2014 Stonewall Regatta - 21st success!

The DC Strokes Rowing Club hosted the 21st annual Stonewall Regatta on Sunday, 01 June 2014, on the Anacostia River in Washington DC. The regatta has been held continuously since its founding in 1994 in Pelham Bay, in New York City. Over the years, the regatta has moved twice, first to the Potomac River and then again to the Anacostia River where the DC Strokes practice.

The regatta brings with it a tradition of water movement. In 1994, at Stonewall Regatta I, the tidal flows in Pelham Bay caused the regatta starting line to be moved several times as the bay became shallower. On the Potomac River, crews raced downstream, with moving currents and eddys. On the Anacostia River, the course has been laid out both downstream and upstream.

Up until 2014, every regatta used a floating start that sometimes created havoc because of the fast currents and/or winds. This year brought a new level of sophistication to the regatta with the introduction of fixed starts using stake boats. For most of the morning, the stake boats served the regatta committee with devotion and obedience. However, around 1 pm, the tide began to flood and no amount of resetting the anchors could subdue the rebellious and changing stake boat positions. In a blink of an eye, the practiced regatta committee shifted to their accustomed burden, floating starts, and the races continued like clockwork.

The 21st annual Stonewall Regatta reached a new milestone with 195 entries, beating by one entry the 2007 Stonewall Regatta. Overall, 411 participants, including a number of GLRF members, competed from 26 clubs, 7 states, and 4 countries. The regatta had 35 planned events but with a lack of entries, the net number of events was 28. The most popular events were the Mens Master 4+ (5 races), Womens Master 4+ (5 races), Mens Master 1x (4 races), the Womens Master 1x (3 races), the Mens Master 8+ (3 races), the Womens Master 8+ (3 races), the Womens Master 2x (3 races), and the Mens Open 1x (3 races). Results Stonewall Regatta21.pdf

The weather was perfect with water that rivaled the huge lean wall mirrors at Crate and Barrel until 2 pm when it was obvious somebody put everything on sale .... Warm sunshine and awesome music spun by a truly talented DJ (was he gay?) lent a distinct air that the DC Strokes are here, they're queer, and they're very glad to welcome the straight rowing community.