How Not to Organize a Regatta (Video)

I came across a video this morning that gives me a new found feeling of respect for the organizing crew of the Royal St. John’s Regatta.  Generally the biggest concern surrounding the St. John’s Regatta is whether or not to go ahead with it based on our unpredictable weather.

Unfortunately for the organizers of the Snowflake Regatta, held this week in Riverhead, NY, the weather was the least of their worries.

The regatta devolved into utter chaos.  The video is absolutely worth watching, but to summarize some of the action:

• One crew gets off track and rows into a pier. (0:13)
• After one of the rowers gets tossed out of the boat you hear a parent say “Keep Rowing to the line.” (0:22)
• Another crew’s boat is just aimlessly floating in the middle of the course and causes another crew to row into it. (0:43)
• There’s yet another collision between boats causing one of the rowers got smacked hard in the head by an oar. (2:10)
• Yet another collision between crews (2:45)
• Parents yelling…so many parents yelling (entire video)

All I can say is that it’s a good thing that this Regatta didn’t call for the teams having to turn around in the middle of the course!