Boat racing is a

sport Sport pertains to any form of Competition, competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and Skill, skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to specta ...

in which

boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on inl ...

s, or other types of

watercraft Any vehicle used in or on water as well as underwater, including boats, ships, hovercraft and submarines, is a watercraft, also known as a water vessel or waterborne vessel. A watercraft usually has a propulsive capability (whether by sail, ...

, race on

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

. Boat racing powered by

oars An oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end. Rowers grasp the oar at the other end. The difference between oars and paddles is that oars are used exclusively for rowing. In rowing the oar is connecte ...

is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other water-borne

craft A craft or trade is a pastime or an occupation that requires particular skills and knowledge of skilled work. In a historical sense, particularly the Middle Ages and earlier, the term is usually applied to people occupied in small scale prod ...

for as long as such watercraft have existed. A regatta is a series of

races. The term comes from the Venetian language, with ''regata'' meaning "contest" and typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some

powerboat A motorboat, speedboat or powerboat is a boat that is exclusively powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gea ...

race series are also called regattas. A regatta often includes social and promotional activities which surround the racing event, and except in the case of boat type (or "class") championships, is usually named for the town or venue where the event takes place. Although regattas are typically amateur competitions, they are usually formally structured events, with comprehensive rules describing the schedule and procedures of the event. Regattas may be organized as championships for a particular area or type of boat, but are often held just for the joy of competition, camaraderie, and general promotion of the sport. One of the largest and most popular rowing regattas is the

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the thre ...

held on the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

, England. One of the largest and oldest yachting regattas in the world is

Cowes Week Cowes Week ( ) is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world. With 40 daily sailing races, up to 1,000 boats, and 8,000 competitors ranging from Olympic and world-class professionals to weekend sailors, it is the largest sailin ...

, which is held annually by the

Royal Yacht Squadron The Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) is a British yacht club. Its clubhouse is Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. Member yachts are given the suffix RYS to their names, and are permitted (with the appropriate warrant) to we ...

Cowes Cowes () is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...

, England, and usually attracts over 900 sailing boats. Cowes Week is predated by the Cumberland Cup (1775),

Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta The Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta is a regatta in the English county of Devon. The first recorded regatta was in 1822 and the regatta was formally established in 1834. It is based on the River Dart, in the town of Dartmouth, and the villag ...

(1822) and Port of Plymouth Regatta (1823).

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

's oldest regatta is the

Royal St. John's Regatta The Royal St. John's Regatta is North America's oldest annual sporting event with documented proof of 1816 boat races. There is credible contention that St. John's regattas were held even earlier than 1816, likely in the 18th century. The races o ...

held on

Quidi Vidi Lake Quidi Vidi Lake is a long body of water located at the east end of the city of St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. Local people commonly pronounce its name as ''kiddy viddy''. Water flows into the lake from the Rennies and Virginia Rivers, along wi ...

St. John's, Newfoundland St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans and is the easternmost city in North America ...

every year since 1818. The term "regatta" is from Venetian ''regata'' ("contention for mastery"), from ''regatare'' ("compete, haggle, sell at retail"), possibly from ''recatare''. There exist other traditional and centuries old boat races like

Vallam kali Vallam kali ('' vaḷḷaṃ kaḷi'', literally: boat game) also known as Snake Boat Race is a traditional boat race in Kerala, India. It is a form of canoe racing, and uses paddled war canoes. It is mainly conducted during the season of t ...

of Kerala, India and

Dragon Boat Race A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

from China.

Rowing

World Rowing Federation championship events

World Rowing Cup The World Rowing Cup is an international rowing competition organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation). It began in 1997 and comprises three regattas (apart from in 2001 when there were four) held throughout early summer. In each even ...

World Rowing Championships The World Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation). It is a week-long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer and in non-Olympic years is the highlight of the ...

World Rowing Junior Championships The World Rowing Junior Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation). A rower or coxswain shall be classified as a Junior until 31 December of the year in which he reaches the age of 1 ...

World Rowing Under 23 Championships World Rowing U23 Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ("FISA" , ) is a United States federal law that establishes procedures for the physical and electronic sur ...

European Rowing Championships The European Rowing Championships is an international Rowing regatta organised by FISA (the International Rowing Federation) for European rowing nations, plus Israel which, though not a member of the European federation is treated as a European ...

North America

United States

American Henley Regatta The American Henley Regatta was a popular and inclusive regatta for the sport of rowing in the United States. Unlike the national championship regattas of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen, which focussed primarily on boat clubs as partici ...

, first world championships in the United States *

Dad Vail Regatta The Dad Vail Regatta is the largest regular intercollegiate rowing event in the United States, drawing over a hundred colleges and universities from North America. The regatta has been held annually on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pennsyl ...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, championships for college clubs *The

Harvard–Yale Regatta The Harvard–Yale Regatta or Yale-Harvard Boat Race (often abbreviated The Race) is an annual rowing race between the men's heavyweight rowing crews of Harvard University and Yale University. First contested in 1852, it has been held annually s ...

– also known as 'The Race' *

Head of the Charles Regatta The Head of the Charles Regatta, also known as HOCR, is a rowing head race held on the penultimate complete weekend of October (i.e., on the Friday that falls between the 16th and the 22nd of the month, and on the Saturday and Sunday immedia ...

, on the

Charles River The Charles River ( Massachusett: ''Quinobequin)'' (sometimes called the River Charles or simply the Charles) is an river in eastern Massachusetts. It flows northeast from Hopkinton to Boston along a highly meandering route, that doubles b ...

between

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

and

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...

Head of the Hooch The Head of the Hooch Regatta, previously known as the Head of the Chattahoochee Regatta, is a 2-day rowing regatta held annually on the first full (Saturday and Sunday in the same month) weekend in November in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The head ra ...

, on the

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names, ...

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...

Intercollegiate Rowing Association The Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) governs intercollegiate rowing between varsity men's heavyweight, men's lightweight, and women's lightweight rowing programs across the United States, while the NCAA fulfills this role for women's ope ...

National Championships, college championships for men and lightweight women *

Marathon Rowing Championship The Marathon Rowing Championship is a continuous rowing regatta on the Cane River Lake in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Northwestern State University is the official host of the regatta. The Marathon begins near the Melrose Plantation and ends at Fron ...

a continuous rowing regatta on

Cane River Lake Cane River Lake (french: Lac de la rivière aux Cannes) is a 35 mi (56 km) oxbow lake formed from a portion of the Red River in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. It runs throughout the Natchitoches' historic district t ...

Natchitoches, Louisiana Natchitoches ( ; french: link=no, Les Natchitoches) is a small city and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named ...

New England Interscholastic Rowing Association The New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA) is an organization that holds an annual race for high school rowing on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, MA for school throughout New England. The first regatta was held in 1947, and only ...

Championships *

Poughkeepsie Regatta The Poughkeepsie Regatta was the annual championship regatta of the U.S. Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) when it was held in Poughkeepsie, New York from 1895 to 1949. History The IRA was established by Cornell, Columbia, and Pennsylva ...

was an historical regatta that hosted the

IRA Ira or IRA may refer to: *Ira (name), a Hebrew, Sanskrit, Russian or Finnish language personal name *Ira (surname), a rare Estonian and some other language family name *Iran, UNDP code IRA Law *Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, US, on status of ...

National Championship from 1895 until 1949. *

Scholastic Rowing Association of America The Scholastic Rowing Association of America was formed as the Schoolboy Rowing Association of America in 1935 to host an unofficial national championship regatta for high school rowing. The name was changed in 1976 after women were allowed to co ...

Championships *

USRowing National Championships The USRowing Summer National Championships is an annual national championship contest in the sport of rowing (sport), rowing hosted by the United States Rowing Association. The 2022 regatta was held in on Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey, Wes ...

*The Windermere Cup - between the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...

and one or several challengers of their choice

Canada

The Brentwood Regatta ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

is held in the spring and is one of the largest high school rowing regattas on the west coast of

. *

Royal Canadian Henley Regatta The Royal Canadian Henley Regatta started in 1880 as the first championship for the newly formed Canadian Amateur Rowing Association. History It changed venues often until 1903, when it was decided to hold it at St. Catharines Port Dalhousie's M ...

, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, in the first week of August is one of the largest annual regattas in North America, attracting hundreds of clubs in 128 junior, senior, and master's events. *

, held every year on

, North America's oldest annual sporting events.

Europe

United Kingdom

Regattas on the River Thames Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other water ...

lists all Thames rowing regattas and other rowing events *

The Boat Race The Boat Race is an annual set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club, traditionally rowed between open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England. There are separate men's ...

is a

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically atta ...

race between the

Oxford University Boat Club Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC) is the rowing club for male, heavyweight oarsman of the University of Oxford, England, located on the River Thames at Oxford. The club was founded in the early 19th century. The Boat Race The club races agai ...

and the

Cambridge University Boat Club The Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC) is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England. The club was founded in 1828 and has been located at the Goldie Boathouse on the River Cam, Cambridge since 1882. Nowadays, training primarily ...

. It is rowed annually each Spring on the Thames in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. *

, held every year on the

is one of several prestigious British events *

Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...

and

May Bumps The May Bumps (also May Races, Mays) are a set of rowing races, held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge, England. They began in 1887 after separating from the Lent Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held at the end of February or start of M ...

, the two main intercollegiate bumps races of the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, held on the Cam. *

The National Schools Regatta National Schools' Regatta is the largest rowing regatta for junior rowers in Great Britain. Held annually in May, the three day regatta offers events for junior rowers between the categories J14 and J18. History The regatta was first raced in 1 ...

is the largest regatta for junior rowers in Great Britain *The

Northumbrian Water University Boat Race The Boat Race of the North is an annual rowing event between the boat clubs of Durham and Newcastle universities in England. The event is usually staged on the River Tyne in Newcastle, although the 2018 race was held on the River Wear in Durham ...

– between the University of Durham and the University of Newcastle *

, held annually at the end of August on the

River Dart The River Dart is a river in Devon, England, that rises high on Dartmoor and flows for to the sea at Dartmouth. Name Most hydronyms in England derive from the Brythonic language (from which the river's subsequent names ultimately derive fr ...

. *

Summer Eights Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the ...

, along with

Torpids Torpids is one of two series of bumping races, a type of rowing race, held yearly at Oxford University; the other is Eights Week. Over 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in six men's divisions and five women's; almost 1,200 pa ...

, the two intercollegiate bumps races of

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, held on the Isis in Oxford. *

The Welsh Boat Race The Welsh Boat Race, also known as the Welsh University Boat Race and The Welsh Varsity Boat Race, is an annual rowing race in Wales between the Swansea University Rowing Club and the Cardiff University Rowing Club, rowed between competing e ...

is a

race between the

Swansea University Rowing Club The Swansea University Rowing Club (SURC) is the rowing club of Swansea University, Wales, and is situated on the west bank of the River Tawe in Swansea. It is unknown when the club was founded, but was re-founded in 2004. Rowing with SURC is o ...

and the Cardiff University Boat Club. It is rowed annually each Spring on the

Taff River The River Taff ( cy, Afon Taf) is a river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons; the Taf Fechan (''little Taff'') and the Taf Fawr (''great Taff'') before becoming one just north of Merthyr Tydfil. Its confluence with the ...

or the

River Tawe The River Tawe (; cy, Afon Tawe ) is a long river in South Wales. Its headwaters flow initially east from its source below Llyn y Fan Fawr south of Moel Feity in the Black Mountains, the westernmost range of the Brecon Beacons National Pa ...

South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...

. * The City of Exeter Rowing Regatta, the oldest rowing regatta in the South West, is held annually in

Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...

in July.

Continental Europe

* Regata delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare,

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

The Croco's Cup ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

, international rowing regatta at University level held every year in Paris since 1985, organised by students of

ENSTA The ENSTA Paris, officially École nationale supérieure de techniques avancées ( en, Superior National School of Advanced Techniques) is a prestigious French graduate school of engineering ("''école d'ingénieurs''"). Founded in 1741, it is th ...

(Paristech). *

Tour du Lac The Tour du Lac regatta (also known as the Tour du Léman or the Tour du Lac Léman à l’Aviron) is a rowing regatta on lake Geneva in Switzerland. Since 1972 the regatta has been organized at the end of September every year by the yacht club ...

, around the lake Geneva is the 160 km (99 mi) the longest non-stop rowing regatta in the world. *

Vienna Nightrow Vienna Nightrow is an annual international sprint rowing regatta in Vienna (Austria) of the Erster Wiener Ruderclubs LIA for coxed eights at night. Concept A team of former rowers, trainers, functionaries of rowing clubs, referees and functiona ...

is an international sprint rowing regatta for coxed eights in Austria at night. * Maltese National Regatta, held bi-annually on 31 March and 8 September in the

Grand Harbour The Grand Harbour ( mt, il-Port il-Kbir; it, Porto Grande), also known as the Port of Valletta, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been substantially modified over the years with extensive docks (Malta Dockyard), wharves, and ...

Valletta Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...

Dragon boat racing A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft originating from the Pearl River Delta region of China's southern Guangdong Province. These were made of teak, but in other parts of China, different kinds of wood are used. It is one of a family of t ...

– a type of human-powered watercraft racing, originating from oriental Asia *

Canoe racing A canoe is a lightweight narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British Englis ...

– competitive forms of

canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the term ...

ing and

kayak A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' (). The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...

ing **

Kayak racing Canoe sprint is a water sport in which athletes race canoes or kayaks on calm water. Overview Race categories vary by the number of athletes in the boat, the length of the course, and whether the boat is a canoe or kayak. Canoe sprints are so ...

Outrigger canoe racing Outrigger boats are various watercraft featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull. They can range from small dugout canoes to large plank-built vessels. Outrigger ...

Sailing

Sailing race events are typically held for a single one design class and usually last more than one day. Regattas may be hosted by a

yacht club A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to yachting. Description Yacht clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations. Yacht or sailing clubs have either a mari ...

, sailing association, town or school as in the case of the UK's National School Sailing Association and

Interscholastic Sailing Association The Interscholastic Sailing Association also known as ISSA is the organization that serves as the governing authority for all sailing competition between both public and private secondary schools throughout the United States. The organization's he ...

(high school) regattas or

Intercollegiate Sailing Association The Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) is a volunteer organization that serves as the governing authority for all sailing competition at colleges and universities throughout the United States and in some parts of Canada. History The fi ...

(college) regattas. The

Barcolana regatta The Barcolana (slo.: Barkovljanka) is a historic international sailing regatta organized by the yacht club Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano. It takes place every year in the Gulf of Trieste on the second Sunday of October. The Barcolana is o ...

of the yacht club Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano is currently the Guinness world record holder as the "largest sailing race" with 2,689 boats and over 16,000 sailors at the starting line. Currently, The Three Bridge Fiasco, conducted by the Singlehanded Sailing Society of San Francisco Bay with more than 350 competitors is the largest sailboat race in the United States.

Types

Yacht racing Yacht racing is a Sailing (sport), sailing sport involving sailing yachts and larger sailboats, as distinguished from dinghy racing, which involves open boats. It is composed of multiple yachts, in direct competition, racing around a course marke ...

– the sport of competitive

yachting Yachting is the use of recreational boats and ships called ''yachts'' for racing or cruising. Yachts are distinguished from working ships mainly by their leisure purpose. "Yacht" derives from the Dutch word '' jacht'' ("hunt"). With sailboats, t ...

Team racing Team racing, also known as team sailing, is a popular form of dinghy racing and yacht racing. Two teams compete in a race, each sailing two to four boats of the same class. The winning team is decided by combining the results of each team's boats ...

– also known as teams racing, is a popular form of

yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

racing

Oldest sailing regattas

* 1775 – Cumberland Cup, organised by the

Royal Thames Yacht Club The Royal Thames Yacht Club (RTYC) is the oldest continuously operating yacht club in the world, and the oldest yacht club in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are located at 60 Knightsbridge, London, England, overlooking Hyde Park. The club ...

, UK * 1777 – Lough Ree Regatta, organised by Athlone Yacht Club, Ireland. * 1792 – Whitstable Regatta UK * 1822 –

, Dartmouth, UK * 1823 – Port of Plymouth Regatta,

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

, UK * 1826 –

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...

, UK * 1828 – Kingstown Regatta, (now renamed Dun Laoghaire), Ireland * 1828 – Royal Harwich Regatta,

Harwich Harwich is a town in Essex, England, and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-west and Clacton-on- ...

, UK * 1834 – Lough Derg Regatta, at Killaloe, Williamstown and Drumineer, Ireland. * 1837 –

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

Australia Day Regatta, held every year since 1837, the longest running without a break * 1838 –

Royal Hobart Regatta The Royal Hobart Regatta is a series of aquatic competitions and displays held annually in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia and is Tasmania's oldest sporting event. The regatta began in 1838. The event runs for three days and incorporates a publi ...

, Australia * 1840 –

Auckland Anniversary Regatta The first Auckland Anniversary Regatta took place in 1840 and has grown to become one of the largest single day regattas and is the oldest sporting event in New Zealand.Royal Geelong Yacht Club The Royal Geelong Yacht Club is a yacht club founded in 1859 and based in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The club received its royal patronage in 1924. The club is based on the shores of Corio Bay Corio Bay is one of numerous internal bays ...

, Australia * 1845 –

New York Yacht Club The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. ...

Regatta, United States * 1849 –

Pass Christian Pass Christian (), nicknamed The Pass, is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,307 at the 2019 census. History Pre-European history ...

Regatta Club on July 21, 1849; twelve boats participated. First regatta on the U.S. Gulf Coast * 1849 – Sandy Bay Australia Day Regatta Australia * 1850 – Race to the Coast,

Southern Yacht Club The Southern Yacht Club is located in New Orleans, Louisiana's West End neighborhood, on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. Established on July 21, 1849, it is the fifthe oldest yacht club in the United States and a founding member of the Gulf Y ...

Regatta. Oldest continuously running regatta in the Western Hemisphere United States * 1851 –

America's Cup The America's Cup, informally known as the Auld Mug, is a trophy awarded in the sport of sailing. It is the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one f ...

, usually competed for in the country of the current defender/holder * 1851 – Port Esperance Regatta, Australia * 1856 – Chester Race Week, Nova Scotia, Canada * 1857 – Gorey Regatta, Jersey, Channel Islands * 1882 –

Kiel Week The Kiel Week (german: Kieler Woche) or Kiel Regatta is an annual sailing event in Kiel, the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the largest sailing event in Europe, and also one of the largest Volksfeste in Germany, attracting ...

Kiel Kiel () is the capital and most populous city in the northern Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 246,243 (2021). Kiel lies approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the southeast of the J ...

, Germany * 1885 – Appledore & Instow Regatta, North Devon, UK * 1886 – Torbay Royal Regatta,

Torbay Torbay is a borough and unitary authority in Devon, south west England. It is governed by Torbay Council and consists of of land, including the resort towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, located on east-facing Tor Bay, part of Lyme ...

, UK * 1894 – Britannia Boating Club,

Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

, Canada

Current sailing regattas

Aegean Rally The Aegean Rally is an international sailing regatta held in Greece; held annually since 1964, it is organised by the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club. The regatta is broken up into three to six individual competitions, with the course taking in seve ...

Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek language, Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish language, Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

, hosted by prior winner * The Athlone Yacht Club Regatta on Lough Ree, Ireland * Appledore & Instow Regatta – founded in 1885, tracing its origins back to 1831, is held annually on the River Torridge between the Villages of Appledore & Instow North Devon, UK. *

Auckland Anniversary Regatta The first Auckland Anniversary Regatta took place in 1840 and has grown to become one of the largest single day regattas and is the oldest sporting event in New Zealand.Waitemata Harbour Waitemata or Waitematā may refer to: * Waitematā Harbour, the primary harbour of Auckland, New Zealand * Waitematā (local board area), a local government area in Auckland, New Zealand ** Waitematā Local Board, a local board of Auckland Council, ...

to celebrate

Auckland Anniversary Day Auckland Anniversary Day is a public holiday observed in the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand, being the area's provincial anniversary day. It is observed throughout the historic Auckland Province, even though the provinces of New ...

Balaton Regatta Lake Balaton is a lake in Hungary, the largest lake in Central Europe Balaton may also refer to: * 2242 Balaton, a main-belt asteroid * Balaton (car), a Hungarian microcar * Balaton (village), in Heves county, Hungary * Balaton, Minnesota, a c ...

, held every year on the Lake Balaton between the teams of Veszprém Campus and Keszthely Campus of University of Pannonia * Balmain Regatta held annually on

Sydney Harbour Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove and Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The harbour is an inlet of the Tasman Sea (p ...

, Australia * Barcolana Autumn Cup Regatta, one of the largest single start sailing regattas in the world, held annually on the second Sunday of October in

Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...

, Italy * Bass Week,

Bassenthwaite Lake Bassenthwaite Lake is one of the largest water bodies in the English Lake District. It is long and narrow, approximately long and wide, but is also extremely shallow, with a maximum depth of about . It is the only body of water in the Lake ...

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...

Bay Week A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a nar ...

Put-in-Bay, Ohio Put-in-Bay is a village located on South Bass Island in Put-in-Bay Township, Ottawa County, Ohio, United States, east of Toledo. The population was 154 at the 2020 census. The village is a popular summer resort and recreational destinati ...

* Block Island Race Week,

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

Canada's Cup The Canada’s Cup is a silver trophy, deeded in perpetuity in 1896, to be awarded to the winner of a series of match races between a yacht representing a Canadian yacht club and one representing an American yacht club, both to be located on t ...

, held periodically on the Great Lakes. *

Canadian Olympic-training Regatta, Kingston The Canadian Olympic-training Regatta, Kingston (CORK) is an annual multi-class sailing regatta held off the shores of Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the north-eastern end of Lake Ontario, at the begi ...

(CORK) held annually in August in Kingston, Ontario Canada. * Carriacou Regatta Festival, Hillsborough, Carriacou, Grenada. W.I. - First weekend in August each year. * CASON Grand Prize Solo Regatta, Lake Balaton, Hungary, held annually in September. * Charleston Race Week, Charleston, South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, held each April for three days, with races staged both in Charleston Harbor and offshore. * Chester Race Week, Chester, Nova Scotia, Canada, 15 keelboat fleets race for 4 full days on 5 courses in mid-August on beautiful Mahone Bay * Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, held annually in July, starting in Chicago on Lake Michigan and ending at Mackinac Island on Lake Huron. * Columbus Day Regatta, Miami, Florida, annually in October. * Chichester-Cowes Challenge, held annually at the end of June on the Solent, and welcomes only classic wooden boats, mainly built in the 1920s–1930s. *The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race * Cork Week, Cork, Ireland. Hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club bi-annually. *

, Royal Yacht Squadron, England * Dun Laoghaire Regatta, Ireland, combined Dun Laoghaire Yacht Clubs, held Biannually. * Færderseilasen, Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (KNS), from Oslo to Horten via Færder lighthouse. *The Fastnet Race * Figawi, Figawi Race, Hyannis, Massachusetts * Fowey Royal Regatta, Fowey Cornwall annually in August * Hangon Regatta, an annual event in the city of Hanko, Finland, Hanko, Finland, infamous for attracting large groups of partying youths with a tangential interest in the sailing itself * Harvest Moon Regatta, Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook Texas hosts cruisers regatta during full moon in October each year from Galveston to Port Aransas * Kamer 2 Sailing Marathon, Kaag, Netherlands, annually in September * Key West Race Week, Key West, Florida * Kékszalag, Balatonfüred, Hungary annually in July *

/Germany - the largest sailing event in the world * Lake Ontario 300, Port Credit, Ontario - the longest fresh-water sailboat race in the world, held annually in July * Larchmont Race Week, Larchmont Yacht Club, New York * Lighthouse Regatta, Lake Hefner hosted by the Oklahoma City Boat Club * Long Beach Race Week, Long Beach, California * Louis Vuitton Trophy, a world series of regattas, multiple locations * Lysekil Women's Match, Lysekil, Sweden, annually in August * Mardi Gras Race Week, New Orleans Yacht Club, large One Design regatta held on Lake Pontchartrain * MidsummerSail, annual sailing regatta from the southernmost to the northernmost point of the Baltic Sea * Monsoon regatta Monsoon Regatta India * Mrduja Regatta, an annual regatta held in the city of Split, Croatia * National Offshore One Design (NOOD) * New World Regatta, held every year between the ports of Koper, Slovenia and Baltimore, Maryland. * Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race, Mighigan *

, held annually at the end of August over three days on the

. * Race to the Coast,

, New Orleans, Louisiana to Gulfport, Mississippi * Regatta Vava'u held annually in Vava'u, Kingdom of Tonga in September * Rotary Club of Sydney Cove Charity Regatta held annually since 1995 on the second Friday of November at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia * Round Texel, Texel, Netherlands, annually in June * Sail Melbourne, Held annually on Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay * Sawadee.com Regatta Samui, Thailand, Annually on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand in June * Sint Maarten Classic Yacht Regatta, Sint Maarten, held last weekend of March * Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta, Sint Maarten, annually in March * Sugar Bowl Regatta, New Orleans Yacht Club, New Orleans, Louisiana * Tall Ships Race * Tjörn Runt, Tjörn, Sweden, annually in August * Travemünde Week, Travemünde, Germany, annually in July * United Sailing Week, Croatia. The biggest sailing regatta and yachting event in Croatia. 50 boats in 4 classes and 500 participants. *The Velux 5 Oceans Race – a round-the-world, staged, Single-handed sailing, single-handed yacht race; originally known as the 'BOC Challenge', and then the 'Around Alone' *The Vendee Globe – a round-the-world, non-stop, Single-handed sailing, single-handed yacht race * Vintage Yachting Games, each time in another country first in 2008 Vintage Yachting Games, 2008, Medemblik, The Netherlands since then every four years. 2012 Vintage Yachting Games, 2012 Lake Como Italy * Voiles de Saint-Tropez, Saint-Tropez, France, annually in October *The Volvo Ocean Race * Washington's Birthday Regatta, at the Barnacle Historic State Park, Coconut Grove, Florida, annually in February * West Highland Yachting Week, Oban, W Coast Scotland * Whale of a Sail, Carlyle Sailing Association, Carlyle, IL * Whiskeytown Regatta, Whiskeytown Lake—Redding, CA * Youngstown Levels, Youngstown, New York * Chichester Biarritz Challenge, Chichester, England, to Biarritz, France, annually in April.

School sailing regattas

* Mallory Cup, United States high school sailing national championships. * Nixor College, the first college in Pakistan to launch a 'RAFT' regatta for team building. * Royal College Colombo and S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia, Oldest Regatta in Sri Lanka. (Royal Thomian Regatta) * Sywoc, the Student Yachting World Cup organized by the students of the École Polytechnique. * The NSSA National Youth Regatta is the largest dinghy sailing regatta and the largest youth sailing regatta in the UK. Due to its size the NYR visits a new location each year alternating between coastal and inland venues. Previous years venues include Bridlington (North Yorkshire), Datchet Sailing Club (West London) Plymouth (Devon), Redcar (North East England), Deal (Kent), Grafham Water (Cambridgeshire), Weymouth (Dorset) to name just a few.

University / college sailing regattas

* Charleston Open, College of Charleston * Fisher Hall Regatta, University of Notre Dame * Intercollegiate Sailing Association National Championships, various locations * Kennedy Cup, US Naval Academy * The Roth Regatta, Roth Pond, State University of New York at Stony Brook * The Regent Regatta, Regent Pond, Regent University * The CoEP Regatta, Mula River, College of Engineering, Pune - Held annually in March (since 1928), one of the oldest and most celebrated regattas in India * Mustang Open Regatta, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Motorboat racing

*24 Heures Motonautiques de Rouen – a Endurance racing (motorsport)#Motorboat endurance racing, 24-hour circuit boat race in Rouen, France *Archer eade memorial – an unlimited outboard race consisting of six laps *Inshore powerboat racing – and within this category, the F1 Powerboat World Championship *Offshore powerboat racing – racing by large, specially designed ocean-going

s promoted by Offshore Racing Organization *XCAT Racing – a sport involving Catamaran, Extreme Catamarans or XCATs; XCAT Racing is promoted by the World Professional Powerboating Association (WPPA) and governed by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM)World Professional Powerboating Association
, UIM *Drag boat racing – a form of drag racing which takes place on water rather than land *Hydroplane racing – a sport involving racing hydroplanes on lakes and rivers *Jet sprint boat racing *Swamp buggy#Swamp buggy racing, Swamp buggy racing – although not technically classed as boats, these specialist craft race tri-annually on swampy area circuits in the Florida region *Bathtub racing

Other notable regattas and boat races

* Stuart Sailfish Regatta, Stuart, FL. Boat classes; Jersey Skiffs, Inboard and outboard Hydroplanes, Grand Prix Series * Darwin Beer Can Regatta, Beer Can Regatta, boats made from aluminium cans in Darwin, NT, Australia. * Madison Regatta, Madison, Indiana. (Hydroplane (boat), hydroplanes) * Kingston Multi-Hull Regatta, Kingston, Ontario (multihull sailboats and sailing hydrofoils) * Henley-on-Todd Regatta - an Australian dry-land event. * Hidden Lake Regatta, Columbus, Ohio. Sponsored in July each year by the Hidden Lake Yacht Club, featuring 8 non-motorized divisions. *Musi Triboatton – an annually occurring international boat race across more than 500 km of Musi River (Indonesia), Musi River in South Sumatra, Indonesia *

- a multiple event 3 day regatta in Tasmania, Australia. *The Nehru Trophy Boat Race – One of the traditional Chundan vallam, Snake Boat Races (

) that takes place in Alappuzha, Alleppey, Kerala, India * Sy Barash Regatta - discontinued event at Penn State * Worrell 1000, between South Beach, Florida, South Beach and Virginia Beach, Virginia * Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival, Toronto, Ontario * Drina Regatta is the most visited tourist and recreation manifestation and the central event in the Western Serbia * The 826LA Paddle Boat Regatta, Los Angeles, CA (paddle boats)

Race format types

*Kyōtei – parimutuel boat racing in Japan, referred to as "BOAT RACE" *Match race – a race between two competitors, going head-to-head

References

External links

XCAT Racing
{{Authority control Boat racing, Boating, Racing Racing Boat races, Rowing competitions, Sailing regattas, Sailing (sport) Yachting races, ja:ボートレース