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Cleveland Rowing Foundation Hosts Two-Day, Rowing Regatta Weekend

August 17, 2012

Inaugural USRowing Masters National Head Race Championship and 17th Annual Head of the Cuyahoga (HOTC) to take place September 15-16 on the Cuyahoga River

Cleveland, Ohio — The Cleveland Rowing Foundation, an organization that promotes and shares the athletic, health, educational and social benefits of rowing throughout Greater Cleveland, is hosting a two-day, rowing regatta weekend on September 15 and 16 along the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. The inaugural USRowing Masters National Head Race Championship will take place on September 16, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the 17th Annual Head of the Cuyahoga will take place on September 15, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The two-day regatta weekend is expected to attract more than 2,000 rowers and 500 boat entries from many states throughout the country in addition to crews from foreign countries. Currently home to the Head of the Cuyahoga, the 4,800-meter course involves strategy and five major river turns (including an S-bend). Crews can select to participate in either or both regattas as long as eligibility requirements are met.

In addition, two-time Olympians Susan Francia and Margot Shumway, who just returned home from the 2012 Olympic Games in London, will hand out medals and be available for interviews on Sunday, September 16 during the inaugural Master's National Head Race at the brunch tent on the site of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation. Francia, a Penn grad from Abington, Pa., won her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women's eight, while Shumway, a Westlake, Ohio-native and Ohio State grad, finished sixth overall in the women's double sculls.

"We are excited to extend the masters rowing season this year past the annual USRowing Masters National Championships,” said Glenn Merry, Chief Executive Officer of USRowing. “If you have never experienced the Cuyahoga River, it provides a challenging course filled with turns, beneath a limestone backdrop with the cityscape footsteps away. There is an excellent spectator area along the Flats, and Cleveland offers a great entertainment district, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We hope this event geared towards our masters community will become a new tradition."

The USRowing Masters National Head Race will feature racing in both sweep and sculling events in all of the master’s age categories. The regatta will take place in Cleveland, Ohio every four years. Information about the regatta including registration and hotel information can be found at http://www.usrowing.org/Events/MastersHeadRace.aspx.

“This is an amazing opportunity for the City of Cleveland to host the inaugural national event for a sport that did not exist on the Cuyahoga River thirty years ago,” said Theresa Gang, Executive Director of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation. The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission has estimated the economic impact to be $830,000 over the two-day weekend.

“The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is thrilled to partner with the Cleveland Rowing Foundation and USRowing to host the inaugural Masters National Head Race Championship along the Cuyahoga River. This event will bring tremendous excitement and economic activity to our community as over 2,000 rowers along with their friends and family will travel to Cleveland to participate,” said David Gilbert, President and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission.

Every year, the Cleveland Rowing Foundation hosts the Head of the Cuyahoga (HOTC), a rowing regatta open to high school, collegiate and adult rowers from around the country in both sweep and sculling events. This year marks the 17th year of the Head of the Cuyahoga. Registration details for the Head of the Cuyahoga, maps, parking and all other regatta information is available at http://www.clevelandrows.org/HOTC. The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) is a premier gold sponsor of the Head of the Cuyahoga and the Masters National Head Race Championship.

About the Cleveland Rowing Foundation

The Cleveland Rowing Foundation (CRF) owns and operates the boathouse and facilities for the benefit of its member organizations, programs, and the Cleveland community. The Cleveland Rowing Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes and shares the athletic, health, educational and social benefits of rowing throughout Greater Cleveland. The CRF works in concert with community partners to enhance the recreational quality of the Cuyahoga River.   CRF hosts over 950 high school, collegiate and adult athletes on the banks of the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland.   The Cleveland Rowing Foundation is celebrating its 23rd year. For more information, visit http://www.clevelandrows.org.

About USRowing

USRowing is a nonprofit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. USRowing’s official suppliers include Boathouse Sports, Vespoli, WinTech, Filippi, Croker Oars, Rudy Project, Concept2, Nielsen Kellerman, PowerHTV and Ludus Tours. USRowing also receives generous support from the National Rowing Foundation and its corporate sponsors and partners ANXeBusiness Corp, Voxer, EZ Dock, EMCVenues and The Perfect SNAQUE. For more information, visit www.usrowing.org. USRowing has created The Row to London to engage sponsors surrounding the 2012 Olympic Games, with proceeds going to help ensure the U.S. team’s success. Opportunities also exist to partner with America Rows – supporting diversity initiatives and adaptive programs. For more information, please contact Beth Kohl at beth@usrowing.org.

About the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission

The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission prides itself on being one of the most distinguished Sports Commissions in the country, effectively leveraging sports events and activities to further economic development in Northeast Ohio. The philosophy of the Sports Commission sets it apart from others by operating as an economic and community development organization utilizing sports as a vehicle to forward other community agendas. The organization takes the unique approach of becoming a management and financial partner in each event with the goal of producing events that are more successful in Cleveland than other cities in which they have been held. Since 2000, the Sports Commission has been responsible for attracting, creating and/or managing over 125 sporting events resulting in more than $385 million in economic activity. For more information, please visit www.clevelandsports.org.

Allison Frederick

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