Festival Park at Oak Hollow Lake, High Point, NC – The largest rowing event ever to take place in North Carolina will be held in High Point on Saturday.
High Point will welcome over 500 rowers from across the southern states for the 2017 High Point Autumn Rowing Festival. Thousands of spectators are expected to view the once a year boating event.
“We have a wonderful turnout expected for this rowing regatta in High Point,” says event co-chair Mandy Greene. “Registered boat entries are almost double from when we first began the festival just three years ago.”
“Participation in rowing has exploded in North Carolina,” says Gene Kininmonth, who is the founder of youth and adult rowing clubs in High Point and Greensboro. “It is gratifying to see the City of High Point and the CVB seeing the opportunity of embracing this wonderful sport.”
Kininmonth says that thanks to local civic interest, High Point is now the epicenter for the sport of rowing in North Carolina.
The festival has attracted a number of marquis college names this weekend including NC State, Wake Forest University and William and Mary. High Point University declined the opportunity to participate on Saturday.
Also competing are Masters (adult) and youth programs from Atlanta, Raleigh, Charlotte and Asheville.
Round the Duck
Boat racing at the rowing festival is a 4,500 meter time-trial. Crews will line up their sleek rowing shells at the Skeet Club Bridge end of Oak Hollow Lake and then race out toward Johnson Street Bridge before making a 180 degree turn “Round the Duck” in the center of the lake, around the golf course toward the finish line at Festival Park.
That’s right. There’s a duck. A giant bright yellow inflatable duck. Race officials decline to disclose the actual size of the duck but it clearly dwarfs the rowers on the water.
Racing begins at 9:10am and runs through 4pm. Following the races the duck will return to shore for children’s photographs.
Directions: Use 1841 Eastchester Drive, High Point for GPS directions to Festival Park.. The regatta is open to the general public and admission is free. Limited free parking is also available. Oak Hollow Lake will be closed to fishing boats during the boat races. There will be a $5 fee for cars parking at Festival Park.
MEDIA: PRESS INFORMATION
Media Center
Media headquarters for the 2017 Rowing Festival will be the Command Center at
Oak Hollow Lake. The Media Center is equipped with Wi-Fi access. The Media Center will also accommodate interviews at the conclusion of each event. Race winners will be brought to the interview area for media access. Limited parking is available for daily print, online and television media (advance notice requested). All television stations that will be bringing in satellite trucks should call Mandy Greene (office: 336-314-1116) to arrange for vehicle access.
Photographers
Photographers wishing to obtain action shots on the racecourse may be accommodated in a media boat on a first-come, first-served basis. The media boat will be restricted to designated sections of the course and cannot “race” to keep pace with competing boats. Please arrive at the Media Center 60 minutes before you need to be on the water.
