Rowing is a lifelong sport. The GAR Masters program provides both recreational and competitive rowing opportunity for adults in the Gainesville area. We are a growing group with a broad mix of ages and abilities. We enjoy organized rows six to seven days each week, year around. Members have the benefit of a talented and dedicated staff of coaches.

For those who have not yet experienced the fun, challenge and benefits of rowing, GAR Masters will help you begin by offering three Learn To Row classes each year, featuring lots of time on the water. The Learn To Row classes are held in the Fall, Winter and late Spring. For experienced rowers, even those who have been away from the sport for a time, the coaches will work with you to help you quickly re-establish your stroke during our scheduled rows.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Gary Gookin, the Masters’ Liaison, masters@gainesvillearearowing.com.

The GAR Masters Calendar: http://freecal.brownbearsw.com/GARMasters

Additional membership information for GAR Masters can be found here: GAR Masters Membership Information

GAR Masters contact information can be found here: Masters' Contact Information

Our next Learn to Row course is scheduled for April 30th to May 2nd, 2010!

Rowing can be a lifelong pursuit; it is easy on the joints, adaptable to many body sizes and levels of athletic skill. Competitive and recreational rowers range in age from 12 to the late 90s. It is never too soon or too late to learn about this sport. Our Learn to Row course provides an introduction to the indoor rowing machines, sweep rowing and sculling. The course provides plenty of individual attention and time on the water.

Sculling is the type of rowing where each rower uses two oars, one for each hand. In sweep rowing, each rower has one oar.

Course Schedule:
April 30th: 6-8pm, Indoor Rowing Machine Lessons
May 1st: 11am-3pm, Sweep Rowing Lessons
May 2nd: 1pm-5pm, Sculling Lessons

Contact:
To enroll, contact Kelly Bergdoll at kellyb@kbmobilelabs.com, (352) 538-0721

Location:
Newnan’s Lake, 7300 E University Ave. Directions

Cost:
$125 which includes a $50 credit towards a GAR Masters membership

Age:
The course is open to adults ages 18 and older.

Waiver

Our next Learn to Row course is scheduled for January 22-24th, 2010!

Rowing can be a lifelong pursuit; it is easy on the joints, adaptable to many body sizes and levels of athletic skill. Competitive and recreational rowers range in age from 12 to the late 90s. It is never too soon or too late to learn about this sport. Our Learn to Row course provides an introduction to the indoor rowing machines, sweep rowing and sculling. The course provides plenty of individual attention and time on the water.

Sculling is the type of rowing where each rower uses two oars, one for each hand. In sweep rowing, each rower has one oar.

Course Schedule:
January 22nd: 6-8pm, Indoor Rowing Machine Lessons
January 23rd: 11am-3pm, Sweep Rowing Lessons
January 24th: 1pm-5pm, Sculling Lessons

Contact:
To enroll, contact Kelly Bergdoll at kellyb@kbmobilelabs.com, (352) 538-0721

Location:
Newnan’s Lake, 7300 E University Ave. Directions

Cost:
$125 which includes a $50 credit towards a GAR Masters membership

Age:
The course is open to adults ages 18 and older.

Please forward the following to anyone who might be interested:
LTR Poster
LTR Brochure

Forms to bring with you to the Learn to Row:
Registration

Waiver

Gainesville Area Rowing had a very successful weekend at The Hooch in Chattanooga, Tennessee!

We had at least eighteen entries over the weekend and our Youth Rowers and our Master Rowers made GAR very proud. The weather was excellent, and the community very welcoming and accommodating to all who attended, what ended up being a record attendance at The Hooch!

Our Youth Rowers placed First (Gold) in the Mixed Youth 8+ race! Our Masters placed First (Gold) in the Mixed Open 2X. Jen Figueroa, our Sculling Coach and Master Rower, received a Silver Medal in the Women’s Master 1X race and was only 3/10’s of one second from Gold! With some races having almost 50 entries (competitors) our Youth were within 30 seconds or less off of the first place time in some races. Great job!

With continued training, I am looking forward to a very successful end to the Head Racing season this Fall and an even more successful Sprint Season in the Spring! Coaches, thank you all for your dedication to this club and to our youth and their success!

And, well, we had quite an exciting trip home yesterday – one of our buses broke down and we had to combine two buses into one bus for a six hour ride home. I want to thank everyone for their understanding, cooperation, and their excellent sense of humor during this “crunch” in getting all of us home safely and not very late, considering the circumstances. Our “Novice” parents learned what it means to be GAR family – everyone was such a good sport about this and we got to know each other very well!

I want to thank everyone for all of their help this weekend setting up and taking down, serving at the food tent and dinners, and chaperoning the rowers and the halls on both nights. Thanks to Mike Driscoll for driving the food trailer up to Chattanooga and Nina and Tom Cornwell for organizing the food tent for the weekend. This is truly a team effort so thank you again, all of you, for your help with anything that was needed!

Ten GAR Masters and a couple of our friends took on the 5,000 meter course on the Tennessee River and lots of tough competition at the Head of the Hooch November 7th and 8th in Chattanooga, TN. The Hooch is the second largest race in the country and this year over 1,700 boats were entered.

Aside from an early morning nip to the air, the weather was great for racing and the venue was, as usual, beautiful. The area has been receiving heavy rainfall and the river was running very fast this year. The TVA did an excellent job of regulating flow so the event could be held but the current did present some challenges. Race officials did an exceptional job of keeping the events very close to the schedule while making allowances for the water conditions.

As a club, GAR Masters finished in a tie for 16th place out of 44 clubs entered.

Here’s how the nine GAR boats did:
Men’s Master 4X – 9th
Mixed Open 2X – Gold Medal
Mixed Master 2X – 21st
Women’s Championship 2X – 9th
Women’s Master 2X – 15th
Mixed Master 4X – 11th
Women’s AA-A-B 1x – Silver Medal and 13th
Mixed Master 8+ – 17th

Special congratulations are in order for Jen Figueroa. In the Mixed Open 2X she and Bill Griffith rowed to a gold medal. In the Womens’ Masters AA-A-B 1X, after having to return to the dock to replace her failed boat seat, followed by a draining row to get the to start line in time, Jen was still fastest on the water and, after handicap, finished second by a mere 3/10 of a second.

Also, congratulations to Coach Justin who rowed to a silver medal in the Men’s Master 8+.

It was a good year for GAR Masters at the Hooch. The team truly demonstrated the progress we have made over the last year. Next year everyone can expect more and faster boats from Gainesville. Something to look forward to!

The 2009 Fall Rowing Challenge has concluded. Thank you to everyone who participated. Fourteen GAR ergers reached the 100k goal and all together they rowed over 2.5 million meters. GAR placed in in the top 5 rowing clubs (of 60), and 31st out of the 256 groups that participated in the challenge.

Concept2 has sent out Concept2 socks for those that reached the 200K level and a Concept2 towel for the 100K level.

See the full results here: http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/team/teamStandings.asp?re_index=39&group=team
Great job!