Weekend Wrap: Head Races Kick Off Fall Season; Masters Compete Overseas
The fall regatta season in Ontario began in earnest over the weekend with two head races, while masters rowers from around the world competed at the World Rowing Masters Regatta in Bled, Slovenia.
On the domestic front, the Muskoka Fall Classic took place on Saturday, Sept. 12 from Gull Lake Rotary Park in Gravenhurst, ON and the Head of the Madawaska ran on the Madawaska River in Burnstown, ON on Sunday, Sept. 13.
In Gravenhurst, 22 clubs participated in the Muskoka Fall Classic which was hosted by the Georgian Bay Rowing Club. The 3,000m head race had 271 total entries in a wide range of race categories from U15 to masters age categories in a full complement of boats from singles to eights. The Leander Boat Club and Argonaut Rowing Club tied for the most medals won at the regatta with 19. Leander claimed eight gold medals, to go along with six silvers and five bronze, while the Argos won seven golds, seven silvers and five bronze.
Next on the medal tally were the Don Rowing Club (9 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze), who earned the most gold medals at the regatta, and the Hanlan Boat Club (1 gold, 7 silver, 5 bronze) with 13 medals apiece, followed by the South Niagara Rowing Club with nine (3 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze). Other Ontario clubs earning top-3 finishes included the London Western Rowing Club (6 medals), LaSalle Rowing Club (5), Orillia Rowing Club (5), Ridley Graduate Boat Club (5), Peterborough Rowing Club (4), Notre Dame Rowing Club (3), Island Lake Rowing Club (3), St. Catharines Rowing Club (2), Hatchets Rowing (1), Cambridge Rowing Club (1), and Barrie Rowing Club (1).
Elsewhere in the province at the Head of the Madawaska, the smaller invite-only head race featured either 3km or 4.5km races. The annual regatta has been running for over 20 years and this year had 64 entries from five clubs. The clubs attending the 2026 edition of the regatta were the host Burnstown Rowing Club, Ottawa New Edinburgh Club, Ottawa Rowing Club, St. Lawrence Rowing Club and Aviron Lachine.
On the international calendar, the massive World Rowing Masters Regatta took place from Sept. 9-13 on Lake Bled in Slovenia. The venue has hosted several World Rowing regattas in the past and is well-known for its breathtaking scenery and long-standing rowing tradition. A number of Ontario masters rowers travelled overseas for the regatta, including rowers from the Don Rowing Club, Georgian Bay Rowing Club, Hanlan Boat Club, Leander Boat Club, London Western Rowing Club, Ottawa Rowing Club, Peterborough Rowing Club, Ridley Graduate Boat Club, and Sudbury Rowing Club.
A grand total of 889 clubs from 51 countries comprised the 7,015 entries participated in the five-day regatta. The top performing club of the regatta was the Upper Thames Rowing Club from Berkshire, UK, which earned a total of 857 points. The GBRC-North was the top performing Canadian club, coming in an impressive eighth overall with 377 points. Not far behind was the London Western Rowing Club, who placed 16th overall out of the 889 clubs with 195 points.
For full results from the Muskoka Fall Classic, visit RegattaCentral.
For more on the Head of the Madawaska, visit RegattaCentral.
For full results from the World Rowing Masters Regatta, visit World Rowing.
For the full regatta schedule in Ontario, visit the Row Ontario website.
Picture is property of London Western Rowing Club.
