Marathon Rowing Championship
Encyclopedia
The Marathon Rowing Championship is a continuous 42.195 kilometres (26.2 mi) rowing
regatta
on the Cane River Lake
in Natchitoches
, Louisiana
. Northwestern State University
is the official host of the regatta. The Marathon begins near the Melrose Plantation
and ends at Front Street in Natchitoches. The regatta is open to all sculling
and sweep-oar
rowing boats. On the day of the Marathon, the Cane River is open only to competitors.
The regatta is much longer than most head races, but shorter than the 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) Boston Rowing Marathon
. Normally, the races with the longest distance that competitive crews enter are called head races (for example the Head of the Charles) and are usually around 3 miles (4.8 km) long. The majority of crews do not even practice on bodies of water that allow them to row 42.195 kilometres (26.2 mi) without stopping and turning around (usually due to lake size or the presence of a river dam
) or lock.
The record time for this event is 2 hours, 31 minutes, 20 seconds set in 2008. A more typical time it takes to complete the course is 3 to 4 hours.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
on the Cane River Lake
Cane River Lake
Cane River Lake is a 35 mi oxbow lake formed from a portion of the Red River in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. It runs throughout the Natchitoches' historic district to the south and is famous for the numerous plantations, particularly Melrose being located on or near its...
in Natchitoches
Natchitoches
Natchitoches may refer to:*Natchitoches , an American Indian people*Natchitoches, Louisiana, a city*Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
is the official host of the regatta. The Marathon begins near the Melrose Plantation
Melrose Plantation
Melrose Plantation, also known as Yucca Plantation, is a National Historic Landmark in Natchitoches Parish in north central Louisiana. This is one of the largest plantations in the United States built by and for free blacks...
and ends at Front Street in Natchitoches. The regatta is open to all sculling
Sculling
Sculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
and sweep-oar
Sweep (rowing)
Sweep or sweep-oar rowing is a type of rowing when a rower has one oar, usually held with both hands. As each rower has only one oar, the rowers have to be paired so that there is an oar on each side of the boat. This is in contrast to sculling when a rower has two oars, one in each hand. In the...
rowing boats. On the day of the Marathon, the Cane River is open only to competitors.
The regatta is much longer than most head races, but shorter than the 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) Boston Rowing Marathon
Boston Rowing Marathon
The Boston Rowing Marathon is a Head race taking place on the third Sunday of September annually in Lincolnshire, England, over the exceptionally long distance of 31 miles...
. Normally, the races with the longest distance that competitive crews enter are called head races (for example the Head of the Charles) and are usually around 3 miles (4.8 km) long. The majority of crews do not even practice on bodies of water that allow them to row 42.195 kilometres (26.2 mi) without stopping and turning around (usually due to lake size or the presence of a river dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
) or lock.
The record time for this event is 2 hours, 31 minutes, 20 seconds set in 2008. A more typical time it takes to complete the course is 3 to 4 hours.
External links
- 18 years, 26.2 miles & 108 boats The Current Sauce -- Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
- Regatta info on Northwestern State University website
- 1993 results
- 1998 results
- 1999 results
- 2000 results
- 2001 results
- 2001 results
- 2003 results
- 2004 results
- 2005 results
- 2006 results
- 2007 results
- 2008 results