gevvie does it all with a big smile on her face. (And for the record, the fact that she’s a longtime supporter of RowingPad’s foam butt pads does not factor into our admiration for one of rowing’s best and brightest one bit!)
Concept2 (@concept2inc)
The rowing machine (and BikeErg, SkiErg, and oars) manufacturer needs no introduction. (Though, in our humble opinion, the RowErg is much improved with one of our compatible seat cushions…wink, wink.) For regular workout ideas, podcasts, virtual challenges, and the occasional interview with interesting rowing folks—and to think they were doing all this BEFORE Covid!—we turn to the Concept2 Insta feed.
Rowing Strength (@rowing_strength)
This account run by sports performance expert and author Blake Gourley (who also works with Science of Rowing, below) is full of helpful information about technique and physical performance. Looking to load up on excellent facts about strength training, mobility, and the geometry of your body while rowing? Dig through his older posts on Insta and the archives of his blog.
Gentle Giant Rowing Club (@gentlegiantrowing)
Based out of Somerville, Massachusetts, this active rowing club takes to the Mystic River from the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse. We first followed GGRC because of a personal connection (fellow Northeastern rowing alum and club supporter Larry O’Toole—see more from him in our “Praise” section), but its friendly captions, everyday updates about equipment maintenance and and beautiful images of practice time on the Mystic make us feel like we’re part of that club camaraderie, even from afar.
Sculling Fool (@scullingfool)
Have we mentioned how much we love our New England rowing roots? Yes? Well, here’s one last account that helps us feel sentimental about our long rowing heritage here in New Hampshire (where RowingPad was founded) and Boston (our founder, Victor Pisinski, is a Huskies rowing alum and many-time Head of the Charles participant). The Sculling Fool Instagram, run by photographer Igor Belakovskiy, is dedicated to rowing on the Charles, often accompanied by entertaining captions. We just can’t get enough of his excellent sunrise/sunset/full moon captures along that legendary river.
Seize the Oar (@seizetheoar)
This visionary organization was founded on the belief that: “Rowing transforms the body, spirit, and community.” Its mission is to expand opportunity so athletes of all abilities can partake in our wonderful sport. From hosting Global Para-Rowing Meetups to (in safer times) running inclusive programming in the Seattle area, the group, led by founder and head coach Tara Morgan, has made incredible strides in raising global awareness for inclusion, and Instagram is a great way to stay up to date on the efforts.
Science of Rowing (@scienceofrowing)
This account debuted this summer and is one of our most recent follows. The profile says, “Rigorous rowing research and practical applications for rowers and coaches of all levels,” and if that translates to “very technical” to you, you are 100% correct. But we are fascinated by the studies this group shares and the implications of their findings. Curious? Follow along with us and see how coaches and trainers are able to leverage these insights.
RowingNews (@rowingnews)
Of course we rely on our daily updates and regatta reports from World Rowing (@worldrowingofficial) and US Rowing (@usrowing), and we never miss the race galleries, quirky hacks, and features from (@row2k). But we always look for posts from the Instagram account of Rowing News magazine, which calls Hanover, New Hampshire, its home. For its coverage, its perspective, its heritage, its constancy—we count on the media outlet for fresh content and the full picture.
So many great rowing accounts, so little…well, we all have a little more time to scroll, right? Which accounts are your favorite? Remember to follow RowingPad on Instagram (@rowingpad) for updates and promotions on our butt pads for boats and ergometers. Love our products? Let us know with #rowingpad.
Don’t Miss These Great New England Fall Rowing Events
Don’t Miss These Great New England Fall Rowing Events
By the time September rolls around, most “fall” rowing programs in our charming corner of the country are well under way. But as New Englanders, the RowingPad team still regards September and October as the autumnal glory days, full of classic local regattas and the global highlight that is the Head of the Charles.
As supporters of rowers local (RowingPad is a proud sponsor of Great Bay Rowing’s juniors program) and international, we follow each of these events with equal enthusiasm and even, when we can, take part in some respectable masters and alumni racing.
Here are some excellent rowing events taking place across New England this fall. We hope to see you at one or more!
Courtesy @criboston CRI Fall Classic Regatta, September 21, 2019
This early-season 3-mile head race on the Charles River hosted by Community Rowing Inc. is in its 10th year. Featuring a buoyed course and supervised by U.S. Rowing refs, it welcomes rowers of all levels to its 40-plus races, including adaptive events. Originally called “Rumble on the River,” the first installment coincided with the organization’s move to its new Harry Parker Boathouse in 2010 and featured rowing plus a battle of the bands.
The course and scope of the event evolved rapidly, and as the group’s website says, “In 2015, the event became the CRI Fall Classic Regatta to reflect its development into the premier early fall rowing event in New England. In 2010, the first regatta had about 40 entries. The 2018 regatta last fall had about 302 entries, including competitors from many New England states and New York, as well as a number of new youth crews.” That’s something to celebrate! If you are spectating, partake of the yummy food truck fare and make sure to check out the beautiful boathouse.
Head of the Merrimack, September 28, 2019
The Essex Rowing Association hosts this fun day of racing on the Merrimack River in Methuen, New Hampshire. The 5K race, which includes juniors, high schoolers, and masters levels and is a regional favorite event among the private rowing clubs in the area, traces some of the river’s most scenic spots along the Methuen shore.
An old event logo, courtesy of Putney Rowing Club. Green Mountain Head Regatta, September 29, 2019
Putney Rowing Club, based out of the idyllic town of Putney on the Vermont-New Hampshire border, hosts this charming and beloved local race along the northern Connecticut River. Why do we say “charming”? Well, the event traces its origins to the 19th century, and despite the illustrious rowing figures who have participated over the years, the awards still feature maple syrup for first place, a bag of apples for second and a gallon of cider for third. Join approximately 350 racers (a fair number of them in wooden boats) for the stake race, launched in intervals, that runs 1.5 miles upstream, around two buoys and back again. If you’ve never seen a stake race, this is truly a fun event for spectating!
The Textile River Regatta, October 6, 2019
This year marks the 40th anniversary of this vibrant head race on the Merrimack River in Lowell, Massachusetts. Schools and clubs from throughout New England, New York and Pennsylvania compete in nearly 60 different events across all levels—so the energy level will be high. You can even tune in to the Textile River Regatta Radio, the event’s own radio station featuring live calls on race day. Check out the stunning photos captured at last year’s event and plan your trip to partake in the live action the first weekend in October.
The launch point at Head of the Housatonic, courtesy of New Haven Rowing Club. Head of the Housatonic, October 12, 2019
We’ve seen plenty of New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts regattas in our day, but the Head of the Housatonic Regatta, held in the southern reaches of Shelton, Connecticut, offers a different kind of race format. At this popular annual event, hosted by the New Haven Rowing Club at Indian Well State Park along the Housatonic River, competitors launch from the sandy beach by walking boats into the water (there is no dock). Boats follow a very specific traffic pattern involving colored buoys—we’re intrigued to see how this all works in the thick of the race!
New Hampshire Championships George Dirth Memorial Regatta, October 13, 2019
Can you handle back-to-back weekends of intense fall rowing competition? If the answer is yes, then head to the George Dirth Memorial Regatta, which takes place the weekend before Head of the Charles and has the distinction of being the largest New England rowing event north of Boston. How large? More than 2,000 athletes rowing nearly 400 sculling and sweep boats.
Hosted by the Amoskeag Rowing Club in Pembroke, New Hampshire, the 3-mile head race begins upriver on the Merrimack and finishes at Memorial Park. In addition to providing a wonderful day of racing in a beautiful fall setting, this year’s event honors George Dirth, a former member of the rowing club and varsity rower at Oregon State University who died tragically at age 27, and awards a New Hampshire Cup team trophy for the best overall team performance.
A RowingPad founder and his crew during HOCR 2016. The 55th Annual Head of the Charles, October 19-20, 2019
Want to learn a fun piece of RowingPad trivia? One of our founders, Victor Pisinski, has quite a record with this beloved Boston regatta. The first HOCR was held in 1965. Victor made his debut on the Charles River course in year three…and he has raced in the event many years since! Unfortunately, 2019 marks one of the first years in a while Victor will not be able to compete due to a pesky foot injury, but you can bet he will be there in spirit!
This year’s installment of the Boston head race, the largest two-day regatta in the world, is sure to bring some fresh elements, including a brave push for sustainability and lessening environmental impact, and heightened racing with Tokyo 2020 on the horizon.
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June 2nd Is National Learn to Row Day: Get Out There and Try It!
June 2nd Is National Learn to Row Day: Get Out There and Try It!
This Saturday, June 2, 2018, marks the 17th annual observance of National Learn to Row Day, an occasion sponsored by U.S. Rowing and Concept2 in an effort to bring the joy of rowing to people of all ages and fitness levels.
Across the country, rowing clubs and health clubs will be hosting special events and promotions to increase awareness of the sport and attract new participants. Current competitive and recreational rowers are encouraged to bring friends and family to a workshop, class, or exhibition so they can test the waters (or an ergometer) for themselves.
As a company founded by rowers for rowers, RowingPad is passionate about spreading the good word about our sport and its many benefits. To celebrate National Learn to Row Day this year, we are offering free shipping on all purchases for the entire month of June. (Use the code “RPLTR” at checkout.)
Looking to get involved in a Learn to Row event in the New Hampshire area? Check out our roundup of several great ones taking place this weekend and hosted by some pretty wonderful rowing clubs and organizations in our local area. For those farther afield, check to see if your area has a local rowing club or search for a registered event on the U.S. Rowing website.
We hope this year’s Learn to Row initiative brings the joy of rowing to many lucky people—both in our backyard and in the many beautiful rowing communities around our country.
NEW HAMPSHIRE AREA LEARN TO ROW EVENTS
Photo courtesy of Great Bay Rowing Club Great Bay Rowing Club (Dover, NH)
Join the Great Bay Rowing Club at the Dover Boathouse on River Street from 12 to 4 p.m. for special learn to row programs along the banks of the Cocheco River. This wonderful local club, which operates out of both Jackson’s Landing in Durham and Dover and shares facilities with UNH, offers everything from learn-to-row programs and sculling classes for juniors (grades 8 through 12) and adults to competitive racing for all ages and levels. (You might even catch one or two RowingPad representatives there taking part in the on-water fun and checking out the new docks just installed by the boathouse!)
Essex Rowing Club (Methuen, MA)
Photo courtesy of Essex Rowing Club For those who live closer to the NH-MA border, the Essex Rowing Club is an active, award-winning rowing club committed to providing athletes of all ages the guidance and resources to reach their potential in the sport. This Saturday, get insider access with a boathouse tour and guided introduction on that notorious indoor rowing machine, the erg. Then head out to the scenic Merrimack River for a taste of on-water rowing. The club specifies that absolutely no experience is necessary to participate, saying “Don’t worry, our boats have training wheels!” The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 656 Lowell Street.
Amoskeag Rowing Club (Hooksett, NH)
Those along the more northern reaches of the Merrimack River should head to the Amoskeag Rowing Club Boathouse in Hooksett this Saturday for a morning of introductory rowing fun. From 9 to 11 a.m., stop by for a tour of the facilities and some instruction on rowing technique, then hop into a boat for a little on-water lesson. Who knows? You might want to sign up for one of the adult or junior learn-to-row sculling programs on the spot and find yourself participating in the annual Blue Heron Regatta come August. (The club also has a solid FAQ section on its website that might answer any question you have about the sport or the on-water rowing experience in general.)
Concord Crew (Concord, NH)
Photo courtesy of Concord Crew If you have a young person in your life who has expressed interest in rowing (or perhaps just enjoys the outdoors or water activities in general), head to the Concord Crew event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday. This nonprofit, competitive regional rowing team based on the Merrimack focuses on teaching boys and girls in grades 8 through 12 sweep oar and sculling, and this weekend it’s hosting an open house for both middle and high school students. Take a tour of the boathouse (located at 15 Loudon Road), try out the rowing machines and even head out on the water with some of the club’s experienced rowers and coxswains to get a feel for the sport. The club emphasizes the team aspect of rowing: “All of the students—boys and girls, everyone from varsity first boat to sixth boat—train together, practice together, race together.”
Independence Rowing Club (Nashua, NH)
For those along the Merrimack in southern New Hampshire or northern Mass, stop by the Independence Rowing Club’s newly completed boathouse at 75 Crown Street. From 10 a.m. to noon, the IRC will be offering free instructional rowing out on the water to guests of all ages who are interested in checking out the sport. This well established club, which was founded in 1973 by a handful of competitive rowers from New Hampshire and Massachusetts and counts Olympic and National team rowers among its ranks, offers programs that covers all stages as newbies progress from introductory learning to preparing for popular local head races as well as private lessons. What better way to foster a newfound love for rowing than among some of the sport’s most talented members?
Want to hear more from RowingPad?
Keep informed of all our sales and promotions as well as interesting happenings in the rowing world by following us on Facebook.
DON’T FORGET! Use coupon code “RPLTR” for free shipping for the entire month of June!