What’s New for the 2025 USRowing Regattas?

USRowing 2025 regatta entry packets are now available. USRowing is excited to provide a full slate of youth, open, U23, Para, and masters events this spring and summer. There have been some notable changes that are highlighted below. All competitors, coaches, spectators, etc., should refer to the regatta entry packet for a full summary and rule breakdown of each regatta. 

General 

Entry Fees

While USRowing has kept entry fees flat for the last two regatta seasons, in 2025 they will increase by $20. This increase is due to rising regatta costs which include increased emphasis on safeguarding (lifeguards at every regatta, additional shade structures, cooling stations, and increased water access for athletes), Local Organizing Committees expenses rising, and additional referee support and expenses. These adjustments help ensure a safe, well-run, and high-quality experience for all participants.  

USRowing Regatta Cost Breakdown

To help better understand the change in entry fees and how USRowing’s regatta hosting cost’s breakdown, we have broken out expenses across several key areas. For sake of transparency, we are sharing the allocation of expenses against revenue for all owned regattas.  

Local Organizing Committee  (35%)

• Venue Set Up, Facilities, Course, 

Referees  (20%)

• Accommodations, meals, travel, per diem  

Regatta Operations (15%)

• All operations to run the event such as insurance, safeguarding expenses, signage, supplies, etc. 

Regatta Experiences (10%)

• Broadcast production, athlete gifts, special events (Graduation Ceremony, Boat Brilliance/Toast in The Tower etc.) 

Timing & Technology (10%)

• Timing , Platform Fees 

USRA Admin (10%)

• Staff costs  

Open Gender

Previously, Open Gender events required at least half of the boat to be non-binary athletes. Starting in 2025, these events will be open to athletes of any gender identity, without restrictions on boat composition. 

The goal remains to create opportunities for non-binary and gender-diverse athletes to compete outside of binary categories. Currently, many non-binary athletes have self-categorized themselves as a binary gender based on their sex assigned at birth – this occurred because some regattas do not have Open Gender events, so they must pick a binary gender to compete. This self-categorization became a barrier to participation in the Open Gender events because their binary gender identity impacted boat composition.  As a result, gender will no longer be monitored for Open Gender 2x events. 

RowFest

RowFest continues to be a celebration of the sport, combining National Championship racing with opportunities for athletes to gain experience and compete in different boat classes and lineups. Based on feedback from competitors, we’ve made the following changes: 

• The new format will follow a heats-to-finals progression, eliminating time trials.
• To accommodate this, some races will now be 1,000 meters instead of 2,000 meters.
• The schedule will include:
  • 2,000-meter races for U23, Open, and Youth athletes in select events at the beginning of the week.
  • 1,000-meter races for U23, Open, Youth, and U17 athletes in the later days of the event.
  • Masters athletes will continue to race 1,000 meters over the last four days of RowFest.
• Racing opportunities for U23, Open, and Youth athletes will be spread across all four days. 

We’re excited to bring this revamped event structure while maintaining the same fun and engaging atmosphere. RowFest will continue to feature an athlete clubhouse, grandstands, jumbotron, vendor village, coastal rowing demos, and learning & development opportunities, all within the new rowing venue in Ypsilanti-Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

Masters Series  

In 2025, all Masters Regional Championships will remain on the same weekend. 

When USRowing announced its three-year regatta plan in 2022, part of the strategy was to schedule all Masters Series events on the same weekend to generate excitement around Masters competitions and allow athletes to follow results from across the country. 

We understand there is interest in splitting the weekend so athletes can compete in multiple events, and we will continue to evaluate that possibility. However, for 2025, logistical challenges—including Local Organizing Committee constraints, permit limitations, and member organization availability, made it impractical to change the schedule. 

Youth Series

U15 Events

The U15 events have been removed from the Youth National Championships for health, safety, and athlete wellness reasons. This shift will better align with the event’s long-term athlete development goals. Click here for a full summary.  

Bid Reallocation

Leading into the 2025 season, USRowing prioritized formalizing our relationships with USRowing Youth National Championships Qualifying Partner Regattas to ensure that fairness and safety are at the forefront of every qualifying racing experience. 

USRowing is excited to announce that all bids earned at qualifying regattas for the 2025 USRowing Youth National Championships will be automated on the RegattaCentral platform. Thanks to strategic partnerships and technology integrations, various timing platforms will automatically upload race results, triggering the Youth Nationals bid notification system. This system will also manage roll-down bid allocations based on specific qualification requirements (e.g., a 1V 8+ entry being necessary to qualify a 2V 8+). A detailed summary of the steps coaches and programs need to take before registering for the 2025 Youth National Championships will be included in the entry packet and shared via email in the coming weeks.   

Here are the bid partnerships for the 2025 USRowing Youth National Championships: