Displaying items by tag: saratoga rowing association

Photos provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Sunday, August 12, Saratoga Rowing Association’s (SRA) Junior Men’s Coxed Four team placed second in the Junior World Championships, which took place in the Czech Republic. The team members are: Henry Bellew, Owen King, Chase Haskell, Michael Fairley, and George Doty. They are coached by Chris Chase Fairley is from Saratoga Springs.

“He is part of our high school team, he goes to Saratoga High. One of the coaches for the Junior World Championships is Chris Chase, who is our regatta director and our freshmen boys’ coach. He used to also be a teacher at Saratoga High School,” SRA executive director Eric Catalano.

In July, the Under 23 team also competed in Poland, they placed first in the U23 Women’s Double Sculls, featuring Sydney Michalak and Ashley Johnson. The Seniors team will be competing in Bulgaria September 9-16. Catalano describes the Senior World Championship as the “in between Olympics” competition.

With the Men’s Senior Quad heading to Worlds next month, their coach Emanuel Valentin had nothing but positive things to say.

“These four guys are incredibly driven to achieve their goals. Two of them (Sam and James) moved from their respective cities, NYC and Philadelphia, to train with Michael and Alex on two days’ notice.  Michael is a fulltime student at RPI is also enrolled in the ROTC program.  Alex just graduated from SUNY Albany with his Law Degree. With limited time together, we make large steps everyday towards improving and are looking forward to representing the USA,” said coach Emanuel Valentin.

“For a rowing organization, I feel like this is a homerun or the trifecta, of being able to get the current athletes into each of those world championship events,” said Catalano.

[Photos by Bill DiMinno]

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The 30^th Annual Head of the Fish Regatta took place on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28 and 29 at Fish Creek. This regatta is one of the largest in the country.

Approximately 2,300 entries occurred this year, topping last year by at least two hundred more. The Saratoga Rowing Association (SRA) was successful both days. On Saturday, SRA finished fourth in race number 32, Men’s Junior U17 Single 1x; SRA placed first in race number 43, Women’s Masters Lightweight Double 2x. They also placed among the top 10 in several other races on Saturday. Highlights for Sunday include placing fourth in race number 58, Girls Middle School Coxed Quad (8^th Grade and Under) 4x; fourth in race number 59, Men’s Junior Lightweight Eight (155 lbs and under); first in race number 60, Men’s Junior Freshmen Eight 8+; second in race number 63, Women’s Junior 2V Eight; first in race number 64, Women’s Junior 3V Eight. SRA also placed among the top five in several other races.

SRA is already gearing up for next years’ regattas. For more information, visit www.saratogarowing.com/sraregattas or call 518-587-6697. All results are posted on the website.

[Graphic provided by www.SaratogaRowing.com]

SARATOGA SPRINGS – On Saturday, Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Head of the Fish Regatta will be taking place at Fish Creek. Tom Frost founded this regatta in 1986 and it is now in its 31^st year.

This year there are approximately 2,300 entries.

“No regatta in history has ever done that and we’re crazy enough to try it,” said Chris Chase, Regatta Director.

This year it is approximated that roughly eight to 10 thousand people will be in attendance and if the weather holds up, could be as many as 12 thousand people spectating.

On Saturday, all college and adult level races will be taking place, equaling about seven to eight thousand athletes with four thousand junior athletes on Sunday. Chase estimates about 180 teams total.

“Over the course of the weekend we will have 102 busses, which are large, 110 trailers, 130 food tents which are 15x20 feet, so once you start narrowing down all that space, it gets crazy,” said Chase.

Saratoga Rowing Association is currently negotiating more space with Lee’s Park owner Leo Nosal.

“We’ve grown almost every year I’ve been in charge, since 1998,” Chase said.

“Leo is outstanding with also trying to maintain the integrity of the campgrounds and accommodate us. He’s been awesome. We’ve grown every year and every time we grow there has been a growing pain and those pains are usually Leo’s pains because we ask for more. So it’s been great that he’s been so open-minded about doing that given his own obligations to his customers as well,” Chase explained.

While the regatta is expected to bring in thousands, Chase warns that “locals better get their restaurant reservations in now because lines will be massive come that weekend.”

Go to www.SaratogaRowing.com to check out the maps and schedule of the event on Oct. 28 and 29.

[Photo by Barb Tyler Photography]

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Saratoga Rowing Association is putting on its’ annual season-opening regatta on Saturday, Sept. 30 beginning at 8:00 a.m. This 2-mile race is held on Fish Creek in Saratoga Springs. To the right is the schedule of the one-day event. Visit www.saratogarowing.com for more information.

“We look forward to this regatta each fall as it serves two major purposes; it gives our new and younger athletes race prep before larger regattas later this season and it allows us to work through the many logistics that must be well coordinated to off the significantly larger Head of the Fish regatta next month,” said Chris Chase, Regatta Director.

“It will take over 225 people and 3,200 volunteer hours to run the three days of regattas this fall. That’s in addition to all the work put in by our dedicated coaches and staff. Starting off with a smaller regatta really does help us get those systems up and running once again,” Katherine Smith, Director of Development and Volunteer Coordinator stated.

[Photos provided by Gloria Griskowitz]

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Aug. 6 through 13 the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta (RCHR) took place in Ontario, Canada.

The Saratoga Rowing Association (SRA) traveled to Ontario to participate with both women and men athletes, ranging in age from 14 to 23 years old.

“The RCHR is hailed as a top amateur rowing event in North America. Each year they welcome international competitors and visitors from across Canada, the US, Europe, Africa, Australia and Latin America. This year, the 135th Annual RCHR event brought in over 2800 participants,” according to the SRA press release.

Of 32 events entered by SRA, they won 12 heats, won three semi-finals, seven boats were in the top three finishers in the finals, and two boats won their finals earning a coveted RCHR Gold Medal.

“While the team performed well from top to bottom, and we placed many crews into the finals of many events, the big win for 2017 was the fact that the boat team won their first gold medal at this prestigious event. They raced against 63 crews from places as far away as Florida, California, Calgary, and China,” said SRA Executive Director Eric Catalano.

The Regatta only hands out gold medals, which is different from many other Regattas.

When asked why this Regatta only hands out gold medals, Catalano said: “They believe that every boat that makes it to a final is worthy of a medal, so they feel that gold is the only medal to be awarded. There is also uniqueness about the RCHR and the fact that you need to actually win to take home a Henley medal. This year’s medals were also a one-off unique, made for the 135th anniversary of the RCHR.”

“Winning a Henley gold medal is incredibly prestigious and difficult. It is cause for big celebration at SRA every time one of our boats ends up on the podium,” Catalano explained.

As with all team travel, the athletes were self-funded.

“SRA hires buses or vans and books hotel rooms for the entire team and then divides the costs amongst all the attendees. We only fundraise for extreme events like our trip to Australia in 2013,” said Catalano.

The Royal Canadian Henley is an annual event for the Saratoga Rowing Association and is the highlight Regatta of their summer season. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Though shortened by weather conditions, Saratoga Rowing Association (SRA) dominated the medal count at 2016 New York State Scholastic Rowing Association Championships on Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15 on Fish Creek.

Some highlights:

- 20 Championship Medals in side-by-side competition

- 11 additional medals based on earlier time trials (due to weather cancelling side-by-side heats)

- 31 medals total

- SRA first-place finishes: 

- Sprint Racing: - Womens Freshmen Quad - Final 1

    - Mens Freshmen Eight - Final 1 

- Womens Varsity Pair - Final 1 

- Womens Varsity Single - Final 1 

- Womens Varsity Single - Final 2 

- Mens Varsity Single - Final 1 

- Mens Varsity Single - Final 2 

- Womens Freshmen Eight - Final 1

- Mens Freshmen Quad – Final 1

- Womens Varsity Eight - Final 1 

- Womens Lightweight Eight  - Final 1 

- Womens Juniors Four - Final 1 

- Womens 2V Eight - Final 1 

- Mens Juniors Quad - Final 1 

- Mens Lightweight. Quad - Final 1 

- Womens Varsity Quad - Final 1 

- Womens Lightweight Quad  - Final 1 

- Womens Juniors Quad - Final 1 

- Womens Juniors Double – Final 1

- Mens Lightweight Eight - Final 1  

- Time Trials: - Womens Freshman Quad

- Mens Freshman Eight

- Womens Jr Four

- Womens 2V Eight

- Womens Freshman Eight 

- Mens Freshman Quad

In a word – unreal.  Afterwards, SRA announced that they were sending 73 rowers who qualified at States to Nationals (SRAA National Championships) in Zanesville, Ohio next weekend, May 27 and 28.  

WILTON — While the Wilton Planning Board chair did his best to keep residents calm and remind them the board’s hands were tied in the matter of approving the Gordon Development proposal for a three-story multi-use building on Route 9, the meeting got heated as residents and applicants began talking out of turn and interrupting one another at Wednesday night’s public hearing.