Racing Programs

Competitive Program Info

Managed by the Racing Committee, chaired by Penelope Wrenn, Potomac Boat Club’s competitive sweep and sculling programs focus on developing athletes to 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. Team contact information is below.  If you’re unsure who to contact or where you might fit best, please send a note to Penelope at racing@potomacstar.com.

We look forward to seeing you at PBC!

Open Sculling Program

Potomac Boat Club has an over 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, six Potomac Boat Club athletes and coaches represented the United States in rowing at the Olympics in Beijing.  At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Margot Shumway and Sarah Trowbridge, along with Coach Matt Madigan, will represent the United States in the women’s double event.

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.

Coaches for this program, and its seasonal U23 and Juniors programs, are Reilly Dampeer, Jim O’Connor 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-plus history in men’s sweep competition. The current program trains experienced male sweep rowers over the age 21 to perform at the highest levels in open, club, and masters events.  Occasionally, the team also competes in sculling 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 2011, the team also earned the Men’s Overall Point Trophy at the U.S. Masters Championship Regatta.

In 2010, the PBC Men’s Club Eight made it to the semi-finals of the Thames Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta.  In 2012, the team made it to the quarter finals.

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

Masters Rowing Program

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 sweep. 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.  In 2011, the MRP won first place in the Over 40 Women’s 4+ event at the Head of the Charles Regatta.

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 starts in mid-November.

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