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Friday, October 02, 1998 By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
Thirteen years ago, the Three Rivers Rowing Association consisted of seven rowers who stored their equipment in a truck trailer.
What: Head of the Ohio Rowing Regatta, Roberto Clemente Park, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Admission: Free
Highlights: Post-Gazette/Dapper Dan Canadian-American Challenge and the Heinz Noon sprints.
Charity: Mercy Hospital Burn Center.
Today, there are more than 1,300 members, and there are plans to build another boathouse on Washington's Landing to accommodate the growing number of rowers in the area. The rise in numbers in part can be attributed to the success of the Head of the Ohio Rowing Regatta, which will be held, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. tomorrow, on the Allegheny River.
The first Head of the Ohio was held in 1987, and there were 250 entries for the races. This year, there are 4,355 entries, a Head of the Ohio record, and rowers of all ages - from the high school level to the Olympic level - are taking part in this year's event.
"It's a sport whose time has come," Head of the Ohio co-coordinator Sally Hardon said. "Today there are so many people interested in fitness and wellness. It's something people of all ages can do."
The Head of the Ohio started in 1987 thanks in large part to Dr. Dan Thompson, one of the original members of the Three Rivers Rowing Association. Thompson wanted to introduce rowing into the mainstream, and the City of Pittsburgh wanted to show off its cleaned-up rivers.
Children, the physically challenged, high school rowers, college rowers, corporate rowers and adult rowers make up the more than 1,300 members of Three Rivers Rowing Association.
Hardon had a tough job attracting competitive rowers for the first few regattas. To make the event as attractive as possible, Hardon offered free housing to high school and college age rowers in church halls and gymnasiums. She offered a free pasta dinner on the eve of the race and a free continental breakfast the day of the race. She also handed out medals to the top three finishers in all of the races.
This year, three of the top five Olympic crew teams will race, and some of the top college teams are competing as well.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/ Dapper Dan Canadian-American Challenge features the Olympic crew teams of the United States, Canada and Britain. The U.S. team won the silver medal, Canada the bronze and Britain finished fifth at the 1997 world championships.
Also, some of the top college programs like Brown and M.I.T and Michigan State will row against local teams from Duquesne, Pitt, Robert Morris, Carnegie Mellon, and Carlow College in the Heinz Noon sprints, the other featured race of the day.
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