The spring 2025 schedule is still in flux and may change. Check back here for updates, or email umcrew@umn.edu
The regional championship for club crews in the Midwest, with 18 schools in attendance. The Midwest Region, with top programs such as Minnesota, Notre Dame, Michigan and Perdue, is the most competitive region in the ACRA.
The American College Rowing Association holds its National Championships in Oak Ridge, TN where UMN will face off against the best club programs in the US from both coasts and in between. Minnesota, UCLA, Notre Dame, Michigan, George Washington, Virginia, Rutgers, Delaware, Purdue, Michigan State, Orange Coast, North Carolina, Ohio State and more - 70 universities last year. This is a true National Championship!
The novice team and the varsity athletes that don’t travel to the George Washington Invitational will race local colleges St. Thomas and Macalester. The race course will depend on river conditions, but will likely run upstream from MRC to end near the E. Franklin Ave bridge.
UPDATE
Start-line willbe the railroad bridge - 500m up river from MRC.
We will race through the Franklin Bridge, 94 Bridges, and finish 30 strokes upstream of past the 94 bridge. Exactly where the river walkway railing begins. There's a large concrete slab at river's edge with grafitti.
Spectators and parents can stand on the walk and view the finish-line easily and up close.
Start time is 8:30AM for the 8s race. Fours start time to be determined
Minnesota will fly out to Washington, DC and race three times in 24 hours in a round robin format against ACRA league opponents. Race times and opponents will be determined closer to race day. Only the varsity squad will attend this race. The novice team will focus on the Illinois Collegiate Invitational the following weekend.
Crews will launch from Thompson Boat Club. Spectators can watch from the Georgetown Waterfront Park which is a short walk from the boathouse.
Our first league race, hosted by Grand Valley State, facing strong crews such as Michigan and Notre Dame. For more information, the race website is Lubbers Cup Regatta - Club Sports - Grand Valley State University (gvsu.edu)
Minnesota will travel to Purdue to race the Boilermakers on their home course on the Wabash River. This is the first year of this race that we hope will turn into an annual event.
The team will head to Clinton, TN for a week of intense training on the water. This is where the team will begin to select the crews that will start the spring campaign. Clinton is 9 miles upriver from the 2000 meter race course in Oak Ridge, where the ACRA National Championships will be held. On the last day of camp, we typically scrimmage the other teams that are also training in Oak Ridge for our first taste of speed.
Hosted by Purdue, the Bald Eagle Regatta is the pinnacle of Fall racing for many of the ACRA schools. Minnesota heads down to Indianapolis to defend our team-record-setting Medal-winning finishes.
Local clubs and colleges, including Minneapolis Rowing Club, Minnesota Boat Club and St. Thomas, will scrimmage us on here on the Mississippi River. Six or more boats across racing 5’ pieces where there is always someone next to you to compete with. This scrimmage will likely be held on a place in the river that is difficult to spectate
The entire team, both varsity and novices, will travel to Madison to race against the Wisconsin Badgers on Lake Mendota. The actual race and launch location will be determined by the winds, as Wisconsin has multiple launch sites around the lake to use based on wind direction. With luck, we will based out of the Porter Boathouse on 680 Babcock Drive.
Our home head race run right off our dock. Hosted by Minneapolis Rowing Club. A 4800 meter course where UMN will row both fours and eights. Alumni are very welcome to attend and row in this race. Contact coach Armstrong for details.
Calling all Minnesota Crew alumni! Join us at the boathouse to watch the crews race the Head of the Mississippi. Burgers and brats and stories all day. Parents, family and friends all welcome.
Later, head to Lake Monster Brewing for dinner and the induction of the 1996, 1997, 1998 IRA Championship crews into the Hall of Fame.
For more info and to RSVP, visit the Events page
Want to row in the Head of the Miss in an alumni boat? Email scott@coacharmstrong. Don’t want to row 4700 meters at full pressure? We will organize a paddle by the dock at the noon lunch break.
UPDATE - The novice team will travel to Clinton Lake, Illinois to race other Midwest clubs including Michigan State, Chicago, Grand Valley and Nebraska. Our varsity athletes will stay home for this weekend. For details including schedule and spectating, see ICRI 2024 — Illinois Rowing Association
