Toledo Rowing Club Hosts 30th Annual Frogtown Regatta

Toledo Local Features  |  By Michael Pierce  |  09/23/2015

Over the last three decades, the Toledo Rowing Club has seen an upsurge in the level of interest in rowing activities. This will be evident on Saturday, as spectators numbering in the thousands will gather along the Maumee river for the 30th annual Frogtown Regatta. While the event is primarily a high school competition, many collegiate and adult rowing teams will compete as well. “Youth rowing has just exploded in recent years”, says TRC Executive Director Kristina Latta. “We’re going to have about 1,000 competitors, and since many of them are high schoolers, we’ll have about double that in spectators. People from all over the midwest will be in Toledo this weekend”, she explains.

Kristina got her start in rowing back in the late 90’s, while attending St. Ursula Academy, when a “friend of the family suggested that I give it a try. I fell in love with it right away”. She competed all four years of college at the University of Toledo, while also coaching at the high school level. She received her masters in coaching from Smith College, where her team participated in the NCAA championships. Two years ago, Kristina left a director of rowing position in Pittsburgh to take on her current position as executive director for the Toledo Rowing Club.

Where at on the Maumee River does the regatta take place?

“Down by the first set of railroad bridges after the 280 bridge. It’s 5,000 meters (3.1 Miles), and the finish line is just beyond Owens Corning. We start very early, the first meeting of the day is at 6:30am, and the first race starts at 8am.”

How many different races will there be?

“We have about 50 different events throughout the day. They differ by age, gender, and boat type. Our biggest boat has 8 rowers, and is about 60 feet long - that’s the one people are used to seeing in the olympics. There are brackets for high school boys and girls, college men and women, and adult (aka masters) men and women.”

Where are the best places to watch from?

“I would say, one of the best places to watch will be from the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge. Another good place would be at Owens Corning. The grass over there is pretty high right now, so you might have to be strategic about where you stand to watch.  Owens Corning is the race side, so you’ll be really close to the boats there. And in terms of being close to the finish line, International park - all along the park - will be a good place to watch from. Also, even more importantly, the Sand Piper will be taking three trips down the river. They will actually be out on the race course, and you can hear the calls to pass the boat and see the athletes up close and personal.”

How do the athletes train for this event, in order to be competitive?

“Rowing is very unique in terms of the amount of training that goes into it versus the competition time. And what I mean by that is, rowers train in terms of volume - two hours a day, five days a week, and every saturday, for about 12 months out of the year. The commitment is huge. The main championship season is the spring season, for high schoolers. During winter is weight training and rowing on the rowing machine, and the fall is long distance races - just to get prepared. It’s sort of like cross country, where you’re racing against the clock to get the best time overall.”

How accessible is TRC to the local community?

“Some people still affiliate rowing with east coast ivy league schools, but it’s really wide open for people, and it’s very accessible. My personal vested interest is in engaging Toledoans with the Maumee river, and rowing is just one of many ways for people to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the river. There are multiple activities for anyone to partake in - be it individuals, groups, work groups - anyone interested in learning to row has an opportunity to do so. And it’s only $60 for a full season, which includes full access to equipment as well as some introductory coaching. It’s a great way to stay physically fit, even if you choose not to compete.”

The 30th annual Frogtown Regatta takes place on Saturday, September 26th, beginning at 8am. For more info, visit the TRC website.