Rowing has been at the heart of the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta from the outset, and the local rowing competitions as perhaps the most important part of the Regatta for the local population.
With heats held on the Sunday and Monday prior to Regatta, the competition comes to a head in the closely fought finals, held through the day on Regatta Friday.
As the name implies, crews for local rowing are almost all local people racing together as teams, often (and always in the LVA races) for the local public houses of the town. However, the open events attract crews from further afield, drawn by the challenge of beating Dartmouth at its own game.
Heats start at 9.00am on Sunday. Semi-finals are on Monday commencing at 10.00am and additionally the finals of the men’s and ladies’ Long Distance Whaler races.
The finale is on Friday with the Local Rowing Finals when supporters and spectators can be seen ‘camped out’ on the South Embankment with their picnics to watch the racing and cheer on their favourites.