Regatta History
The South Coast Rowing Champions was the inspiration of Archie Fraser, of Westover & Bournemouth Rowing Club who had the idea of an event involving the three South Coast Rowing Associations - the Hants & Dorset ARA, (H&D ARA) the Coast ARA (CARA) and the West of England ARA (WEARA) - who would provide a champion in each class to compete in champion of champions race at the end of the rowing season.
The first Championship Regatta was hosted by the Hants & Dorset ARA at Poole in 1957 where Christchurch were the winners of the first Senior event and BTC won both the Junior Senior and Junior Event. The following day officials from the three Associations met in Poole Yacht Club where it was decided that the Regatta should continue and hosted by each Association in rotation. It was agreed that the host Association would provide six matched boats and include any supporting events of their own choice.
In the early years there was a good deal of controversy between the Associations because of the differences in rules and because WEARA rowed in 36' river boats (now 42') but H&DARA and CARA Clubs used 30' staggered seat Coastal boats. However annual meetings of the representative South Coast Committee (now the South Coast Council) have established a set of acceptable rules and regatta format. The original three-year cycle was changed to a four-year cycle with the regatta being held in WEARA every other year to counteract the disadvantage that WEARA crews suffered having to row in Coastal Boats.
Although the supporting events had often included ladies races their was no Championship event until 1976 - and in 1992 a Junior Ladies Championship event was added - with a Veterans Championship added in 2005 bringing the total of Championship events to six.