Chattanooga Junior Rowing will be hosting the second leg of the four part Tennessee Sprint Series on Saturday. Several hundred rowers from the region will be converging on the Chattanooga Rowing Center on the Chattanooga River Walk. Races will start under the Veteran’s Bridge and end just past the Rowing Center near the Boathouse Restaurant.
The Tennessee Sprint Series will bring something new for Chattanooga rowing fans. Many have come down to watch the Head of the Hooch or Chattanooga Head Races which are typical of fall races. These races will look different. Instead of the 5,000 meter time trial type races that take place in the fall where boats race against the clock, the spring races feature shorter 1,500 meter races where boats compete head to head to determine the winner.
This inaugural season of the series started last week in Clinton, Tenn. in an event hosted by East Tennessee Rowing Club. After the Chattanooga event this weekend teams will compete in Nashville and finish the series in Oak Ridge. This weekend’s teams will be representing East Tennessee Rowing Organization, Nashville Rowing, Atomic Rowing (Oak Ridge), Rocket City (Huntsville), Baylor School and Chattanooga Junior Rowing.
To watch the races, they will be taking place from 11 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. There are numerous good spots along the River Walk, adjacent to Amnicola Drive, to watch the action.
Chattanooga Junior Rowing is an all-inclusive organization which provides a year-round program in competitive rowing. Sponsored by Chattanooga Rowing, a public charity, it is open to anyone between the ages of 14-18, regardless of school affiliation. The organization "strives to develop each rower to his or her maximum potential, not only as a rower but also as a thriving adult."