Boat racing is asport in whichboats, or other types ofwatercraft, race onwater. Boat racing powered byoars is recorded as having occurred inancient Egypt,[1] and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other water-borne craft for as long as such watercraft have existed.[2]
Aregatta is a series ofboat races.[3] The term comes from theVenetian language, withregata meaning "contest, contention for mastery"(fromregatare ("compete, haggle, sell at retail"), possibly fromrecatare) and typically describes racing events ofrowed orsailed water craft, although somepowerboat race series are also called regattas. A regatta often includes social and promotional activities which surround the racing event, and except in the case of boat type (or "class") championships, is usually named for the town or venue where the event takes place; for example “valley field”.[4]
Although regattas are typically amateur competitions, they are usually formally structured events, with comprehensive rules describing the schedule and procedures of the event. Regattas may be organized aschampionships for a particular area or boat type, but are often held just for the joy of competition,camaraderie, and generalpromotion of the sport.
Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, in the first week of August is one of the largest annual regattas in North America, attracting hundreds of clubs in 128 junior, senior, and master's events.
Dominion Day Regatta, held every year since 1884 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The oldest and largest combined paddling and rowing regatta for participants across North America.
Sailing race events are typically held for a singleone design class and usually last more than one day. Regattas may be hosted by ayacht club, sailing association, town or school as in the case of the UK's National School Sailing Association andInterscholastic Sailing Association (high school) regattas orIntercollegiate Sailing Association (college) regattas.
TheBarcolana regatta of the yacht club Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano is currently the Guinness world record holder as the "largest sailing race" with 2,689 boats and over 16,000 sailors at the starting line.[5] Currently, The Three Bridge Fiasco, conducted by the Singlehanded Sailing Society of San Francisco Bay with more than 350 competitors is the largest sailboat race in the United States.
The Athlone Yacht Club Regatta on Lough Ree, Ireland[9]
Appledore & Instow Regatta[10] – founded in 1885, tracing its origins back to 1831, is held annually on the River Torridge between the Villages of Appledore & Instow North Devon, UK.
Barcolana Autumn Cup Regatta, one of the largest single start sailing regattas in the world,[11] held annually on the second Sunday of October inTrieste, Italy
Charleston Race Week,Charleston, South Carolina, held each April for three days, with races staged both in Charleston Harbor and offshore.
Chester Race Week, Chester, Nova Scotia, Canada, 15 keelboat fleets race for 4 full days on 5 courses in mid-August on Mahone Bay
Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, held annually in July, starting in Chicago on Lake Michigan and ending at Mackinac Island on Lake Huron.
Columbus Day Regatta, Miami, Florida, annually in October.
Chichester-Cowes Challenge, held annually at the end of June on theSolent, and welcomes only classic wooden boats, mainly built in the 1920s–1930s.[12]
Hangon Regatta, an annual event in the city ofHanko,Finland, infamous for attracting large groups of partying youths with a tangential interest in the sailing itself
The NSSA National Youth Regatta is the largest dinghy sailing regatta and the largest youth sailing regatta in the UK. Due to its size the NYR visits a new location each year alternating between coastal and inland venues. Previous years venues include Bridlington (North Yorkshire), Datchet Sailing Club (West London) Plymouth (Devon), Redcar (North East England), Deal (Kent), Grafham Water (Cambridgeshire), Weymouth (Dorset) to name just a few.
The CoEP Regatta, Mula River,College of Engineering, Pune - Held annually in March (since 1928), one of the oldest and most celebrated regattas in India
