Fans of rowing sports have no doubt heard of the Royal Henley Regatta. This world famous event has been held each year since 1839 on the River Thames in England. The competition began because of public interest in rowing sports, and has grown each year ever since in that country.
What you might not be aware of is that there is another Henley Regatta also held annually, but this event takes place on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1880, rowing enthusiasts familiar with the Royal Henley competition in England decided that such an event could prove equally popular in North America, and the new idea quickly took hold. Taking the title The Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, the venue selected for the North American event was the town of St. Catharines, Ontario. In 1903, the event location was switched permanently to Martindale Pond, where the St. Catharines rowing club agreed to host the races permanently each year.
Originally, the North American version of the races were created to mirror the event on the Thames exactly; the race was one mile and 550 yards long, and the water level of the Don Mills pond could be controlled to create ideal conditions. The distance was changed to the international standard for rowing competition in 1964, to 2000 meters.
Changing the distance for the races was not the only milestone in the more than a century long Royal Canadian Henley Regatta history. In 1947, women raced in the events for the first time, and the site has twice had the honour of hosting the World Rowing Championships.
Today, the city of St. Catharines and the St. Catharines rowing club can boast of one of the most modern facilities for rowing athletes anywhere in the country. Completely renovated for the second World Championships in 1999, the facilities attract over 3,000 rowers and fans each year. The other Henley Regatta is certainly something that has put St. Catharines on the map!
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The city of Saint Catherines, located in the Niagara region of Ontario, offers a rich history and a wide variety of arts, shopping, parks and golf courses.
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