Rochester Rowing Community Welcomes 2nd Annual USRowing Diversity Invitational

August 21, 2012

PRINCETON, N.J. - The 2nd Annual USRowing Diversity Invitational, hosted by Cross Currents Minority Rowing, will be held Saturday, August 25 on the historic Genesee River in Rochester, New York. Sponsored by MVP Health Care, the City of Rochester and Rochester Gas & Electric Corporation, the event features competition among USRowing's community outreach and America Rows Affiliate programs.

Racing begins at 10 a.m. and concludes mid-afternoon. The race site is located in Genesee Valley Park at the Genesee Waterways Center. The site affords excellent viewing from both sides of the banks, as well as from the footbridge, promising an exciting day of racing for all.

Launched in February 2010, America Rows, a nationwide diversity and inclusion initiative, is aimed at increasing awareness of rowing and introducing the sport to a diverse group of Americans. The initiative will provide support, both organizationally and financially, to existing and planned programs across the country.

“The USRowing Diversity Invitational was created to showcase the diverse richness of USRowing's athletes," said Richard Butler, USRowing’s Inclusion Manager. "These adult and youth athletes will represent the physical, racial, ethnic and economically underrepresented populations who embody a low percentage of USRowing memberships. All crews that row culturally diverse boats are welcome to participate. No crews will be turned away.”

Cross Currents Minority Rowing was successfully launched in Rochester to provide minority residents with the opportunity to participate in water-related activities, focused on rowing. Rochester has an active and growing rowing community and this first-of-its-kind program in upstate New York, and quite possibly New York State, provides minorities with the equipment, resources and training to fully participate in this non-traditional, under-represented sport.

With the 2012 Olympic Games showcasing rowing to the world, four ethnic and racial minorities qualified to row, the first time in the history of the sport. This ground breaking and historic accomplishment represents a significant breakthrough in the sport, and further advances the cause through the continuing the Invitational in the city that was home to internationally known civil rights activists, Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony.

More than a dozen rowing clubs from across the nation (Baltimore, Chicago, Delaware, Maine, Norwalk, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Buffalo), as well as several Rochester-area clubs are expected to participate.

For more information, visit http://www.usrowing.org/Events/DiversityInvitational.aspx.

Contacts
Cross Currents Minority Rowing: Lydia Boddie-Rice, Founder, 585-244-2263, lydbod@gmail.com
USRowing: Richard T. Butler, Inclusion Manager, 412-498-9017; 609-751-6284, richard@usrowing.org

About America Rows
Launched in February 2010, America Rows, a nationwide diversity and inclusion initiative, is aimed at increasing awareness of rowing and introducing the sport to a diverse group of Americans. The initiative will provide support, both organizationally and financially, to existing and planned programs across the country.

About Cross Currents Minority Rowing
Successfully launched in 2006 in Rochester, New York to provide minority residents with the opportunity to participate in water-related activities, focused on rowing. Rochester has an active and growing rowing community and this first-of-its-kind program in upstate New York, and quite possibly New York State, provides minorities with the equipment, resources and training to fully participate in this non-traditional, under-represented sport.

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 leading up to 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.

Allison Frederick

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