ROWING: Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association’s coastal beach rowing event on Hollywood Beach a hit

Published 1:30 am Friday, August 18, 2023

The Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association hosted their Inaugural OPRA Coastal Beach Regatta at Hollywood Beach on Sunday. 

Port Angeles rower participation included from left, Mason Mai, Low Handicap Solo; Cooper Disque, second Place, Low Handicap Solo;  Ella Shultz. fourth place Low Handicap Solo; and Harrison Fulton, third place High Handicap Solo.
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The Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association hosted their Inaugural OPRA Coastal Beach Regatta at Hollywood Beach on Sunday. 

Port Angeles rower participation included from left, Mason Mai, Low Handicap Solo; Cooper Disque, second Place, Low Handicap Solo;  Ella Shultz. fourth place Low Handicap Solo; and Harrison Fulton, third place High Handicap Solo.
The Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association hosted their Inaugural OPRA Coastal Beach Regatta at Hollywood Beach on Sunday. Port Angeles rower participation included from left, Mason Mai, Low Handicap Solo; Cooper Disque, second Place, Low Handicap Solo; Ella Shultz. fourth place Low Handicap Solo; and Harrison Fulton, third place High Handicap Solo.
Steven Rice from Oregon’s Lake Oswego Community Rowing, winner of the high handicap solo division, is aided by boat Handlers are Dave Mittmann (left) and Craig Fulton, both of Port Angeles during the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association’s Inaugural OPRA Coastal Beach Regatta at Hollywood Beach on Sunday. Coastal beach rowing is a new rowing event which includes running beach starts, slalom rowing on a short 250 meter course, followed by a 250 meter sprint back to shore for a final run across the beach. Sunday’s events included both solo and double rowing heats, with rowers broken in High Handicap and Low Handicap categories.

Peninsula Daily News

PORT ANGELES —Hollywood Beach and Port Angeles Harbor was the site of a new event Aug. 13, the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association’s inaugural OPRA Coastal Beach Regatta highlighting a new rowing discipline, coastal beach rowing.

Coastal beach rowing is a new rowing event which includes running beach starts, slalom rowing on a short 250-meter course, followed by a 250-meter sprint back to shore for a final run across the beach.

Rowers came from Canada to the north to Portland in the south to participate, and included World and National rowing title holders.

Events included both solo and double rowing heats, with rowers split into High Handicap and Low Handicap categories.

OPRA plans to continue hosting coastal Beach regattas in Port Angeles, and expand from one to two-day events in the future.

Anyone interested in learning to row can find out more by visiting www.parowing.org or email rowwithopra@outlook.com.