Smith Stockley stopped the clocked at 5:12.60 to claim the women's championship ahead of Lamb's Rum. The winning crew includes Tina Hunt, Tracy Hussey, Teresa Butler, Michelle Jenkins, Wendy Young and Candace Mercer. The boat was steered by Paul Ring.
In all, 18 races were held Saturday featuring a total of 47 crews - 37 of which came from St. John's and Harbour Grace.
"We basically doubled the number of crews that came out from St. John's," explains Placentia Regatta committee president Eugene Collins, now in his sixth year at the helm. "Let's face it, we wouldn't have a regatta without (them)."
Considering the region's small population, Collins says rowing remains a big draw, especially among area youth.
"In places like St. John's the ages are a little bit higher and they're losing out on the young crews. We start them off at 10 and 13 and once they get out in the shells, they love it.
"It's what keeps it going here."
The future for the Placentia Regatta - still widely attended for the races and not just the garden party atmosphere - is bright. The committee recently developed a plan that would see a million dollar redevelopment of the Regatta grounds.
"We've had an engineer develop a plan for the whole grounds including a new boathouse and docking area. It also includes an amphitheatre," says Collins, adding the town will spearhead funding negotiations with the provincial and federal governments.
"Our 50th anniversary is in 2013, so ideally we'd like to have at least the docking facility and boathouse in place (by then)."
More than just expanding the grounds, the plan includes changes to the rowing program that would see sliding-seat rowing introduced.
"It's the only place in Newfoundland that can actually hold international sliding-seat rowing course. We would put that course outside the course we use now for fixed-seat."
Collins, who adds Rowing Newfoundland and Labrador and Rowing Canada is eager to support the program changes, says given the town's proximity to the Marine Atlantic ferry system it puts Placentia in an ideal position to host athletes from other provinces in national and international events.
The Harbour Grace Regatta, the second oldest continuous sporting event in North America and second event in the triple crown, is scheduled for Saturday at Lady Lake. The Royal St. John's Regatta is scheduled to go Aug. 4, weather permitting.
koliver@thetelegram.com
