6/19/2006 12:00:00 AM

Head of the Oklahoma to include night racing

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University rowing coach Mike Knopp announced that the university's Head of the Oklahoma Regatta will continue to bring innovation and excitement to the sport of rowing this year by staging the first-ever US-sanctioned night races at this year's event, slated for Sept. 30-Oct. 1.
US Rowing's Glen Merry confirmed that no other sanctioned US Rowing regatta has added this element to its racing lineup before now.
The night races will cap off a day of qualifying races on Sept. 30. Teams from across the nation will compete all day in hopes of making it to the finals. Four large light trucks, each equipped with 100-foot tall arms will illuminate the river as fans cheer the rowers on to victory.
OG&E (Oklahoma Gas & Electric) will make the events possible by supplying the regatta with the trucks, the engineering and the power.
Knopp explained the reasoning behind this bold idea.
"Part of our mission is to innovate, and we felt that night racing was the next logical step to really add to the excitement of sprint racing," Knopp said. "Live entertainment is scheduled between heats and we've planned a spectacular fireworks show which will begin as the final boats cross the finish line that evening. It will create an atmosphere that will bring more fans to the sport of rowing."
It is anticipated that regattas around the country will embrace this new idea, and Knopp and his staff expect to see night racing be embraced by the rowing community following its debut in Oklahoma City.
For more information on the Head of the Oklahoma Regatta click here.
If you would like to volunteer for the Regatta call Andrea Brack at (405) 208-5347 or e-mail abrack@okcu.edu.

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