A different race: Regatta committee holds run in lieu of cancelled rowing event
For the first time in 80 years. there will be no crowds, vendors or races at Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John's on the first Wednesday of August, as the annual Royal St. John's Regatta is cancelled amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
But organizers haven't called it quits entirely. This year, things are moving to dry land to keep the spirit of healthy living alive.
The Beyond the Pond Royal Regatta Run started on Friday and ends on Wednesday, challenging registered athletes to run, walk or bike a one, five or 10 kilometre route.
"It's a solo event to keep people in their bubbles," Noelle Thomas-Kennell, the Royal St. John's Regatta Committee's vice-president and captain of the course told CBC Radio's Newfoundland Morning.
"We really just wanted to keep people engaged in our community, in the rowing community, give them something active to do and a bit of a fundraiser as well to keep us afloat."
Financial hit
The Royal St. John's Regatta Committee is a non-profit organization, and like many others, it hasn't been immune to the financial strain caused by the global pandemic, said the organization's president, Brad Power.
Because of the event's long-standing tradition, the strength of the organization itself and the continued support of their sponsors, some staff were able to be kept on board this summer at a reduced capacity, Power said.
"Unfortunately, we didn't entirely [bring] back our outside staff. Typically at this stage we'd have between eight and 10 people working at Quidi Vidi Lake for the duration of the summer," he said.
"Right now we have one, and one other individual that just works a couple hours a week. We've taken a major hit like everyone else in the sector."
And while the annual holiday was moved to Monday by the city of St. John's this year, Power said he still plans to be pond-side on Wednesday to take part in the run.
All told, there are 541 entrants into this year's Beyond the Pond Royal Regatta Run.
On deck
Meanwhile, Power said the boathouse at Quidi Vidi Lake may reopen later in August under the same provincial public health regulations as gyms and fitness centres.
The plan is to offer a training program to rowers who are missing out on their laps on the lake this season.
"We'll be able to have some type of land-based training program later this summer, but unfortunately, we won't get in the boats because of the inability for us to socially distance seven people in a small rowing shell."
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