by Peter Klose
Join the River Rowing Association on Saturday Sept 11 as it hosts the Hudson River Challenge. It started as a dare from River Rowing Association Directors to the members of the RRA — could they row from the George Washington Bridge to the Nyack Marina? Undaunted, diehard RRA rowers set out in search of the answer and a race was born– the Hudson River Challenge.
The “Challenge” is navigating the unpredictable water and tidal currents of the Hudson River against the backdrop of the beautiful Palisades with blue fish feeding frenzies below and eagles soaring above.
This year marks the Second Annual Hudson River Challenge, which has now switched direction to accommodate various concerns of parking, launching, winds, tides and currents. Join the RRA as they depart Nyack’s Marina at 7:30 AM on Saturday, September 11, 2010, or at the finish line celebration in New Jersey’s Ross Docks Picnic area anywhere from 1 to 3 hours later.
While this race is for rowing shells, this year the RRA opened it to all human powered vessels, with the requirement that anyone entering the race have experience and skill with their craft that they know they can complete the race in a timely, safe, and controlled manner.
This is a marathon of a race. The course record is 1 hour and 58 minutes, while there are plenty of singles coming in around 3:30. This year’s race should be a bit faster as we will be rowing / paddling with the current. But conditions are always a challenge! Expect to fully exhaust yourself, take breaks, bring food and water, want to stop, cry a little — to go through enough that finishing is a victory for each individual crew. To get specifics on what is required, see our ‘€œRace Day Logistics‘€ page.
