ORLANDO ROWING CLUB

Welcome to the Orlando Rowing Club

Orlando Rowing Club is a non-profit organization promoting the sport of rowing to the Central Florida community. We offer competitive and recreational rowing at all levels, corporate events and learn-to-row programs.

Whether you're a competitive cycler, triathlete or runner looking to add to your medal count, a recreational rower looking for a steady cardio workout or just someone who yearns to experience a beautiful "Zen row" as the sun rises, ORC has an open seat for you.

Latest News

 Orlando Rowing Club To Offer Demonstration Clinics for Visually Impaired

June 23, 2009 - Members of the Orlando Rowing Club (ORC) will be offering two indoor rowing demonstration and learning clinics for visually impaired youths and adults during the 48th Annual Convention of the American Council of the Blind in Orlando, Florida, July 3-11, 2009. The clinics will be held on Wednesday, July 8, and Thursday, July 9, 5:00pm to 6:30pm both dates at the convention.

The clinics will include orientation of the indoor rowing ergometer (erg), explanation of the rowing movement and strokes, allowing individuals to row for a time on the erg. Volunteers will guide and assist each person in the "workout". Each participant will have the opportunity to "row" as far as they can in 2 minutes with encouragement provided by family, volunteers and spectators. Prizes will be awarded to participants.

Rowing was one of the newest sport competitions added to the 2008 Paralympic Games held in Beijing, China and one that is easily adapted for the visually impared. ORC is working to establish adaptive rowing classes in the Orlando area later this year.

ORC's participation in this year's convention was made possible through the efforts of Aerial Gilbert, Outreach Manager, Guide Dogs for the Blind. For more information go to www.guidedogs.com.

 Orlando Rowing Club Helps Support Local Cancer Treatment and Research

June 16, 2009 - The 2nd Annual Florida Masters Regatta had an impressive first year raising $1,900 to benefit local cancer treatment and research at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando through ORC's partnership with Women Playing For T.I.M.E.(WPFT).

The Regatta made for a great day of masters and open racing and included a Corporate Challenge 500-meter dash with teams from Orlando Health and Women Playing For T.I.M.E. amongst others. Some of the participants were breast cancer survivors, and for many, it was a chance to contribute directly and locally to a cause that has touched so many.

Click here to learn more at the WPFT website.

 Sunshine State Games...WOW!

June 13, 2009 - Orlando Rowing Club enjoyed a spectacular day of racing at the Sunshine State Games held at Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland on June 13th.

ORC took home 94 medals at the end of the day. Without question, our men and women athletes brought their "A" game. Competition was strong from the first race of the day right through to the last.

Men and women single scullers took home five medals, with J Thomas and coach Laura Riekki both taking gold.

The ORC 4's & 8's dominated the competition. ORC won gold in the Men's Open, Men's Masters, Women's Masters and Mixed Masters 4's. And in the 8's, ORC won gold in the Men's Open, Men's Masters, Mixed Masters, and swept the Women's Masters event. Now that's crew teamwork!

In a word...AWESOME!!! Come join us, become part of the good things happening at Orlando Rowing Club! Just make sure to bring your "A" game.

On-the-water safety reminders

It's staying darker later into the morning, so everyone should have his or her own bike or LED light or two, particularly if you're a sculler. Some of the high school teams are rumored to start morning practice after the county schedule changed. Also, in order to ensure safety, we're all going to have to remain strict about traffic patterns on the lake. If there's only one good shoreline of water, and you need to go back and forth on it, always stay in a clockwise pattern and loop around on the inside of the lake, at least 200 feet of the shoreline, and look behind you frequently (scullers).

Lights recommendations: These clip-on INOVA LED lights can be found at Target in the flashlights area (but not online for some reason), are surprisingly bright and come with 2 watch batteries. They have both a blink and a steady mode. These bike lights can be permanently clipped to your sculling single. And these, also at Target, have flash and steady modes, can clip to a rigger and come with wristbands if you choose to wear them. Do you use another brand you'd like to recommend? Let us know and we'll post it here.

Official ORC Temperature

 COME ROW WITH US! Orlando Rowing Club's next Learn to Sweep Row class and Novice Sculling class are forming now and start in July. For more information and to register see Learn to Row.

ORC will be running two erg demonstration and learning clinics for visually impaired youths and adults during the upcoming American Council of the Blind national convention in Orlando on July 8th and 9th. For more info, see Volunteer & Donate.