Rowing Cancelled For 2017 Miami Outgames

On 06 April 2017, the organizing staff of the 2017 Miami Outgames made the difficult decision to cancel the rowing regatta planned for the 2017 Miami Outgames. The executive committee and the board of directors took the action after comparing the current and projected registration numbers with the fixed costs involved in hosting the event.

Since the event was not being hosted organically by the Miami Rowing Club, the Outgames staff was forced to rent the rowing club facility from the City of Miami Beach. Additionally, the cost of setting the course in Key Biscayne Bay was significant. The organizers had also hired an experienced rowing coach to assist with running the regatta.

In a phone call with the Miami Outgames sports director, Jordan Sellers, GLRF was told that the decision by one, large rowing club to withdraw from the regatta made the regatta appear to be economically ill advised.

The Miami Outgames was particularly saddened to make the decision after having worked so hard to properly structure the regatta after consultations with GLRF. The event had received sanctioning from USRowing, boat rentals had been secured from two US boat manufacturers (a logistical task that was already underway in moving boats from the West Coast to the East Coast), a full jury of referees had been secured, and the event had been registered with Regatta Central (one of the US electronic regatta registration systems).

Rowers who had registered with the 2017 Miami Outgames will be able to receive full refunds, for both the participant fee and the sports. Additionally, boat rental fees paid through Regatta Central will also be refunded.