This is the number of hours worked by volunteers on the weekend of the Head of the Occoquan. With over 550 boats entered, the two-day event requires not only months-long planning and coordination by the regatta committee, but also a lot of skilled and unskilled labor on the days of the regatta.

This year’s volunteers included 63 OBC members, 16 US Rowing representatives, and 20 volunteers from high schools. Volunteers stuffed registration packets, set up banners and fencing, helped with parking, checked competitors in and handed out registration packets, directed traffic up and down the hill, launched and recovered boats on the docks, marshaled the regatta, announced the races, ran results from headquarters to the posting stations, awarded medals, sold t-shirts, staffed the volunteer tent, and cleaned up at the end of the day Sunday. (Whew!)

“We have so many great volunteers who spent the day helping out,” noted Regatta Director Erik Nienaber. “Everywhere I looked I saw OBC folks taking on additional work or resolving issues.”

One above-and-beyond effort came from Jon Barrett, who gave up a race to announce at the finish line in addition to helping refit the starting tower, clean up the finish line area, and set up and take down the course. Mark Brown leapt in at the last minute to put up the fencing that keeps spectators out of harm’s way as boats are carried to and from the docks. “And every time I looked up,” Erik says,  “Tom Riddle was taking care of something—setting things up or helping with vehicles.”

Even former OBC members came out to help. Garland Moore drove down from Baltimore on Saturday and Sunday to announce at the starting line.

And those 784 hours don’t include the work that went into getting the course and launch site ready. Bob Spousta and his George Mason men moved docks and built wooden walkways. A group of members gave the starting tower a badly needed refit. And volunteers set up and took down the race course.

Nor do those hours include Brenda Waltz’s work as regatta registrar, Bev Horton’s registration packet-stuffing party, Marena Baldini’s work organizing medals, or Bill Weinberg’s t-shirt initiative. This year’s shirts, with their striking design, sold out early in the day Sunday, and Bill’s crew moved on to selling shirts from previous years.

Brenda’s position is new this year: as registrar, she fielded the numerous pre-regatta inquiries about parking, lightweight cut-offs, hot seating, age restrictions, and more. She also managed the wait list, working with Erik and the NVRPA to admit as many entries as possible without adding to the number of boat trailers in the park.

Volunteer coordinator Marge Slepica had 160 shifts to fill in order to fully staff the regatta on Saturday and Sunday. “Using Sign-Up Genius to organize the shifts worked really well,” Marge observed, “but when unanticipated problems arose, I was very grateful to all the people who were flexible.” She gave special mention to the bakers who made the delectable cookies, nut breads, and other goodies that volunteers snacked on over the weekend.

Of course an immense amount of behind-the-scenes work goes on year round as the race committee evaluates the previous year’s event and plans the next. The committee comprises Regatta Director Erik Nienaber, Volunteer Coordinator Marge Slepica, Dockmaster Bob Spousta, Awards Coordinator Marena Baldini, Registration Coordinator Bev Horton, T-shirt Coordinator Bill Weinberg, and Treasurer Cyndy Dailey.

Instead of the t-shirt that volunteers have previously received, a HOTO pin was this year’s “regatta favor” to those who helped out. And for the first time, OBC hosted a post-regatta party as a thank-you to its volunteers. The thirty who attended the event, held at Water’s Edge Restaurant immediately after the regatta’s end on Sunday, snacked on crab cakes, crab soup, tacos, and chicken wings.

HOTO proceeds reduce membership dues by about $100 per member each year. Membership dues cover operating expenses for the club except for depreciation on the fleet. In effect, fundraising from HOTO allows the club to rotate new equipment into the fleet each year—without which we would not be a boat club at all!

Erik, Marge, and OBC President Robin Quinn extend an enthusiastic “thank you!” to every everyone who came out to help.

We had an impressive number of OBC members compete in head races this year and we were fortunate once again to have Bob Spousta and Carol Dinion lead the head race practice pieces on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. Participating in these pieces allowed us to prepare both mentally and physically for the longer race distances.  Many thanks for Bob, Carol, and our fellow rowers who came out and made us push each other in an effort to become stronger.

These are the highlights from the fall regattas:

Wye Island Regatta (September 10)

As a warm-up to the longer head race pieces, several members raced the 19th Annual Wye Island Regatta. This is a challenging 12.5-mile race around Wye Island on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Many rowers describe this as a “fun” race, but as with most true competitors it’s fun to row to win. The days leading up to the race were rainy, but on race day the skies cleared somewhat and gave us comfortable temperatures and light winds. Navigating this course, with its many potential wrong turns, is especially challenging for those who face backwards, and the rolling wakes from crabbing boats and large pleasure cruisers create a special challenge for the smaller shells. OBC scullers rose to the challenge: Mark Brown and Tom Riddle finished first and second respectively in the Men’s Racing 1x, and Robin Quinn finished first in the Women’s Racing 1x. Now that the “fun” was over, rowers looked towards the first official head race of the season.

Scullers Head of the Potomac (September 25)

Hosted by Potomac Boat Club, this is a 2.8-mile race on the Potomac River along the Georgetown waterfront in DC. OBC racers started off the season with a very strong showing. Dane Underwood took second in the Men’s Novice 1x, Erik Nienaber took fourth in the Men’s Senior Master 1x, Bob Spousta took first in the Men’s Veteran 1x, and Jesse Clark took sixth place in the very competitive Men’s Open 1x.  On the women’s side, Carol Dinion added to her medal count by winning the Women’s Senior Master 1x as well as the Women’s Club 2x with Michelle Nielson of Capital Rowing and the Mixed 2x with Bob Spousta. Jon Barrett and Brian Bosch placed fourth in the Men’s Open 2x. A very impressive showing by OBC racers, indeed!

Occoquan Challenge (October 9)

With the Challenge, it was time to race on our home water and put our Sunday practice pieces to the test. The Challenge is an out-and-back course with a 180 degree turn at the halfway point, a turn that’s especially tough if you’re a starboard rower! OBC excelled at this regatta with multiple first place finishes: Jesse Clark and Jon Barrett took first and second in the Men’s Championship 1x, Dane Underwood took first in the Men’s Novice 1x, Greg Kupka took first in the Men’s Master 1x, Mark Brown and Tom Riddle finished third and fifth in the very competitive Grand Masters 1x category, and Bob Spousta took first in the Men’s Veteran 1dx. On the women’s side, Carol Dinion took first in the Women’s Lightweight 1x, Stephanie Ashton took first in the Women’s Master 1x, and Robin Quinn took first in the Women’s Grand Master 1x. Team boats had an equally impressive showing: Jon Barrett and Brian Bosch took first in the Men’s Championship 2x, Carol Dinion and Michelle Nielson from Capital Rowing took first in the Women’s 2x, Dave Applin and his daughter Rebecca took first in the Parent/Child 2x race, and an OBC/PWRC composite Men’s 4x of Tom Riddle, Frank Fisher, Wally Sorensen and Bob Rodriquez finished first in their event.

Occoquan Chase (October 16)

The following weekend was the Occoquan Chase, a much different course from the Challenge. The Chase starts upriver just past Jacob’s Rock and finishes past the grandstands near the first set of power lines. This race follows the twists and turns of the river with alternating port and starboard turns. Medals are not won at this regatta; winners are awarded a “Champion of the Chase” t-shirt, which they proudly wear throughout the year. Once again OBC racers gave new meaning to the expression “this is my house,” with seven first place wins! In the Men’s Open 1x Andrew Walters, Jesse Clark and Jon Barrett finished first, third and fourth respectively; Dane Underwood finished first in the Novice Men’s 1x; Phil Hoyle finished first in the Men’s Masters 1x; Mark Brown and Tom Riddle finished third and fourth in the Men’s 50+ 1x, and Clint Spooner finished second in the Men’s 60+ 1x.  It was a sweep on the ladies’ side as well: Stephanie Ashton, Carol Dinion and Robin Quinn all finished first in their Women’s 1x categories. Robin Quinn and Tom Riddle finished first in the Mixed 2x, and Dave and Rebecca Applin finished 2nd in the Parent/Child 2x.

Head of the Charles (October 22 and 23)

The Superbowl of Rowing! Where else can you see over 8,000 rowers from across the world compete, including current and former Olympians and National Team rowers?  The weather was sunny and cool with light winds. OBC was represented by Bob Spousta, Carol Dinion, Tom Riddle, Stephanie Ashton and Robin Quinn in their 1x races; Jon Barrett, Brian Bosch, Nate McClafferty and Ryan Ward in the Men’s Club 4+;  OBC member Clint Spooner rowed an 8+ with Northern Virginia Rowing Club, and several other members competed in Prince William Rowing Club team boats. Bob earned a guaranteed entry for the 2012 regatta, and all crews enjoyed a good row at this spectacular event.

Head of the Occoquan (November 5 & 6)

Sunshine, blue skies, brilliant foliage, and cool temperatures were the descriptive words for this regatta. The HOTO is hosted by OBC, and it’s our last race of the season. Over 20 OBC members competed in our two-day regatta attended by juniors, colleges, and club and masters rowers.  OBC members earned nine first place medals with Phil Hoyle in the Men’s Masters1x, Bob Spousta in the Men’s Veteran 1x, Dane Underwood in the Novice 1x, Stephanie Ashton in the Women’s Master 1x, Robin Quinn in the Women’s Grand Master 1x, Carol Dinion and Robin Quinn in the Women’s Club 2x, Robin Quinn and Tom Riddle in the Mixed 2x, Bob Spousta and Carol Dinion in the Masters Mixed 2x 50+, and Dane Underwood and Andrew Falter in the Men’s Club 2x. Other remarkable finishes were Gwen Sully’s and Stephanie Ashton’s second place in the Women’s Master 2x (40-49), Carol Dinion’s third place in the Women’s Senior Master 1x, Mark Brown’s second place in the Men’s Grand Master 1x, and Clint Spooner’s third place in the Men’s Veteran 1x.

Ending the two-day regatta, OBC hosted its first Volunteer Appreciation Party at the Water’s Edge Restaurant in Woodbridge, VA.

Those of us who had the privilege to know Julia remember her for her positive energy, smile, and the regular long rows to Bull Run she would proudly embark on almost every day. When we would see Julia at Sandy Run and ask her “how many times have you been to Bull Run this week?” her answer always made us smile and shake our heads, and then she would share a story or two about what she saw, or whom she met during those outings. The rows to Bull Run helped Julia attain the club record and her personal goal of rowing over 3000 miles in a single season. Fittingly, OBC’s annual mileage award has been named in Julia’s honor. In addition to her rows to Bull Run, she joined the Sunday morning sprint and head race practice group.  We were always glad to see her because we knew she had baked a tasty treat to share with everyone after practice. Her delicious cookies, coffee cakes and breads were highly anticipated and much appreciated, even if she did make them with healthy, natural ingredients.

As we remember Julia we also remember her husband Karl and son Alex. While writing this article I reached out to Karl to ask how he and Alex have been making out during the last year. Alex attends grad school at GMU’s Volgenau School of IT/Engineering. Karl admits that Alex talks “over his head about quantum mechanics and has a broader understanding of economic theory” than Karl ever dreamed of. Karl describes the time as “organized” busy. He is an active member of OBC’s Safety Committee and he has rowed a few times this season, but not as much as he would like to. He helps friends with translating documents and personal letters from Old German into English, and he has been trying to maintain Julia’s flower bed in front of the house, which thankfully shows some color.

Following Julia’s passing OBC’s Safety Committee took a proactive approach to educating our members on safety issues.  This endeavor has been aided by the development and unveiling of our new website, which has enabled us to store safety information and resources in a central location easily accessible by our members and fellow rowers.  Detailed safety information and First Aid equipment is also available in the boathouse. In late August we held our first Safety Review and Flip demonstration in an effort to remind rowers of the resources available and the importance of being prepared in the event of an emergency.

Because of Julia’s vitality and kindness, and in memory of her enthusiasm for youth rowing, OBC’s scholarship fund was named in her honor. The Julia Shew Memorial Rowing Scholarship fund supports high school athletes who need financial assistance to join their schools’ rowing teams. The scholarships are funded by individual donations as well as proceeds from the Occoquan Masters Sprints. Additional information concerning the fund can be found on our website.

Those who wish to contribute to the scholarship fund can mail your contribution made payable to Occoquan Boat Club, Post Office Box 182, Occoquan, VA 22125.  Please include Julia Shew Rowing Scholarship in the memo line.

As we look back on the last year, we remember Julia fondly and miss her. In her memory, our club has come together in so many ways to honor her contributions and to raise awareness to help keep our fellow rowers safer. Thank you for all that you have done over the last year and may you continue to row safely and enjoy our wonderful Occoquan.

– Robin Quinn

For the third consecutive year, Junior B women (the “B” means they we born after 1 January 1995) attended a US Rowing-sponsored ten day camp held at OBC at the end of June. They were challenged by coaches Bob Spousta and Carol Dinion to learn to listen to the single and become proficient. They backed the boats down the race course, rowed with blindfolds, covered over 100 miles, and even rowed to Bull Run in singles for a picnic (for some of them, as young as 14 years old, this was the longest row they had ever attempted).

Even though most high school rowers compete in sweep crews, gaining sculling experience in single shells is highly valuable. “The single is extremely responsive to every aspect of the stroke,” says Dinion. “You learn to be more efficient with your body position, movements, application of power, and extraction of the blade. This transfers directly to any boat.”

If the success of the camp can be measured by the success of the rowers who have attended, it is off to a great start for what is hoped will be an enduring program. All five rowers who graduated from high school this year and who attended the first year of the camp have been offered scholarships. They will be joining programs at the very pinnacle of college rowing: two will be rowing for UVa (the 2010 NCAA champions), and one will be rowing at Princeton (the Varsity eight winner at the NCAA Championships). In addition, two of the former campers represented the US at the high performance camp in Germany this summer.

This year was the first year the program was expanded to include Junior B men. The boys have just completed their August camp coached by Bill Randall and Frank Benson. They arrived at the river each day at 9:00 AM and rowed until 3:00 PM, averaging nearly 15 miles a day.  They progressed from zero experience in a single to race-ready by the time their parents arrived to watch them row on the last morning of the camp.

The camps have trained some of the top young rowers in the area from schools including West Potomac, Yorktown, Gonzaga, Thomas Jefferson, Oakton, and Episcopal.

Nicole started rowing at Thomas Jefferson High School her freshman year in 2001.  She had lots of success in high school, earning medals at states, scholastic nationals, and Stotesbury. She went on to row at UVA, where injuries plagued her and she had little chance to see how fast she could be. She did some sculling at Rivanna Boat Club in Charlottesville, raced for OBC and set the novice course record at the Challenge, and began training after college at Potomac Boat Club in the fall of 2009.

In January of 2011, Nicole decided to make a full commitment to training. Her company InCode has supported her in many ways—offering her a part-time position so she had time to train, helping with the leasing of equipment in Bled, and most importantly believing in her! Nicole finished 4^th in the single at the first National Selection Regatta (NSR) and as a result joined up with the 3^rd place finisher Hillary Saeger to race the 2x at NSR2.  They finished 3^rd and as a result joined up with the 4^th place boat (Lindsey Hochman and Katherine Robinson) to form a quad for the World Championship Lightweight Quad.

The rest is history. The girls all came to Washington for July—their kick-off was OMS where they made cookies à la Julia. Steve Dani, their coach, choose Washington because Lindsey and Katherine needed to acclimate to the east coast humidity (they train in Seattle), and Potomac Boat Club as well as OBC had offered to help the girls with  equipment. (Click here to get a nice recap of the training experience.)

Once the girls secured their spot on the National Team by winning the World Championship Trials, the need for financial support became apparent. The LW4x is a non-funded boat (it’s not an Olympic event), and the girls needed to raise over $3500 each, plus provide their own airfare. OBC donated to the US Rowing Foundation to support the quad.

It was on to Bled, Slovenia. There were 12 entries in the LW4x—the most ever! The field was incredibly competitive. Only the first-place finisher from the heats automatically qualified for finals, and the girls had to earn their spot in repechage. In retrospect, they said the experience of having two races before finals helped them put together their best possible race on Saturday. (To see full results of the heats, reps, B and A final go here.)

What’s next: London 2012. All four girls are London hopefuls and will try to earn a seat on the already qualified LW2x. The training cycle starts today (with 10 days rest of course—well, not rest: skiing, biking, and running around Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia).

This is a nice article from US Rowing.

This interview tells the whole story:  The girls earn Bronze by 1/100^th of a second over Italy (who beat them by over 9 sec in the opening heat).

If you’d like to watch their race, you can do so on September 24 or 25 at 6 PM on Universal Sports TV, or online here. (Look for the LW4x on the thumbnails below the main window.)

If you’ve been thinking about competing, a head race can be a good place to start: the longer distance allows for a lower stroke rating than a sprint race does, so it’s somewhat more similar to a recreational outing.

We’re fortunate to have three head races on our home water: the Occoquan Challenge, the Occoquan Chase, and our own Head of the Occoquan. OBC members also do some traveling to away regattas, some of which are described below. For a fuller list of regattas in the region, visit www.row2k.com.

To reserve a shell for a regatta, scroll to the bottom of our Reserving Shells page.

Wye Island Regatta
Saturday, Sept 10

Annapolis Rowing Club hosts this 12.5-mile circuit around Wye Island on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The scenic course passes through marshland, along wooded shores, and by fields and large homes. It varies from narrow estuaries to the broader expanses of the Wye River. The water is less serene than in a typical head race: a small part of the course takes rowers to the edge of Shaw Bay, which can be turbulent when the wind is from the wrong direction.

Part of the regatta’s challenge is navigating from landmark to landmark. Most scullers affix a map to their footstretchers, although some have learned that it’s easier to take a point from the forward-facing kayakers.

The race is over by early afternoon, and many competitors enjoy lunch in St. Michael’s or on Kent Island afterward. Last year two OBC scullers rowed at Wye Island.

Scullers’ Head of the Potomac
Sunday, September 25*

Hosted by Potomac Boat Club, the 2.8 mile race is held on the Potomac River above Roosevelt Island. The comparatively straight course runs along the Virginia shore from just below Fletcher’s Cove to just above the Roosevelt Bridge, passing under Key Bridge at about the 2-mile mark. The regatta offers sweep events, but as the name suggests, the emphasis is on sculling.

The regatta is enjoyable for its proximity to the Georgetown Waterfront with its restaurants and foot traffic; both Potomac Boat Club and Thompson’s Boat Center are used as launch sites. Six OBC scullers rowed at SHOP last year.

Head of the Ohio
Saturday, October 1

Hosted by Three Rivers Rowing Association in Pittsburgh, the Head of the Ohio offers a course that passes under seven bridges as it makes its way through  downtown Pittsburgh to the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. The finish line shore has great views and features vendors, food tents, and a jazz band.

TRRA and Pittsburgh-area high school and college teams support our Head of the Occoquan, so it’s nice when OBC sends some representation up to Pittsburgh for this regatta.

Occoquan Challenge
Sunday, October 9

Hosted by the Occoquan Challenge Foundation, this race’s course is the one we practice during the Sunday morning outings. It is distinctive for its 180 degree turn at the race’s midpoint. The race starts in front of Sandy Run, on the Prince William side. The course goes up to the 500 meter mark of the 2000-meter course, where the turn occurs. The finish line is across from the start, on the Fairfax side of the river.

The Challenge Foundation distributes proceeds to rowing programs that promote the sport in their community. Over a dozen OBC scullers competed in the 2010 Challenge.

Occoquan Chase
Sunday, October 16

Hosted by George Mason University Rowing Association, the Chase is also rowed on our reservoir. The course runs from Jacob’s Rock downstream to the first set of power lines past the grandstands. Instead of medals, winners are awarded Champion of the Chase shirts…which can be worn more frequently than hardware! About a dozen OBC scullers rowed in the Chase last year.

Head of the Charles
Saturday and Sunday, October 22-23

The nation’s largest, most competitive head race is run on a challenging course that requires rowers to navigate sharp turns and narrow bridge spans. More athletes apply to compete in HOCR than the 8,000+ who are accepted. Scullers who finish within 5% of the winning time in their event earn an automatic  entry in the following year’s regatta. The rest of the entries are determined by lottery. In addition, the regatta offers “Directors’ Challenge” events in the mixed double and quad on a first-come, first served basis to scullers who make a specified donation to the regatta.

The regatta weekend transforms the Cambridge waterfront into something of a festival; it can draw as many as 300,000 spectators over the two days. The low bridges and narrow course make for great race watching–people travel to this regatta to watch as well as row.

In 2010 four OBC members sculled in HOCR, two of whom were in a Directors’ Challenge event. Five OBC scullers will be competing in Club and Masters 1x events at HOCR 2011.

Head of the Schuylkill
Saturday and Sunday, October 29-30

With over 5000 competitors, HOSR is one of the mid-Atlantic’s largest regattas. Plagued by bad weather in recent years, the regatta is, on a sunny autumn day, a lively event that draws a lot of spectators. The entire course lies along a park on the Schuylkill River, which makes for good race-watching, and a festival area near the Three Angels contributes to the regatta’s energy.

The course is fairly straight with one broad turn; it runs downstream from above the Strawberry Mansion Bridge to just above Boathouse Row. The main challenge is to steer through the correct spans of the four bridges that punctuate the course.

Head of the Lafayette
October 29 or 30 (date not yet set)

Hosted by Hampton Roads Rowing Association on Norfolk’s Lafayette River, this regatta features Halloween regalia as well as awards not only for fastest times but also best costumes. OBC scullers haven’t attended in recent years, but it’s an option for those who prefer a smaller, more intimate regatta than the Head of the Schuylkill.

Head of the Occoquan
Saturday and Sunday, November 5-6

The final regatta of the season for many crews, our own HOTO is rowed at the very end of October or early November while the leaves are still brilliant gold and red. Out-of-town participants tell us they come for the beautiful course and the fall colors. The race starts above Jacob’s Rock, rows along the Prince William shore, and finishes just after the grandstand area on the sprint course. Singles are rowed on Saturday, with doubles and quad events on Sunday. Last year about 15 OBC scullers competed in the HOTO.

HOTO is OBC’s main fundraiser; it reduces each member’s annual dues by about one third. Therefore members are strongly encouraged to support the regatta by volunteering.

* The date for the Sculler’s Head of the Potomac was originally posted incorrectly as Saturday, September 24.

For some years dock users have relied on the park’s early-morning sprinkler system to wash goose leavings off the dock. Unfortunately that system has deteriorated, and it suffers from lack of maintenance. For the last year or so the sprinklers have become ineffectual, and dock users have come to depend on the kind souls who laboriously sweep the dock clean every day or two.

Taking a cue from those who use the second dock, Bob Spousta decided to pilot a simple jug-and-string system on the main dock. The string, which runs just a few inches above dock level around its perimeter, discourages geese from climbing up on the dock.

And…the new system is working: on a recent morning, for example, the first rowers to launch found the jugs in place and the dock 100% mess free. The flock of geese that typically roams Sandy Run seemed to have congregated on a sandy shore about 50 yards upstream.

While docks are in use, the jugs can simply be moved to the middle of the dock. The last person to use the docks in the evening should move them back out to the edges, making sure the string is taut (in the air) rather than lying on the dock. Resetting the loop in the evening is obviously key to the system’s continued success.

Robin Quinn is interested in knowing how the system is working: If you’re the first one to the docks in the morning, and you see that the loop hasn’t been reset, please email her at gro.cbowornull@tnediserp.

It’s probable that a separate loop will be devised for the ramp. When this loop is introduced, it will need to be removed entirely during the day rather than simply moved to the center of the ramp.

Bob is continuing to tweak the system to make it more user friendly. If you have suggestions, contact him at ude.umgnull@atsuopsr. In the meantime, enjoy the clean surface!

Scullers who attended the practices observed that the sessions increased their fitness, strength and confidence, and helped them develop sound race plans. Pat Williams noted that practicing in the heat probably helped prepare her for the very hot days at Diamond States. She also enjoyed the support and encouragement everyone offered each other.

Charm City Sprints

The first race of the season for many scullers was in Baltimore on the Patapsco River’s Middle Branch Basin. Conditions were pleasant, with only a light chop on the unbuoyed course. Jesse Clark took first in the Mens Open 1x, and Stephanie Ashton and Robin Quinn took second in their singles races, the Masters B-C and C-E 1x respectively.

Catch the Cooper

Held the same day as Charm City Sprints, Catch the Cooper is rowed in Camden, NJ, the site of last year’s Masters Nationals. Carol Dinion was the sole OBC sculler to make the trip. She finished second in the C-D 1x and, with Paula Meyer from GMS, won the D 2x.

Independence Day Regatta

In its 131st year, the three-day Independence Day Regatta offers great competition (and spectating) on the Schuylkill River. Bob Spousta won his race in the E-F 1x. With Mike O’Leary in a composite double, he finished second in the E-G 2x. Carol Dinion finished second in the C-D 1x as well as in the D-F 2x with Paula Meyer.

Capital Sprints

This was Capital’s first year to hold the sprints at the new Anacostia Community Boathouse. OBC sent a larger contingent of racers to Capital Sprints than to any other away regatta. People enjoyed the friendly, upbeat atmosphere and the post-race potluck supper.

In the single, Carol Dinion took second in the B-C race, and Robin Quinn finished third in the D-E group.

In the Masters AA-A 2x, Jon Barrett and Brian Bosch won their race, with Ryan Ward and Nate McClafferty finishing third. Rowing in the mixed double, Jesse Clark and Lauren Griffin took second place.

Joining forces in the Masters 4+, Ward, Barrett, McClafferty and Bosch won their race as well as the event overall. They also entered the Open 4+, coming in second.

Occoquan Masters Sprints

Seventeen OBC scullers competed in our home regatta. Results suggest that the home course advantage isn’t a myth: winning their races in the single were Stephanie Ashton, Robin Quinn, Jon Barrett, Bob Spousta, and Donna Ferguson (rowing as PWRC). In the double, OBC competitors Robin Quinn/Carol Dinion, Jon Barrett/Brian Bosch, and Dave Applin/Rebecca Applin won their events. In the mixed quad, the composite OBC/GMS crew won, with OBC and PBC tying for second.

Diamond States Masters Regatta

The 2011 Diamond States Masters regatta featured good competition, staggeringly hot temperatures, and a new 2-day format, which had all singles and doubles races held on Saturday. Going to Middletown this year were Stephanie Ashton, Carol Dinion, Donna Ferguson, Jim Howe, Robin Quinn, Tom Riddle, Bob Spousta, and Pat Williams. Stephanie, Donna and Pat rowed as PWRC to be able to enter sweep races as well.

Bob Spousta easily won his singles race and event trophy in the E-F 1x, crossing the line 12 seconds faster than his closest competitor. In other singles races, OBC scullers earned a heap of second place finishes: Tom Riddle in the C-D 1x, Stephanie Ashton in the AA-B 1x, and Carol Dinion, Robin Quinn, and Donna Ferguson in the C-D 1x (each in a different heat). Pat Williams finished third in a very fast heat in the E-F 1x. And if you’re Tom’s Facebook friend, you can see a video of his exciting finish.

In the doubles, Carol Dinion and Robin Quinn finished second in their heat and in the event overall (C-D 2x). In the mixed D-J 2x, Bob Spousta and Carol Dinion finished similarly, second in both their heat and event.

Quaker City Masters Regatta

The final sprint race in the season for OBC scullers was Quaker City Masters Regatta, held on the Schuylkill River. People return to this regatta year after year for its excellent competition, good course, and friendly atmosphere. Stephanie Ashton took second in the B 1x, and Robin Quinn finished third in the D-E 1x. In a composite entry with Vince Reynolds of Berry Hill Rowing Club, Robin took second place in the mixed D-H 2x.

*****

Congratulations to all OBC scullers who competed this summer: Dave Applin, Rebecca Applin, Stephanie Ashton, Jon Barrett, Brian Bosch, Mark Brown, Jesse Clark, Cyndy Dailey, Carol Dinion, Donna Ferguson, Lauren Griffin, Jim Howe, Gabriella Koloszyc, Nate McClafferty, Robin Quinn, Tom Riddle, Bob Spousta, Dane Underwood, Ryan Ward, and Pat Williams.

We are looking forward to posting photos of OBC events and activities. Jim Howe will be curating the photo galleries. If you have taken photos you would like to see included in a photo gallery, contact him at gro.cbowornull@retsambew for some basic guidelines on file size and dimensions.

The “Current News” articles will replace the newsletter, last published in early 2010. If you have an idea for an article you’d like to read (or write!), send a message to gro.cbowornull@retsambew.

Board meeting minutes are now posted to the Club Business page rather than sent out by email. On that page you’ll also find the handbook, the bylaws, the code of conduct, safety information, former newsletters, and a few other documents.

The developer we worked with advised against including a discussion board, suggesting that we instead establish a Facebook group to allow members to coordinate outings and share news. The OBC Facebook group now has over 100 current and former OBC members. If you haven’t yet joined it, do a search for “Occoquan Boat Club” on Facebook. Select the OBC “group” rather than the “page.” Our FB “page” is for the public; the “group,” however, is restricted to OBC members past and present, so you’ll need to click the “Request to Join” button. We’ll do a quick check to make sure you’re on the membership list, then add you to the group.

The web site is flexible (although not infinitely so), so if you have ideas for other kinds of content, let us know!

The regatta, with its fully buoyed course, drew 112 entries from 18 clubs. The most entries were in the Men’s 1x (26), followed by Women’s 1x (16) and the Women’s 4+ (12). Races ran on time throughout the day, with the final event concluding by 12:30.

Winning their events in the 1x were OBC scullers Stephanie Ashton, Robin Quinn, Jon Barrett, Bob Spousta, and Donna Ferguson (rowing as PWRC). In the 2x, OBC competitors Robin Quinn/Carol Dinion, Jon Barrett/Brian Bosch, and Dave Applin/Rebecca Applin won their events. In the mixed quad, the composite OBC/GMS crew won, with OBC and PBC tying for second. Quinn attributed OBC’s strong showing to the well-attended Wednesday and Sunday sprint race practices organized by Bob Spousta and Carol Dinion.

In addition to their medals, first-place winners received cookies made by Nicole Dinion using Julia Shew’s famous recipe. At the end of the races, regatta organizers scooped out chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, black cherry, and chocolate-peanut butter ice cream for all participants.

Unlike many regattas, OMS supports high school rowing rather than the club’s own operations: all proceeds go to the Julia Shew Memorial Rowing Scholarship fund.

Although organizers had hoped attendance would be higher, they were pleased at the level of competition and the closeness of many of the races. For OMS 2012, the organizing committee plans to add some open events to boost attendance and increase interest in the regatta.

More than 70 people helped out in some capacity to make the event run smoothly. Regatta Director Bob Spousta said the level of cooperation and helpful spirit from volunteers, officials, and competitors contributed to the regatta’s friendly atmosphere. Regatta officials complimented the volunteers and organizers on their work and were effusive about the quality of their lunches, prepared by regatta coordinator Nalini Rhea. The broad level of volunteer support means that OMS organizers can also compete in the event, unlike many regattas that keep organizers out of the racing.

OBC extends a hearty thanks to the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association for allowing the course to remain up through mid July, Tim Russell and the “River Rats” for setting up the starting platforms and supervising course take-down, Nalini Rhea for acting as OMS Coordinator, Sandy Spooner for coordinating regatta volunteers, Alex Torres and Prince William Rowing Club for supplying launches, Sandy Run Scullers for providing the concessions, and the many volunteers who contributed their time and skills before, during, and after the event.

Some photos from the regatta have been posted here.

Regatta results are posted on Ronin Racing.