Prairie Beach Sprints in Gimli Manitoba - Coastal Rowing

The Manitoba Rowing Association (MRA) is hosting the Prairie Beach Sprints Regatta this Saturday June 22, 2024 from 10 am – 1 pm on the North Beach of Gimli, Manitoba.
 

Beach Sprint rowing are coastal rowing races. Coastal rowing is a form of rowing that takes place on rough water – on the sea and lakes and rivers where the water is not flat. It is very exciting – for both rowers as well as spectators. This discipline of rowing has one of the fastest growing communities of rowers and is popular in many countries, particularly in Europe. Coastal rowing has gained even more popularity in Canada with the inclusion of the rowing discipline at the 2026 Victoria Commonwealth Games and at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
 

Beach Sprint racing is contested in a run, row, run combination over a 250-meter, out-and-back buoyed course and uses a time trial and knock-out progression system. The format debuted in 2015 at the Mediterranean Beach Games, and the first global event was the 2019 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Shenzhen, China. The 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal will have the beach sprint format.
 

The Prairie Beach Sprint Regatta in Gimli will be a terrific opportunity for the community to be exposed to this thrilling new sport.
 

Here is a short video from the 2021 World Rowing Beach Sprints Championships that shows “How to Beach Sprint”

Allison Gervais, Executive Director or MRA shares, “We are so excited for this event! Not only to showcase how fast-paced and fun the sport is, but also to host it in Gimli. With all of Manitoba’s beaches, coastal rowing can happen nearly anywhere across the province.”

Janine Stephens (Hanson), the Head Coach of Manitoba Rowing and two-time Olympian and silver medallist, is new to coastal rowing herself. “This is all new to me too. Although it is all rowing, the [coastal] boats and body of water are very different than traditional rowing. It is action-packed and great to watch. It is terrific that we [in Manitoba] are getting on board this discipline at the beginning and growing phase.”

The Prairie Beach Sprints Regatta is free to attend. Watching this event will be a great addition to beach-goers’ day or weekend trip to Gimli.

The Manitoba Rowing Association is proud to be supported by the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, Sport Manitoba, and Sport Manitoba Coaching.

For more information about the Prairie Beach Sprints Regatta, please contact Janine Stephens at rowingcoach@sportmanitoba.ca or via phone at 204.451.1023.