National Championships

2026 USRowing Youth National Championships

Sarasota, Fla. June 11-14, 2026

Entry Packet

The 2026 USRowing domestic regatta entry packets were posted for a comment period to all members from December 1 to December 31, 2025. The final entry packet for the 2026 USRowing Youth National Championships was published on February 2, 2026.

2026 USRowing Youth National Championships - Final Entry Packet(opens in new window)

Spectator Tickets

The 2026 USRowing Youth National Championships are almost here. Returning to beautiful Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida, the event features four days of elite 2,000-meter racing, wonderful fan experiences, and premier viewing opportunities as the nation’s top young athletes compete for national titles.

Recognized as the 2025 Best Florida Sporting Event for Mid-Size Markets and the 2024 Best Amateur Sporting Event (Sports Travel Awards), Youth Nationals continues to grow each year, and demand for tickets is expected to be high. Be sure to mark your calendars and secure your tickets early before they sell out.

Tickets will go on sale on Monday, June 1st, at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Buy Tickets! (opens in new window)

Athletes & Coaches Pre-Regatta Meeting

The Athletes & Coaches Pre-Regatta meeting will take place on June 8, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. EST.

RegattaCentral

The USRowing Youth National Championships is an invitational regatta. Crews must earn a bid by racing at a recognized qualification event and placing in a designated Youth Nationals event. For full details, please refer to the Youth National Championships entry packet.

RegattaCentral(opens in new window)

Rules

This regatta will be governed by the 2026 USRowing Rules of Rowing. For additional details, please refer to the regatta entry packet and the official USRowing Rules of Rowing.

Affiliation

Athletes competing in any USRowing Youth National qualifier and/or the USRowing Youth National Championships must have affiliation with only one rowing program, between January 1 and the end of the Youth National Championships of the current calendar year. The athletes affiliation is with the program in which they are registered as of the first competition during the spring season. This includes USRowing registered and non-registered regattas, but does not include indoor events. Athletes cannot compete with/for two separate programs at any point between January 1 and the end of the Youth National Championships of the current calendar year.

EXCEPTION: Athletes who are members of a junior rowing club existing as a composite of athletes with no stand-alone high school rowing program may row as a single (1x) in a regatta under the name of their school where they are not permitted to enter as “unaffiliated.” When permitted, a single (1x) competing as “unaffiliated” is not considered to be representing an organization, and therefore would remain in compliance with the affiliation requirement listed above. Unaffiliated athletes must still meet all USRowing compliance and membership requirements.

For the purposes of qualifying for the USRowing Youth National Championships in an individual event, the athlete must still represent the club (entered under the club’s name) with which the athlete began the season.

If athletes wish to compete in a team event under the name of their school with an established high school rowing program rather than as a club, USRowing organizational membership is required for that school for that purpose and the athletes must compete as this organization the entire spring season.

Masters Program Exception: A Youth athlete is allowed to compete with a Masters Rowing Program between January 1 and the end of the Youth National Championships of the current calendar year, and it will not interfere with the Affiliation rule.

USRowing Rules of Rowing

Petitions

Please follow the petition rules located in the entry packet linked above. Once submitted, the 2026 USRowing Youth Nationals Coaches Council will review your petition.

USRowing will accept petitions; acceptance of a petition does not guarantee a bid to attend the 2026 Youth National Championships.

2026 USRowing Youth National Championships - Petition Form(opens in new window)

Venue Information

Nathan Benderson Park - 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir. Sarasota, FL 34235

More venue and event details are available in the entry packet linked above!

Course & Venue Maps

An updated venue map will be shared in the weeks leading up to the regatta.

Course Maps(opens in new window)

Trailer Parking

All trailers must be registered prior to arriving on site at Nathan Benderson Park. Please fill out this form HERE if you are planning on transporting a trailer. Please only submit one registration per trailer.

Trailer Parking will be open at the following times. If you are arriving outside of these hours, please park off site and come back during open trailer hours. If you park on-site outside of the stated hours, your trailer will be moved by an outside party.

Sunday, June 7: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Monday, June 8: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, June 9: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, June 10: 6:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Team Vehicle Parking

All teams will be given one (1) parking pass upon checking in at the registration tent at the 2026 USRowing Youth National Championships. This parking pass allows one team vehicle to park on the island throughout the competition.

Each team will be required to register one (1) vehicle with USRowing and this is the only vehicle that will receive a parking pass. If any other vehicles park on site without a parking pass, they may be towed.

Click HERE to register your team vehicle.

Team Tent Rentals & Supply Orders

To reserve team tents or purchase ice, water, and Gatorade for your team tent area, please complete the order form linked HERE.

The tent rental deadline is May 31, 2026 by 8:00pm.

Spectator Parking

Spectator parking will be available for $15 per day, per vehicle on Cattleman Road just South of the Homewood Suites Hotel. A shuttle will run daily on practice and race days to bring athletes and spectators onto regatta island, 2 hours before racing to 1 hour after racing.

Practice

Please note that all practice schedules may be adjusted due to weather or other circumstances. Updates will be sent via text and posted on RegattaCentral with the most up-to-date information.

Tuesday, June 9 & Wednesday, June 10

Practice will follow the same event order as the Thursday Time Trials. Please see the entry packet linked above for practice launch times.

From 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET, on June 9 and June 10, an Open Practice session will be available for crews unable to launch during their scheduled time due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., flight cancellations). Open Practice requests can be submitted HERE.

Saturday, June 13

Practice for crews competing in Sunday’s A/B Finals will begin 30 minutes after the last race of the day.

Week at a Glance

Sunday, June 7

Trailer Parking

8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Monday, June 8

Trailer Parking

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, June 9

Registration

6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Trailer Parking

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Practice

Starting at 8:00 a.m., each event will launch in 15-minute intervals. Crews may not line up to launch before their scheduled time and should limit their water time to 90 minutes. Click HERE for practice launch times.

From 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET, on June 9, an Open Practice session will be available for crews unable to launch during their scheduled time due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., flight cancellations). Open Practice requests can be submitted HERE.

Wednesday, June 10

Registration

6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Trailer Parking

6:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Practice

From 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET, on June 10, an Open Practice session will be available for crews unable to launch during their scheduled time due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., flight cancellations). Open Practice requests can be submitted HERE.

Graduation Ceremony

The 2026 USRowing Youth National Championships Graduation Ceremony will take place at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, June 10. All families, teammates, spectators, and supporters are welcome to attend.

776BC Co-founder and two-time Olympian and 2008 Olympic Silver Medalist in the Australian Men’s 4-, Cameron McKenzie-McHarg, will be giving the keynote commencement address.

Senior athletes participating in the ceremony should complete this form HERE, and teams are encouraged to nominate an outstanding senior athlete to serve as the 2026 Class Speaker by filling out this form HERE. To ensure that every graduate is recognized, please have athlete names submitted by Sunday, June 7 at 5:00 p.m. (ET).

Thursday, June 11

Registration

6:00 a.m. - end of racing

Time Trials

Final schedule and draw will be posted June 2.

Coaches Happy Hour

More information TBA!

Friday, June 12

Registration

6:00 a.m. - end of racing

Sprint Racing

A/B Semifinals will run Friday morning. All ‘Youth’ E Finals will follow on Friday afternoon.

Toast in the Tower

Celebrating Community, Connection, and Belonging in Rowing

Toast in the Tower is a celebration of the diverse individuals and communities helping shape the future of rowing. Hosted during the 2026 USRowing Youth National Championships in Sarasota, Florida, this gathering brings together athletes, coaches, referees, families, and supporters for an evening centered on connection and community.

Join us on Friday, June 12, at 7 p.m. ET in the VIP area (2nd floor of the finish tower) to hear from guest speakers, connect with others across the rowing community, and enjoy refreshments together. Through storytelling, celebration, and shared experiences, Toast in the Tower reflects United We Row’s commitment to cultivating welcoming environments where everyone can feel seen, valued, and supported in the sport.

Get tickets HERE

Saturday, June 13

Registration

6:00 a.m. - end of racing

Sprint Racing

U16 and U17 B Finals and all C and D Finals will run Saturday.

If time in the schedule allows, practice will be available for crews racing on Sunday, that didn’t get to race on Saturday (A & B Finals Crews). If time in the schedule allows, practice will start 30 minutes after racing concludes. A decision on if practice will be available will be made once the final schedule is posted.

Sunday, June 14

Registration

6:00 a.m. - end of racing

Sprint Racing

A Finals will be held Sunday morning. B Finals for Youth events will be held after A Final events on Sunday afternoon.

Awards

The awards ceremony schedule will be posted after the final schedule is posted.

Livestream

The 2026 USRowing Youth National Championships will be live streamed on Overnight.

Watch Racing on Overnght!(opens in new window)

Awards Ceremony

More Information Coming Soon!

Volunteer Policy & Sign-Up

Volunteers are a critical component of all regattas. Our sport’s sustainability and success rely heavily on these dedicated supporters, who help ensure that our rowers, teams, coaches, spectators, and more have a safe, fair, and rewarding experience. The purpose of this policy is to provide additional volunteer support at USRowing-owned regattas to Local Organizing Committees (LOCs).