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SOUTH ORLANDO ROWING ASSOCIATION

Upcoming events

    • 10/25/2025
    • 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
    • 2457 Maguire Road, Windermere, FL 34786
    Register

    SORA Middle School
    OARS Halloween Scrimmage
    Saturday, October 25, 2025

    SORA is excited to invite all our Middle School rowers to the free Halloween Scrimmage Regatta hosted by Orlando Area Rowing Society (OARS). This is a fun day of rowing at the OARS Boathouse. For kids that are new to racing, this is designed to teach them how to race, not necessarily to go “full steam” down a race course. For more experienced rowers, we will give them more race-like scenarios.

    All rowers will need to arrive by 9:00 am at OARS Boathouse at
    2457 Maguire Road
    Windermere FL 34786

    Park at the Elementary School across the street and walk your Middle School rower across the street to the Oars Boathouse where Coach Ian will meet you. Unfortunately, there is not enough space on-site for parents to be viewing the event. Parents cannot stay, unless you are signed up to help. Please pickup your middle school rower at 4pm.

    Race Schedule General Schedule
    9:00 am Get boats ready, Meet other teams
    10:00 am Start launching
    10:30 - 2:00 pm Races
    4:00 pm Dismissal

    Please have your rower wear normal practice clothes and spandex shorts. All rowers are encouraged to dress up for Halloween. Remember, you need to be able to row in whatever you are wearing.

    What to Bring: We will have a Pumpkin decorating activity when kids are not racing, please bring a Pumpkin!

    Transportation: Parents are responsible for getting their rowers to the OARS boathouse and also picking them up again.

    Meals? Eat breakfast at home! Bring water & snacks with you. OARS will be providing lunch and Halloween Festivities for all rowers.

    SORA will sponsor event T-Shirts for all our MS rowers that attend this wonderful day full of fun.

    Thank You,
    Runi Vilhelm
    Programs Committee Chair
    South Orlando Rowing Association

    • 10/30/2025
    • 11/02/2025
    • Chattanooga, TN
    Register

    EVENT DETAILS:

    2025 Head of the Hooch

    “Last of the Great Fall Regattas”
    Thursday, October 30 - Sunday Nov 2nd, 2025 

    The Head of the Hooch is one of the world’s largest rowing regattas, with 2,000+ boats racing over two days. 1,200 boats (and more than 9,000 seats!) compete on Saturday alone, which is more in one day than any other regatta. As a head race, competitors row a 5,000-meter (3.1 mile) course on the Tennessee River. The Head of the Hooch is organized and hosted by the Atlanta Rowing Club of Roswell, GA and Lookout Rowing Club of Chattanooga, TN. The regatta has hosted teams from Canada, Germany, Sweden and Australia. 

    The Head of the Hooch is a favorite SORA regatta for our rowers and families. Approx. 22 rowers and 3 coaches will be making the trip to Chattanooga,TN. 

    NEW this year - Due to the anticipated number of rowers attending and to reduce the cost involved, ALL Rowers will be staying with parents this year. SORA Team Hotel in Chattanooga is Chattanooga Marriott Downtown, Two Carter St, Chattanooga, TN 37402.  Parent hotel registration link will be provided soon.

    ESTIMATE - Rower registration $550 - Final cost will be finalized once we have final numbers of rowers attending etc. 

    Included in the registration fee is the following:

    • Meals Included
      • Friday - Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks at venue
      • Saturday - Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks at venue
      • Sunday - Breakfast, lunch, and snacks at venue
    • Regatta fees
    • Boat transportation
    • Coaches/Staff transportation, food and lodging

    Arrival in Chattanooga:

    Thursday, October 30, 2025

    Check in upon arrival at the check-in desk in the lobby

    Departure:

    Sunday, November 2, 2025

    SORA’s last race is expected to be at 2:23 PM; expect at least 2 hours of trailer loading

    Venue:

    Ross’s Landing Park - Near the Tennessee Aquarium
    201 Riverfront Parkway 
    Chattanooga, TN 34702

    SORA Team Hotel in Chattanooga:

    Chattanooga Marriott Downtown
    Two Carter St, Chattanooga, TN 37402

    Hotel Website: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/chadt-chattanooga-marriott-downtown/overview/

    Parent hotel registration link will be provided soon.  Team Dinners and Breakfast will be at the Team Hotel. Lunches and snacks will be at the venue

    If you have any questions on boats and what your rower will be rowing in or if they should attend, please reach out to Coach Terry. If you have questions on logistics, planning... please reach out to Runi.

    • 12/06/2025
    • Nathan Benderson Park - Sarasota

    Full event details to come. 

    • 12/13/2025
    • Canal 54 - Fellsmere

    Full event info to come.

    • 01/31/2026
    • Turkey Lake

    Full event info to come.

    • 02/14/2026
    • 7:00 AM
    • 02/15/2026
    • Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota, FL
    Full event info to come. 
    • 02/28/2026
    • Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota, FL

    Full event info to come. 

    • 03/07/2026
    • Turkey Lake

    Full event info to come. 

    • 03/08/2026
    • Turkey Lake

    Full event info to come. 

    • 03/28/2026
    • Lake Minneola

    Full event info to come. 

    • 03/29/2026
    • Lake Minneola


    The Jake Snyder Middle School Regatta was the inspiration of Daniel Vanegas, who started the regatta in Jake’s memory in 2012. Among middle school programs, whose racing opportunities were typically limited to occasional exhibition events at high school regattas, the idea was welcomed with enthusiasm. Middle school rowing programs from north, central, and south Florida came to the inaugural regatta.

    Born in 1989, Jake Snyder grew up in Winter Park, Florida, where he attended Winter Park High School and rowed four years for the school’s rowing team, Winter Park Crew. During his high school years, Jake attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. He was also awarded Disney World’s Dreamer and Doer Award, granted to students who set examples to others through their volunteer service. He earned a Bright Futures Scholar Award to the University of Florida, where he joined Gator Christian Life. At the University of Florida, he majored in Political Science with a minor in Classical Studies and a certificate in Weather. He received the Anderson Scholar Award, the highest recognition bestowed by the University on students for their first two years of course work. Jake died at the age of 21 in 2010, peacefully surrounded at home by his family and friends. After his death, Congressman John L. Mica, with whom Jake had served a congressional internship, brought to Jake's family a United States flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

    Jake once said of rowing: “Remember that this sport is not about personal glorification; instead, it is about making the team faster. Your goal should be to make your boat go as fast as possible, and if you’re ever moved out of the boat, don’t think “Why?” Instead, think about what you can do to make your new boat faster.” In other words, Jake felt that a person should always do what he or she can for the greater good. Jake lived that ethic, in all things at all times and with much joy. His smile was renowned both for its brilliance and its sincerity. 

    The regattas logo, the fleur-de-lis, is the  insignia of the Boy Scouts of America, whose law epitomizes the way in which Jake, as an Eagle Scout, lived his life and shared himself with the rowing community. The Scout Law states that, “A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.” We honor those attributes at the Jake Snyder Middle School Regatta.

    • 04/10/2026
    • 04/12/2026
    • Sarasota, Florida

    Full event info to come. 

    • 04/24/2026
    • 04/26/2026
    • Sarasota, Florida

    Full event info to come. 

    • 05/08/2026
    • 05/10/2026
    • Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota, FL

    Full event info to come. 

    • 06/11/2026
    • 06/14/2026
    • Sarasota, Florida


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