Discover Rowing with GDRA

Posted on by

Greater Dayton Rowing Association has been operating since 1992. Our boathouse is on Island MetroPark, near downtown Dayton. We are focused 100% on adult rowing. We welcome everyone from college students to retirees. Both recreational rowers and competitive racers. Our membership is a pretty even split between men and women.

We will teach you how to row!

  • Come to Discover Rowing Day on May 11. It’s free. We will put you in a team boat with experienced rowers so that you can feel what rowing is all about. It’s really fun!
  • Sign up for Learn-To-Row. ($75 for 6 lessons)
    • Sculling 101 starts weekends on May 18.
    • Sweeping starts weeknights on June 4.
    • Sculling 102 starts weekends on June 15.
  • After graduating from Learn-To-Row, your first year membership is free !

If you already know how to row,
then join GDRA now!

  • As a member, you have full access to the boathouse at any time of day. So, you can row on your own schedule, or team up with someone, or join the regularly scheduled sweep practice.
  • We have 40 club owned boats to choose from, ranging from entry level boats to elite Hudson racing shells. The fleet includes 2 eights, 2 fours, 1 pair, 5 quads, 7 doubles and 23 singles.
  • If you own a boat, we have berths available. Contact the Boathouse Manager.
  • Membership fees are reduced for Young Adults (age 18-27) and summer-only College Students.
  • Active and Retired Military discounts on all classes and membership fees. Contact the Club President.
  • Go to Regatta Central to sign up now!

Day of Discovery

Posted on by

GDRA’s Discover Rowing Day on Saturday, May 11, was a success! We had an excellent turnout, welcoming 27 visitors who were eager to learn more about rowing. A committee led by Linda Clemens, our Recruiting Director, organized our volunteers and made sure that we had plenty of experienced rowers available to coach and assist visitors. Several of our rowers commented that they enjoyed helping and were glad to have had the opportunity to take part in the event.

With so many volunteers available to row team boats, our visitors could choose between sweep and sculling. Some enjoyed their first experience of rowing so much that they wanted to do both. There were plenty of smiles and cheerful remarks. The event began by taking the Millennium 8+ out on the water, letting visitors feel the power of a big sweep boat.

Sculling was popular too—we had three quads on the river at the same time. The day started out a bit chilly, but it soon warmed up as the sun came out in a lovely blue sky, giving us perfect weather for the event.

Our visitors had so much fun that several of them signed up over the weekend to take Learn-to-Row classes. In fact, we had to increase the size of the upcoming class to accommodate the large number of people interested in enrolling. Fantastic! Many thanks to our organizing committee and all the volunteers.

Rowing Camp Weekend

Posted on by

Mark Wilson from All-American Rowing Camp visited GDRA last weekend to coach our rowers in morning and afternoon sessions from Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5. Although we had some concerns about rainy weather in the forecast, all went well because the river did not rise as high as predicted, and the water was beautifully smooth.

Each session consisted of two coached rows, with breaks in between to watch and discuss video. Having an opportunity to improve our skills with the help of a professional coach, just in time for the sprint race season, was very helpful. As a bonus, the weather was gorgeous on Sunday, with a brilliant blue sky.

Janice Hill volunteered to organize the lunch and snacks, along with coffee and yummy hot chocolate, which were much appreciated—many thanks, Jan! The first two days, we all went out to dinner as a group, enjoying some social fun after a very productive camp.

Spring Break in Tennessee

Posted on by

Several GDRA members went on a “spring break” trip April 12-16, 2019, and enjoyed rowing on the Melton Lake course maintained by the Oak Ridge Rowing Association. This high-quality course, located on the scenic Clinch River in the Knoxville area, regularly hosts many regattas that include championship events. With six docks in a sheltered lagoon, launching and recovering boats is quick and easy.

Spring break rowers in Oak Ridge on dock with oars

During the sprint race season, the Melton Lake course is fully buoyed with seven lanes, giving our spring break rowers an excellent opportunity for sprint practice. A convenient parking area for boat trailers is provided next to the docks, making it easy for GDRA to bring boats to the venue so that our members can enjoy rowing their favorite boats.

Spring break rowers in Oak Ridge on dock carrying double

A well-maintained bike path that runs directly past the docks provided more opportunities for outdoor fun. The weather was great, and we all had a wonderful time visiting Oak Ridge. Spring break in Tennessee is becoming a GDRA tradition!

2019 Sprint Racing Schedule

Posted on by
GDRA’s masters racing team will be participating in the following sprint regattas:
  • Dogwood Masters Classic May 25, 2019 | Melton Lake | Oak Ridge, TN (USA)
  • Indy Summer Sprints Jun 22, 2019 | Eagle Creek Park | Indianapolis, IN (USA)
  • Independence Day Regatta Jun 28, 2019 to Jun 30, 2019 | Schuylkill River | Philadelphia, PA (USA)
  • Midwest Summer Sprints Championships Aug 3, 2019 | Dillon Lake | Nashport, OH (USA)
  • USRowing Masters National Championships Aug 15, 2019 to Aug 18, 2019 | Grand River| Grand Rapids, MI (USA)

ALL AMERICAN ROWING CAMP

Posted on by

Greater Dayton Rowing Association is hosting the All-American Rowing Camp on May 3-5, 2019!

Would you like to participate in a three day rowing camp with professional coaches right here in Dayton? Take your rowing to another level?

 

Here are the basics:
  • Three days of camp
  • Each rower picks the morning session or afternoon session.
  • Coaching, videotaping, rigging.
  • We design the camp according to our interests:  competitive, sculling, recreational, sweep, team boats, singles.
  • Professional collegiate and masters coaches

For registration information, E-mail: AARC@Daytonrowing.org

 

 

Discover rowing!

Posted on by

ATTENTION: FREE ROWING EVENT

    The Greater Dayton Rowing Association invites you to discover how rowing can boost your fun & fitness. Get introduced to the boats, oars, basic body mechanics, how to get in a boat safely, & get on the water in a sweep or sculling boat. Registration requested, walk-ins welcome. Receive a $25 discount for our Learn-to-Row program later in May!

When:  Saturday, May 11 & Saturday July 13

Where: 101 E. Helena Street. (Island Metropark)