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Boat racing

Racing using boats

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A regatta is a series of boat races. The term comes from the Venetian language, with regata meaning "contest, contention for mastery"(from regatare ("compete, haggle, sell at retail"), possibly from recatare) and typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas. A regatta often includes social and promotional activities which surround the racing event, and except in the case of boat type (or "class") championships, is usually named for the town or venue where the event takes place; for example “valley field”.

One of the largest and most popular rowing regattas is the Henley Royal Regatta held on the River Thames, England. One of the largest and oldest yachting regattas in the world is Cowes Week, which is held annually by the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, England, and usually attracts over 900 sailing boats. Cowes Week is predated by the Cumberland Cup (1775), Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta (1822) and Port of Plymouth Regatta (1823). North America's oldest regatta is the Royal St. John's Regatta held on Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John's, Newfoundland every year since 1818.

Rowing

World Rowing Federation championship events

North America

United States

  • American Henley Regatta, first world championships in the United States
  • Dad Vail Regatta, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, championships for college clubs
  • The Harvard–Yale Regatta – also known as 'The Race'
  • Head of the Charles Regatta, on the Charles River between Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Head of the Hooch, on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee
  • Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships, college championships for men and lightweight women
  • Marathon Rowing Championship a continuous 42.195-kilometre (26.219 mi) rowing regatta on Cane River Lake in Natchitoches, Louisiana
  • New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Championships
  • Poughkeepsie Regatta was an historical regatta that hosted the IRA National Championship from 1895 until 1949.
  • Scholastic Rowing Association of America Championships
  • USRowing National Championships
  • The Windermere Cup - between the University of Washington and one or several challengers of their choice
  • San Diego Crew Classic – Mission Bay, San Diego, California. Founded in 1973, it is the inaugural race of the rowing season among rowers of all genders, levels, and abilities.

Canada

  • The Brentwood Regatta is held in the spring and is one of the largest high school rowing regattas on the west coast of North America.
  • Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, in the first week of August is one of the largest annual regattas in North America, attracting hundreds of clubs in 128 junior, senior, and master's events.
  • Royal St. John's Regatta, held every year on Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John's, Newfoundland, North America's oldest annual sporting event.
  • Dominion Day Regatta, held every year since 1884 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The oldest and largest combined paddling and rowing regatta for participants across North America.

Europe

United Kingdom

  • Regattas on the River Thames lists all Thames rowing regattas and other rowing events
  • The Boat Race is a rowing race between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club. It is rowed annually each Spring on the Thames in London.
  • Henley Royal Regatta, held every year on the River Thames is one of several prestigious British events
  • Lent and May Bumps, the two main intercollegiate bumps races of the University of Cambridge, held on the Cam.
  • The National Schools Regatta is the largest regatta for junior rowers in Great Britain
  • The Boat Race of the North – between the University of Durham and the University of Newcastle
  • Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta, held annually at the end of August on the River Dart.
  • Summer Eights, along with Torpids, the two intercollegiate bumps races of Oxford University, held on the Isis in Oxford.
  • The Welsh Boat Race is a rowing race between the Swansea University Rowing Club and the Cardiff University Boat Club. It is rowed annually each Spring on the Taff River or the River Tawe in South Wales.
  • The City of Exeter Rowing Regatta, the oldest rowing regatta in the South West, is held annually in Exeter in July.

Continental Europe

  • Regata delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare, Italy
  • The Croco's Cup, international rowing regatta at University level held every year in Paris since 1985, organised by students of ENSTA (Paristech).
  • Tour du Lac, around the lake Geneva is the 160 km (99 mi) the longest non-stop rowing regatta in the world.
  • Kontxako Bandera, rowing regatta in San Sebastián, Basque Country.
  • Vienna Nightrow is an international sprint rowing regatta for eights in Austria at night.
  • The Danube Regatta / Dunai Regatta Hungary's largest university rowing race, held annually on the Danube in Budapest.
  • Balaton Regatta, held every year on the Lake Balaton between the teams of Veszprém Campus and Keszthely Campus of University of Pannonia
  • Maltese National Regatta, held bi-annually on 31 March and 8 September in the Grand Harbour, Valletta
  • Varsity, student race held annually on the Amsterdam-Rhine canal over 3 km (1.85 mi).
  • Koninklijke Holland Beker, held annually on the Bosbaan in the single sculls.
  • Dragon boat racing – a type of human-powered watercraft racing, originating from oriental Asia
  • Canoe racing – competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking

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