Racing Programs

Competitive Program Info

Managed by the Racing Committee (chaired by Jake Higley), Potomac Boat Club’s competitive sweep and sculling programs focus on developing athletes who compete in elite, open, juniors, club or masters racing categories at local, national, and international regattas.

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 teams to contact it directly for more information. Contact information is below. Not sure which team to contact?  Send a note to editor@potomacstar.com, and we’ll try to steer you to the right group.

We look forward to seeing you at PBC!

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.

In 2008, we were proud to have six of our own athletes and coaches represent the United States in rowing at the 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, Reilly Dampeer, Deborah Dryer and Matt Madigan. The program offers limited financial support and a job network to qualified 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 competes at major regattas throughout the summer and fall, including USRowing Club Nationals, Masters Nationals, Masters Worlds, Canadian Henley, the Head of the Charles Regatta, and the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, as well as many others.

In 2010, the PBC Men’s Club Eight made it to the semi-finals of the Thames Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal 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 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 fitness 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.

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 four mornings a week from 5:00 am to 7:00 am, and two evenings a week, from  6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, during the spring, summer and fall racing seasons. (For the year’s specific training days and times, please contact the team at the email address below.)  Winter training commences in mid-November.

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