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VIDEO
MEDIUM WIDE: A rowing team
rows on a lake in the morning
sun.
WIDE: Crowds of people
walking through concessions.
CUT-IN: Kids playing a game
of chance and wining a prize.
CUT-IN: A man passes cotton
candy to a smiling young
girl.
MEDIUM: Images of shells
AUDIO
VOICE:
The annual Royal St. John’s Regatta
is North America’s oldest continuing
annual sporting event. On the first
Wednesday in August, more than 100
rowing crews compete to be the fastest
crew on the pond.
VOICE:
A mid-week civic holiday, the Regatta
attracts up to 40,000 people annually.
More than 250 booths and concessions
blanket the shoreline of Quidi Vidi
Lake and add greatly to the races
being rowed on the Lake. The booths and
concessions are operated by charitable,
athletic, church and fraternal
organizations, and by enterprising
individuals.
VOICE:
The Regatta has been about socializing
as much as it has been about amateur
sport. It is widely known as "The
Largest Garden Party in the World"
and draws attention from all over.
Concession stands, wheels of fortune,
games of chance, food and fun are just
as much part of the history of the
Regatta as the races.
VOICE:
The fixed seat rowing shells are
unique. There are six rowers plus a
coxswain. The races start and finish
at the same spot which requires all
the crews to "turn the buoys" at
the halfway point of the race. A
crews range in age from 14 to senior
citizens. Men’s crews row a 2.450 km
course, women’s crews row a 1.225 km
course.

VIDEO
MONTAGE: Images of historical
crews and St. John’s Harbour.
MONTAGE: Stock footage of
Queen Elizabeth visiting the
Royal St. John’s Regatta in
1978.
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AUDIO
VOICE:
Many historians believe that rowing
and sailing competitions between the
crews from various ships in the harbour
and the local populace pre-date any
of the earliest verifiable mention of
a rowing competition dates back to 12
August 1816. In its early days the boat
races were held over a space of three
days, and old-fashioned gigs and yawls
and long boats were manned by sailors
and fishermen who won cash prizes and
bragging rights.
VOICE:
The Regatta has been visited by members
of the Royal Family, including Prince
Albert Edward (later King Edward) in
1860 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1978. It
has been canceled due to the death of
any Monarch, and any year a Coronation
has taken place or a milestone Jubilee
celebrated, the Regatta has been held
in honour of the Monarch.
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VIDEO AUDIO

MONTAGE: Images of Women’s VOICE:

Rowing Crews from the St. In 1856, a crew of women from Quidi
John’s Regatta. Vidi competed against a crew from
Southside, St. John’s on the waters of
Quidi Vidi Lake. Although St. John’s
had held an annual regatta (Royal
St. John’s Regatta) since 1818, this
race was the first of its kind. It
was almost another century before
women participated again in the St.
John’s Regatta. In 1941, members of
the American military took part in
the races, including crews of WAF
(Women in the Air Force). Further
initiatives to include women in the
races were rebuffed. A 1945 newspaper
column "Notes on the Regatta" reported
the decision of the Regatta Committee
not to include a "Ladies’ Race" in the
Victory Regatta. In 1949, the decision
was overturned, and four crews of women
competed in the historic event. The
spectators gathered to cheer the women
on numbered well over 8,000, one of the
largest crowds reported at Quidi Vidi
Lake.

PAN: Photo of 1901 rowing VOICE:

crew. On August 7th 1901, the Outer Cove
Fishermen’s Crew with the racing shell
"Blue Peter" rowed Quidi Vidi lake
in a record time of 9 minutes 13.45
seconds. The crew consisted of: Martin
Boland, John Nugent, Denis Croke, Denis
McCarthy, Daniel McCarthy, John Whelan
and Walter Power. This record was held
for 80 years until it was broken in
1981 by the Smith Stockley rowing crew.

VIDEO
PAN: A photo of the 1982
rowing crew.
INTERVIEW: Past rowers from
the 1982 rowing crew.
INSERT: Images of the Fire of
1892
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AUDIO
VOICE:
This win was a huge blow to the people
of Outer Cove. In the fall of 1981,
two brothers Mike and Bill Power put
together six men whose sole intention
was bringing the record back to Outer
Cove. This crew was coxed by Mike
Power and included Andrew Boland,
Bert Hickey, Campbell Feehan, Gerald
Ryan, Jim Hibbs, and Owen Devereaux.
In the regatta of 1982, the Outer Cove
men’s crew gave the most dominating
performance in a single race, covering
the course in an astounding 9:03.48.
After reestablishing the record and
winning the Men’s Championship Race
later that day, the pride was back in
Outer Cove. In 2000 we inducted into
the Royal St. John’s Regatta Hall of
Fame.
VOICE:
From 1861 to 1870 there were no
Regattas held due to political and
religious strife within the country
of Newfoundland. It was feared that
such a gathering would instigate
riot and unrest among the many
peoples of the country leading to
more turmoil and anger.
VOICE:
After the fire of 1892, there was
no Regatta held because the shores
of Quidi Vidi were used as temporary
housing for those who lost their homes.
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VIDEO AUDIO

INSERT: Images of troops VOICE:

during WWI. In 1914 the Regatta was held, but
was blackened by the news that war
had erupted in Europe, and that
Newfoundlanders would be shipping
overseas to aid in the war effort
with Britain. Out of respect for those
fighting in the war, no Regattas were
held from 1915 to 1918. There was no
event again in 1940, continuing with
the theme of "No Regatta during War
time". However, American, Canadian
and Newfoundland military commanders
believed that it would be an excellent
distraction from the war and a perfect
opportunity to keep their men in shape
by continuing with the Regatta, and it
was subsequently reinstated in 1941.