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The Gay + Lesbian Rowing Federation became one of the inaugural members of the Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association (GLISA) when the GLRF application for membership was approved by the GLISA board. GLRF was admitted as an International Sports Federation. Membership in GLISA is comprised of three categories: International Sports Federations, Continental Sports Association, and Host Cities.
The GLRF Board of Directors decided to submit an application for membership as an International Sports Federation because it saw an opportunity to shape the direction and future of this new sports organization. Additionally, membership is appropriate because part of the mission of GLRF is to promote international sports competition. Since GLISA licenses the new World Outgames, which features an international rowing regatta, it follows that membership in GLISA would be goof for gay and lesbian rowing.
One of the key features of this new sports association is the creation and maintenance of a quadrennial sports calendar. This concept is key to further developing gay and lesbian sports. The idea is to encourage sports competitions at every level: local, regional, national, and international, in a sequential manner. Athletes will now have a structured, scheduled set of competitions that will act to develop and improve their performance through regularly scheduled events.
Montréal’s Olympic Basin on Île Notre-Dame was the centre of activity on Saturday, 31 July and Sunday, 1 August for the 11th Edition of the Rowing Canada Cup, a competition that brought together about 350 elite Canadian athletes. Staff and volunteers from the 1st World Outgames were present for the entire weekend to lend a hand to the Rowing Canada Cup Organising Committee.
Top rowing athletes from each province — the future members of the Canadian national rowing team —participated in the Cup. The event attracted a large number of spectators who cheered on the athletes who will represent Canada in future national and international competitions.
Michel Prescott, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the City of Montréal, presented medals to winners at the close of the tournament on Sunday.
The Gay and Lesbian Rowing Federation (GLRF) held its GLRF Montreal City Launch as part of the competition weekend. The GLRF also had an information kiosk and held a Sunday afternoon summer social and barbeque at the Olympic Basin organised in collaboration with the Montréal Rowing Club.
The GLRF banner was on display at the World Class Oberschleissheim Rowing Centre for the two days of the EuroGames 2004 Rowing Regatta, 20 – 31 Jul 2004. Some of the more notable observers were the Dutch National Rowing Team and Deutschland’s multiple World Champion single sculler and rowing celebrity, Marcel Hacker.
GLRF hosted an information kiosk at the rowing course, featuring information and brochures, the GLRF Summer50 Henley shirts, and the promotional information on the 2006 Montreal World Outgames Regatta and the 2006 Chicago Gay Games Regatta. GLRF also issued a press release announcing its debut on the European Continent.
At the conclusion of the regatta, rowers were invited to the GLRF Munich City Launch Social, held at the Seitensprung Bistro, in the heart of Munich’s gay and lesbian district. See the summary of the city launch: www_glrf_info_ABOUT_GLRF_MEDIA_2004_City_Launch_Munich_City.pdf Over 45 sun burned, blistered rowers drank beer, at schnitzel and strudel, and enjoyed the warm Munich evening before heading out to the big EuroGames Orange Party Dance.
The sun shone brilliantly on Friday and Saturday, 30 - 31 Jul for a flawless EuroGames 2004 rowing regatta. Held at the world-renowned Munich Oberschleissheim, site of the the 2001 FISA World Championships, the competition included 70 rowers from Norge, Danmark, Nederlands, France, Great Britain, Suisse, Australia, USA, and Deutschland. Crews had the chance to train on Friday afternoon before competing on Saturday afternoon. Fifty boats launched for 14 races between 1500h and 1900h, Saturday, 31 Jul, on smooth as glass water.
The most exciting races were the Mens 8+ with Danmark, Great Britain, and Holland all racing for the first place finish, and the Womens 2x with the crews from Holland and Danmark fighting for the gold. In true rowing tradition, the winning boats from each race proceeded directly to the award dock where the rowers disembarked and stood on the same 1-2-3 blue winners’ boxes used at the FISA World Championships.
After an exhausting day of multiple races, with some rowers competing in several races (Orion’s oarsmen were amazing in that regard), everyone gathered for Lowenbrau beer and chat at the finish line. Hip Hip Hoorah to the regatta organizer, Frank Tjaben, and his regatta volunteer team who arranged the boats, set the race schedule, and orchestrated each race from start to finish. That evening, those crews who were not completely spent gathered for the Munich City Launch.
First, it was a GLRF social at London’s oldest and most prestigious club, the London Rowing Club. With perfect sunny weather, and crews from the nearby rowing clubs coming and going on the riverbank, it was a perfect setting for some beer and chat.
See the GLRF Media page: GLRF_UKCityLaunch2004.pdf
In Nottingham, the staff of the National Champs had all of the GLRF materials prepared and in order. A late night run to the English version of Walmart, known as ASDA, as well as Staples, helped enhance the booth’s look. Rowers from Spain, US, UK, and France stopped by to check out the compelling picture of a rowing course – Montreal’s Olympic Basin. The weather was sunny, windy, rainy, warm, and cool.
Saturday evening brought the GLRF social to Nottingham with a reception at the @D2 pub.
Orion Rowing Club is profiled by QX Magazine as the crew trains for EuroGames 2004:
As part of the ReadyAllBoats! Awareness Campaign, GLRF will host a social for rowers at the London Rowing Club.
The intention of this global initiative is to increase the awareness of GLRF among gay and lesbian rowers, and to energize them to organize boats for the 2006 Montreal World Outgames Regatta, which is sanctioned and calendared by the Federation International des Societes d’Aviron (FISA), and for the 2006 Chicago Gay Games Regatta.
Read the full press release:
GLRFReadyAllBoatsUKv2.pdf
It’s the annual celebration of the Stonewall Riots of 1969, and New Yorkers love it. Everyone got into the act as straight and gay couples of every color, size, and combination strolled the length of Washington Street and checked out the booths.
Then suddenly the spectators came upon 5 sweep oars stretching to the sky. The winds got the best of the booth but the oars held firm as the Gay and Lesbian Rowing Federation promoted rowing in New York City with the launch of a brand new gay and lesbian rowing club, the New York Pride Rowing Association.
The booth featured displays from the Montreal World Outgames, the Chicago Gay Games, and the new gay and lesbian rowing club. To entice the visitors, GLRF featured an erg, and one that is not well known in rowing circles, a WaterRower, so the stares were all the more intense. Many people eyed the GLRF Summer50 Henley shirts and asked how they could get one. That’s easy. Become a supporting member!
Sandwiched between the KY Ultra Lube display and the Men2Men booths, the Gay and Lesbian Rowing Federation stood its ground with two sweep oars guarding the entrance an erg splayed in the entrance for all to try and test. Former rowers like Kevin were quickly doing 1:41 splits and hottie Jason, the tall blond surfer dude seemed to a natural even though he kept saying “Really Rose” as yours truly encouraged him to use more of his legs.
Some visitors came to reminisce about rowing in previous lives, and many came to ask how they could row. As usual, some said, “WOW! I didn’t know this organization existed.” Over 160 flyers were handed out for the Los Angeles Rowing Club, the UCLA Aquatic Center, and the Long Beach Rowing Association.
To Jim, the gay blind rower wanna be, we hope you will pursue the program! There are active adaptive rowing programs worldwide for those with all levels of disabilities. Wanna row?
GLRF hosted a booth at the Anacostia Community Boathouse, the new home for the Stonewall Regatta. Rowers didn’t seem to miss a beat as the regatta location had changed from Thompson’s to Anacostia in the past year. Over 300 participants flocked to the Anacostia River. The morning events had to be canceled due to small craft advisories but the afternoon events, including the fours and eights went off without any problems. The GLRF booth attracted rowers from Lake Carnegie Rowing Association, Potomac Boat Club, Alexandria Community Rowing, the Capital Rowing Club, and multiple Boston rowing organizations. Go Boston Bay Blades!
See the GLRF Media page: GLRF_US_DCLaunch2004.pdf
That evening, rowers headed to the trendy South of Dupont area of DC to sip a cocktail or two at the Iron Gate Inn. Then it was off to dinner and even more drinks
