As you may know, the Olympics are adding Beach Sprints, and the sport is already a World Rowing Championship event. See the excitement of the FISA world finals 2019 here. September 2021 at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Portugal will be the first time that U19 will be included. We are starting the preparations. I am writing to you to help spread the word about this new facet of our sport and to encourage your top rowers to apply to be part of a pioneering team.

We are looking for agile athletes (US citizens, born 2005-2003) who want to push themselves, and ideally who know how to scull. This first ID camp will comprise six male and six female athletes who meet the qualifications. The camp will focus on Beach Sprint skills. Athletes will learn and practice the subtleties and thrills of rowing a coastal boat and the strategies for beach sprints racing, including beach starts, buoy turns, ‘surfing’ the waves and a race landing on the beach.  Camp coaches have coastal racing and officiating experience, and extensive histories of developing athletes for national and international competition.

The camp is October 24-25, 2020 and sponsored by USRowing and hosted by Bair Island Aquatic Center (BIAC). BIAC has participated in the two most recent World Rowing Coastal Championships. Additionally, we hosted the largest coastal regatta in the US last October in the San Francisco Bay.  BIAC has a fleet of coastal boats, including two brand new elite coastal singles that everyone at camp will try.

We care about athlete safety on and off the water, including a detailed COVID avoidance plan.

Coastal rowing and this camp supports the goals you have with your club/school. If you have questions about U19 Beach Sprints or would like to observe the camp, please let me know. Here is a flyer to share with athletes and families that would like to apply. The flyer includes more details about the camp and our coaches.

Thank you for your support, here is a great introductory video to Beach Sprints.

Alice Henderson 

Director of Rowing

Bair Island Aquatic Center

c) 480.650.3067