Please check back here for information regarding the 2011 Regatta including online Registration, schedules, events, hotels, etc.

Until then, happy training and thank you for your support!

Three world marks fall before crowd of 6,000 at Agganis Arena during C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints

February 18, 2010 (BOSTON, MA)  The 29th annual C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints, known as the World Indoor Rowing Championships, took place on Sunday, February 14 at Boston University’s Agganis Arena before a record crowd of 6,000, a figure that topped the previous attendance mark by 1,500 people.  Athletes from a diverse collection of nations including Egypt, Hungary, Peru, and Angola vied for the famed “Hammer” trophy on Concept2 Model D Ergometers (rowing machines).  The consistency and exacting simulation of the rowing stroke on these machines have made them the gold standard for indoor rowing training for all athletes particularly at the Olympic level, in health clubs, and for physical rehabilitation.

Over 2,000 competitors rowed 2,000 meters against the clock in various categories that included Men’s and Women’s Open, Lightweight, Under-23, and Junior (eighteen and under) divisions.  There were also Master and Veteran brackets for older competitors. Competitors ranged in skill/accomplishment levels from Olympic and world-class athletes to first-year rowers at the club and student level.

A special feature of this year’s C.R.A.S.H.-B. program was the inclusion of mentally and physically challenged athletes for the first time.  Thirty-eight people from the adaptive program at Community Rowing, Inc in Brighton (MA), the Paralympic Military Program, and other local and international organizations rowed 1,000 meters on Concept2 Ergometers adapted to meet their individual needs.  “We were delighted to host an Adaptive Championship this year.   Across the Board of Directors, and with strong support from our major sponsor Concept2, we felt it was important to the sport that there be this kind of opportunity for all competitors,” said event director and president of C.R.A.S.H.-B., Linda Muri.

Three world records were set, all in lightweight divisions.  Laurette Rindlaub set the mark in the division for Veteran Lightweight Women aged 75-79 with a time just over nine minutes (9:08.9), while Ingrid Peterson captured the top spot in the 65-69 Veteran Lightweight Women’s group by pulling a 7:56.9.  Robert Spengler rowed a time of 8:13.6 to set the world standard for Veteran Lightweight Men aged 85-89.

In the Open Women’s division, 3-time Olympian Julia Levina (6:43.1) took silver home to Russia going up against new comer to the sport, former Canada Basketball National Teamer, Carolyn Ganes who came first (6:40.4).  4-time Olympian Eskild Ebbesen (Denmark) won the Lightweight Master Men’s event ages 30-39 (6:15.8) besting 2004 Lightweight Single Sculls World Champion Peter Ording by nearly 7 seconds.  World Record holder Ursula Grobler won the Lightweight Women’s event (6:57.5) with 2009 Lightweight Women’s Double World Champions and 2008 Olympic team mates from Greece, Alexandra Tsiavou finished second (7:07.0) and Christina Giazitzidou finished thrid (7:07.5).

4-time multisport Paralympian and Beijing bronze medalist Laura Schwanger won the first Adaptive Championship in the Women’s Arms-Shoulders division (5:09.0).  2008 Paralympian Ron Harvey won the Men’s division (4:11.2).  2008 Paralympian and Beijing silver medalist Emma Preuschl won the Women’s Legs-Trunk-Arms event (3:49.7).  Preuschl is also a Dad Vail bronze medalist from Purdue.

The United Kingdom, with 34 male and female rowers, had the most foreign entrants, while Germany and Denmark were next with 21 and 19 respectively.  The United States had 1,778 rowers entered in the regatta.  German rowers including Junior Single Sculls World Champion Felix Bach took home eleven medals at the competition, the most for any nation. CRI had the most competitors from any one club with 39.

The C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints originated in 1982 when a group of Boston rowers, many of whom were members of the United States National and Olympic Rowing teams training out of Harvard University’s Newell Boathouse, named themselves the “Charles River All-Star Has-Beens” and organized the first indoor meet of its kind.  Today, the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints are recognized as the premier indoor rowing regatta in the world.

Please direct future media inquiries to Linda Muri, president of the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints, via email: lindamuri@crash-b.org.

For further information, visit the official web site for the event at http://crash-b.org.

Three World Records fell at the CRASH-Bs, the World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston, USA. The Valentines Day erg regatta lived up to its reputation with athletes from plenty of nations fronting up to go as hard as they could over the 2,000m distance.

Read more at this FISA link.

Boston University’s Agganis Arena to host Olympians among 2,000 athletes for the World Indoor Rowing Championships

February 11, 2010 (BOSTON, MA) – The 29^th annual C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints will take place on Sunday, February 14 at Agganis Arena. Athletes from a diverse collection of nations including Egypt, Hungary, Peru, and Angola will vie for the famed “Hammer” trophy on Concept2 Model D Ergometers (rowing machines).  The consistency and exacting simulation of the rowing stroke on these machines, have made them the gold standard for indoor rowing training for all athletes particularly at the Olympic level, in health clubs, and for physical rehabilitation.

The United Kingdom, with 34 male and female rowers, has the most foreign entrants, while Germany and Denmark are next with 21 and 19 respectively. The United States has 1,778 rowers entered in the regatta.  Community Rowing, Inc. in Brighton (MA) has the most competitors from any one club with 39.

Racing 2,000 meters against the clock, rowers will compete in several categories including Men’s and Women’s Open, Lightweight, Under-23, and Junior (eighteen and under) divisions. There are also Master’s and Veteran’s brackets for older competitors. Competitors range in skill/accomplishment levels from Olympic and world-class athletes to first-year rowers at the club and student level.

The heats begin at 9:00 AM and conclude by 5:30 PM. Admission for spectators is free.

Eskild Ebbesen from Denmark and Julia Levina from Russia, rowers at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, join Ron Harvey, Emma Preuschl, and Laura Schwanger of the United States Paralympic Team as featured competitors. Ebbesen is a four-time Olympian who has earned three gold medals and one bronze; Levina is a three-time Olympian and won a bronze medal at Sydney 2000; Preuschl, a silver medalist at Beijing 2008, is also a Dad Vail bronze medalist; Schwanger, a four-time multi-sport Paralympian, is a bronze medalist from Beijing 2008.

A special feature of this year’s C.R.A.S.H.-B. program is the inclusion of mentally and physically challenged athletes for the first time. Forty-four people from the adaptive program at Community Rowing, Inc., the Paralympic Military Program, and other local and international organizations will row 1,000 meters on Concept2 Ergometers adapted to meet their individual needs.

The C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints originated in 1982 when a group of Boston rowers, many of whom were members of the United States National and Olympic Rowing teams training out of Harvard University’s Newell Boathouse, named themselves the “Charles River All-Star Has-Beens” and organized the first indoor meet of its kind. Today, the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints are recognized as the premier indoor rowing regatta in the world.

Please direct media inquiries to Linda Muri, president of the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints, via email: lindamuri@crash-b.org.

For further information, visit the official web site for the event at http://crash-b.org

Boston University’s Agganis Arena to host over 2,200 competitors for the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints

January 20, 2010 (BOSTON, MA) – The 29th annual C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints, recognized as the premier indoor rowing regatta in the world, will take place on Sunday, February 14, at Boston University’s Agganis Arena. Competitors from around the globe, including World and Olympic medalists, will vie for the famed “Hammer” trophy on Concept2 Model D Ergometers (rowing machines).

Racing 2,000 meters against the clock, rowers will compete in several categories including Men’s and Women’s Open, Lightweight, Under-23, and Junior (eighteen and under) divisions. There are also Master’s and Veteran’s brackets for older competitors.

Heats begin at 9:00 AM and conclude by 6:00 PM. Admission for spectators is free.

This year marks the first time that the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints will host an Adaptive Rowing Division for mentally and physically-challenged participants. Athletes from the adaptive program at Community Rowing Inc. in Brighton (MA), the Paralympic Military Program, and many others will go 1,000 meters on specially-altered Ergometers to meet their respective needs.

“The popularity of rowing continues to grow,” said Linda Muri, President of the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints and head coach for freshman lightweight rowing at Harvard University. “Our event is the highlight of the winter indoor training season and we’re excited about welcoming such a diverse collection of athletes this year.”

The C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints, known as the World Indoor Rowing Championships, originated in 1982 when a group of Boston rowers, many of whom were members of the United States National and Olympic Rowing Teams training out of Harvard University’s Newell Boathouse, named themselves the “Charles River All-Star Has-Beens” and organized the first indoor meet of its kind in the world. Twenty-eight years later, athletes from as far away as China and New Zealand (ranging in age from fourteen to ninety in 2009) are welcomed to Boston each year for this grueling race against the clock.

Media inquiries may be directed to Linda Muri via email: lindamuri@crash-b.org.

For further information, please visit the official web site for the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints at http://crash-b.org.

Why spend your Valentines Day eating boxed chocolate when you could be erging? This February 14^th Boston University’s Agganis Arena opens to the rowing community for the 2010 C.R.A.S.H.-B Sprints. The event, which stands for Charles River All Star Has Beens, hosts over 2,000 rowers making it the largest indoor rowing event of the year.

Read more from out friends at Rowing News.

Registration for the 2010 C.R.A.S.H.-.B. Sprints World Indoor Rowing Championships is now open.  Please follow this link to online Registration.  Registration will close at midnight (EST) February 1, 2010.  Late registrations will not be accepted.  For possible day-of event registration, check out information on the Bullpen.  Attention.  Go!

Is it too late to enter?

The deadline to enter the 2011 C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints World Indoor Rowing Championships has has not yet been established. Entries are not yet being accepted for 2011.

What does C.R.A.S.H.-B. stand for?

“Charles River All Star Has-Beens” For more on the name and its history, please see “C.R.A.S.H.-B. History” section.

What drag factor do I have to use?

You may use any drag factor setting you choose.  However, you may not change the setting once the race has begun.  (The Charley Butt rule)

Why do I need to submit a 2k time?

To make the event more exciting for the competitors, C.R.A.S.H.-B. tries to group similarly paced competitors together in their heats.

What is the qualifying time for my event?

There are no qualifying times to race in the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints.  Some competitors are sponsored by Concept2 through their Satellite Regatta series.  More information on that can be found here.

What is my age group?

For Masters (30-39), Senior Masters (40-49), and Veterans (50+ in 5-year increments), age is determined as of race day.  For Juniors and Under-23 competitors, your age is determined by the year of your birth.  Under-23 event participants (ages 18-22) must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 1989 and before Jan. 1, 1993.  Junior event participants (ages 14–18) must have been born on or after January 1, 1993 AND be enrolled in high school (or lower grade) as of race day.  No one under the age of 14 may compete.

What is the age cutoff for Juniors?

Junior event participants (ages 14–18) must have been born on or after January 1, 1993 AND be enrolled in high school (or lower grade) as of race day.

What is the age cutoff for Under-23?

Under-23 event participants (ages 18-22) must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 1989 and before Jan. 1, 1993.

I’m still in high school; why am I not a Junior?

C.R.A.S.H.-B. rules state that Juniors must meet the age requirement and also be enrolled in high school (or lower grade) as of race day.  High school students who are no longer Junior aged will race in the Junior event, but have their time denoted as High School and posted in the Open (no age restrictions) results.

I’m Junior aged, but I’m in college; why can’t I race as a Junior?

C.R.A.S.H.-B. rules state that Juniors must meet the age requirement and also be enrolled in high school (or lower grade) as of race day.  College students who are Junior aged will race in the Open (no age restrictions) events, but have their time denoted as Junior and posted in the Open results.

Do I need to be FISA classified to race in the adaptive events?

No.  C.R.A.S.H.-B is allowing adaptive athletes to self-classify for the 2010 event.

What are the weight cutoffs?

Coxswains must be 130lb or less for men and 120lb or less for women.  Lightweights must be 165lb or less for men and 135lb or less for women.

What is the distance raced?

All adaptive events are 1000m.  All able-bodied events are 2000m.

What is the race schedule?

The schedule is posted here.

When does the race schedule post?

We will post the final schedule in early February following the close of registration.  Until then, the tentative schedule will be posted here.

Is there a warm-up area?

The warm up area is adjacent to the competition floor.  See this map of the Race Floor.

I missed the awards ceremony; how do I receive my medal?

If you are still on site, identify yourself to one of the C.R.A.S.H.-B. officials.  Otherwise, we will send it to you in the mail.

What are the qualifying times?

There are no qualifying times to race in the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints.  Some competitors are sponsored by Concept2 through their Satellite Regatta series.  More information on that can be found here.

When does entry registration open?

Registration typically opens in mid-December.   This is the link to Registration.

Why are some people in the front row and others not?

C.R.A.S.H.-B. tries to group similarly paced competitors together in their heats.  Based on recent 2k times as submitted by the competitors, when possible we place the fastest competitors within each heat in the front row.

How does seeding work?

Based on recent 2k times as submitted by the competitors, whenever possible the 16 fastest competitors are placed in the front bank of ergs.  The next 32 (17-48) times would be arranged on two adjacent same-side banks of ergs, and the next 32 (49-80) times would be arranged on the opposite two adjacent same-side banks of ergs.  In events with fewer entries, competitors will be arranged on adjacent ergs within a bank or more of ergs.   Seeding is set up in a chevron formation with the faster competitors in the center.

Can I bring my own coach/coxswain onto the floor?

Each competitor will be given one ticket at Athlete Check-in to allow one person (coach, coxswain, friend, etc) to accompany him/her onto the competition floor.

Can my friends/team come with me onto the floor?

Each competitor will be given one ticket at Athlete Check-in to allow one person to accompany him/her onto the competition floor.

Can I get a refund if I can’t race?

C.R.A.S.H.-B. does not provide refunds.

Can someone take my place?

No.  For liability reasons, substitutions are not allowed.

Can I use someone else’s entry?

No.  For liability reasons, substitutions are not allowed.

I missed the entry deadline.  How can I make a late entry?

Please check out the information in the Bullpen section of our site for Bullpen rules and heat time.  If space and time allow, you may be able to  register day-of for $25.  Bullpen entries are limited and the race will happen early in the day if it happens at all.

What is the Bullpen and why should I go there?

If you missed the entry deadline, the Bullpen is a possible way to enter on the day of competition.  If space and time allow, it is limited to a first-come, first-serve basis.

Please check out the information in the Bullpen section of our site for Bullpen rules and heat time.  If space and time allow, you may be able to  register day-of for $25.  Bullpen entries are limited and the race will happen early in the day if it happens at all.

Can I buy a used erg?

Concept2 sells the ergs used in the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints for a discount.  Information on the C.R.A.S.H.-B Offer can be found here.

When can I purchase a regatta t-shirt?

On race day, C.R.A.S.H.-B. will be selling commemorative t-shirts.  Once they’re gone, they’re gone.  Click on  T-Shirts under the Marketplace tab to see this year’s design.

What items will you be selling this year?

Aside from our famous t-shirts, you can find a list of vendors who will be attending the Sprints by clicking on Marketplace.

Where can I find photos of me racing?

We do not take photos of every competitor, but you may find photos on our web site gallery or on Concept2’s C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints coverage.

Where can I find video of me racing?

We do not shoot video, but you may find some on Concept2’s C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints coverage.

Are there shower facilities available?

Yes.  And, they’re free of charge.

Where is the information on hotels?

The Royal Sonesta and Marlowe hotels have again partnered with C.R.A.S.H.-B. and Concept2 to provide special rates for our 2010 entrants.  Please follow the Sonesta Special offer or Marlowe Special offer for the C.R.A.S.H.-B. rates.

How can I volunteer?

We have plenty of jobs to fill.  Please complete and submit our volunteer form.