OARCA was incorporated with a mission “To promote, support, encourage and present the sport of Open Water and Coastal Rowing in British Columbia and Canada”. Feeling that we needed a key initiating event to build public awareness and excitement, we hosted the first World Rowing Coastal Championships to be held in North America in October of 2018. With the help of more than 360 volunteers, it was a very successful event attended by 385 athletes from 22 different countries.

After many agonizing discussions, we decided that we would apply to become an office RCA rowing club. We didn’t want to loose our mission to promote the sport of coastal rowing, but we thought we could augment that by offering programs and camps for coastal rowers. To that end, we applied to the RCA Board of Directors and were granted club status in April of 2023. We are now working on establishing programs and thinking about options for the future programs and camps. The best place for an update on these is via the Join Us page.

Although we are now a club, we don’t want to loose sight of our mission to promote and support coastal rowing. To that end, we see a future roles for a rejuvenated OARCA could include:

• Advocate – provide experienced, reasoned and unified viewpoints and perspectives to decision makers and others. Play an advisory role to RCA, provincial rowing associations, clubs and rowers.
• Inform – provide clear and accurate information primarily through a renewed website. This might include:
  • Event listing, including regattas and other events where coastal rowing would be welcomed, as well as training opportunities, come & try days, etc. The schedule would be national and international.
  • Technical information, primarily garnered from other sources but amalgamated and organized.
  • Advice relevant to administrators, event organizers.
  • Forum for Canadians to discuss coastal rowing.
• Inspire – showcase the excitement of coastal rowing and highlight the opportunities it offers for learn to rows and attracting new people to the sport of rowing, touring, new types of competition, etc. There are incredible stories to be shared.
• Support – OARCA is doing its best to not only promote local events but offer advice to others as requested. OARCA can support other organizations and individuals in the development and operation of events and activities related to coastal rowing in Canada, and potentially North America and elsewhere. This might include:
  • Offering advice and experience gained from the 2018 WRCC.
  • Offering advice and experience gained from hosting local (Victoria) endurance and beach sprint events.
  • Offering advice and experience on other aspects of coastal rowing, including touring, camps, learn to rows.
  • Presence at events and meetings.
  • Small financial support of selected events, particularly those encouraging coastal rowing and skill building camps.