Lowell, MA -- The Merrimack River Rowing Association (MRRA) in cooperation with UMass/Lowell and Lowell High School is hosting the 29th annual Textile River Regatta on Sunday, October 5, 2008 on the Merrimack River in Lowell, MA. The recently renovated Bellegarde Boathouse, located in the Lowell Heritage State Park at the beginning of the Vandenburg Esplanade, will be the center of activity, with races beginning at 8:30 am and continuing until 4pm.
A record number of crews and scullers will be racing this year, with over 480 boats from 78 different clubs in 51 cities. Teams from Pennsylvania to Maine will race on the scenic 3.6 mile course. The forecast is for over 2,500 competitors and well over 5,000 visitors. In terms of sheer size and number of competitors, the Textile River Regatta is the second largest head regatta in Massachusetts. The Textile River Regatta is organized by volunteer masters rowers from the Merrimack River Rowing Association, the community rowing program based at the Bellegarde Boathouse. The University of Massachusetts at Lowell and the Lowell High School Crew also provide assistance in race operations.
A full range of sculling and sweeps events are included, with competition from many local and regional clubs and colleges. The event occurs a few weeks prior to the Head of the Charles and hence provides athletes with ideal competitive training on a convenient course.
In addition to a record number of entries, this year s race is noteworthy due to the ongoing renovation of the Bellegarde Boathouse. In 2006, state legislators threw a lifeline to the aging boathouse, rescuing it from closure due to disrepair. The boathouse was transferred to the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and provided with $1 million in capital funds to ensure its future use by the community and the local crew programs.
