Racing Programs

Racing Program Information

Managed by the Racing Committee and its Chair Jake Higley, Potomac Boat Club has a variety of nationally and internationally recognized competitive rowing programs that focus on athletes who sweep or scull, and compete in open, club or masters race categories. The teams share PBC’s fleet of high performance sweep and sculling racing shells.

The three largest programs - the Open Sculling Program, the Men’s Sweep Team, and the Masters Rowing Program - are described in more detail below. In addition, rowing clinics and workshops are offered at various times throughout the year to all members.

PBC encourages any experienced rower who is interested in joining one of these programs to contact the program directly for more information.

We look forward to seeing you at the Club!

Open Sculling Program

Potomac Boat Club has a 140 year old tradition of producing some of the best scullers in the world. Today’s Open Sculling Program continues to develop male and female athletes into elite rowers who rise to the top in National and International level competition. Potomac Boat Club was proud to have six of its own athletes and coaches represent the United States in rowing at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

The Open Sculling Program is run year-around, but there are immediate openings for qualified athletes, in open and lightweight categories, who are committed to achieving elite rowing goals.

The coaches for this program are Ken Dreyfuss, Cameron Kiosoglous and Matt Madigan. The program also offers financial support and a job network to participants.

For more information, please write to openscull@potomacboatclub.org.

Men’s Sweep Team

Similar to its ongoing success in sculling, Potomac Boat Club also has a decorated 140-year history in men’s sweep competition. The current program trains experienced male sweep rowers over the age 24 to perform at the highest levels in open, club, and masters events.

Practice is scheduled on weekday mornings throughout the spring, summer, and fall. During the winter, land training includes ergs, circuits, stairs, and weights.

The team participates in several major regattas during the summer and fall. Races include USRowing Nationals, Masters Nationals, Masters Worlds, and Canadian Henley, as well as the Head of the Charles Regatta and the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta.

Recent results include the following:

• 2008 Independence Day Regatta - Gold B8+, C4+; 2nd B4+
• 2008 USRowing Club Nationals - 2nd Senior 4+
• 2008 USRowing Masters National Championships - Gold B4+, Club B4+, C4+; 2nd A8+; 3rd B8+, C8+ [10 rowers, 1 cox, 9 events, 9 finals, 7 medals]
• 2007 Royal Henley Regatta - Only U.S. quarterfinalist, Thames Cup (Club 8+)
• 2007 Masters Nationals, Oak Ridge, TN -
  Gold AA4+, A4+, B4+, Club B4+, B4-, C4+, B8+, Club B8+, C8+
• 2007 Head of the Charles - 5th Masters 8
• 2006 USRowing Nationals, Indianapolis, IN - Bronze Open 8+
• 2006 Canadian Henley - Gold A4+
• 2006 FISA Masters Worlds, Princeton, NJ - Gold A4+, B4+, B4-, C4+
• 2006 Head of the Charles - 5th Masters 8+
• 2005 Head of the Charles - 2nd Club 8

Experienced male rowers, and male or female coxswains interested in joining this team, please write to mensweep@potomacboatclub.org.

Masters Rowing Program

Coached by Hank McEntee and Sally O’Connor, the mission of the Masters Rowing Program (MRP) is to provide an environment that promotes competitive rowing in masters race categories through the following methods:

• Enhanced training and technique
• Allowing competitive opportunities to all participants
• By racing the most competitive lineups in major regattas

Rowers have the option to focus on sculling or sweeps. Individualized attention provided by the coaching staff allows a member of the MRP to push towards attaining their own personal best. The MRP competes in regional, national, and international
masters regattas, and most recently, won gold in the F4x
at the 2006 FISA Masters World Championships.

The program welcomes rowers with competitive rowing experience, good fitness and strength, and a deep commitment to practice and race. The coaches assess an applicant’s skill and fitness levels, and compatibility with the mission and goals of the program. Practices are five mornings a week, Monday – Friday, from 5:15 am to 7:00 am. Winter training commences in Mid-November.

If you are interested in rowing with this program or wish to learn more about it, please contact Hank or Sally at masters@potomacboatclub.org.