The Time to Try Rowing is Now!

By Lisa D’Aniello Chase

Community. Fitness. The great outdoors. A chance to disconnect from the busy day-to-day. Enjoying a coffee with teammates after a hard practice.

It would be impossible to pick just one reason why adults of all ages return to the rivers and lakes each spring, many waking before the sun even rises, eagerly anticipating that first clean stroke in the water after a winter of land training. 

For Rachel Caramadre of Saratoga Rowing Association, her introduction to rowing was two years ago after her daughter joined the high school team and other moms encouraged her to participate in winter training. “The plan was to train with friends, and never to really get on the water. But when spring came around I didn’t want to stop. From the first moment getting into the boat I was totally hooked.”

Our region has four long-standing rowing clubs that offer the sport to new and experienced Masters rowers, the term “Masters” referring essentially to any adult rowers: Saratoga Rowing Association (SRA), Burnt Hills Rowing Association (BHRA), Aqueduct Rowing Club in Niskayuna, and Albany Rowing Center (ARC). All four clubs offer Learn To Row opportunities for adults as well as training sessions for more experienced rowers. The four Masters clubs all have rowers as young as their 20s up through 70s and beyond. “Rowing is definitely a sport for all ages,” says John Short, one of the Masters coaches at BHRA. “If you are physically able to get in and out of a boat, then you can do it.”  

Septuagenarian Louise Farrell signed up for a Learn to Row class at ARC in 2003 at age 54. “When I first dipped my oar into the Hudson River and took a stroke, the exhilaration convinced me I’d never stop rowing – so far, so good!”

With the Mohawk and Hudson rivers, as well as Fish Creek (which connects to Saratoga Lake), the greater Capital Region offers many opportunities for the aspiring rower. Each of these magnificent waterways is “a hidden gem [that rowing] provides direct access to,” remarks Andrew Millspaugh, who started rowing as a middle schooler at Niskayuna and returned to the Mohawk a few years ago to row with Aqueduct.

Multiple rowers from around the region commented on the robust wildlife, ranging from bald eagles and blue herons to splashings of various fish species, as well as pristine, untouched shores. Not to mention the opportunity to see numerous spectacular sunrises and sunsets. 

Rowing is known to be an early morning sport, and while many cringe at the thought of 5:30am practice times, each club does offer alternative options, ranging from mid-morning sessions at Saratoga to evening practice times at Burnt Hills, Aqueduct, and Albany. 

Contrary to popular belief, rowing is not just an upper body workout, and actually engages nearly every muscle group, predominantly using leg power and the body as a lever to drive the oar (in the case of sweep rowing) or oars (for sculling) through the water. Strength and stamina are key, and athletes coming from other endurance sports such as running or cycling frequently adapt quite well to rowing. However, numerous “non-athletes” who give rowing a try can find themselves also sticking with it and quickly getting in shape.

“Unlike sports like tennis or basketball, which often require a natural knack, rowing rewards dedication,” points out ARC rower, Eric Breimer, a Siena professor and longtime runner who started rowing four years ago in his 40s. For Eric, rowing has become a family passion. His daughter Shannon first picked it up as a high school freshman in 2020, learning to row in a single during the pandemic and quickly became a standout. The following year, wanting to assist with the need for coaches, Eric earned USRowing coaching certification – but hadn’t actually ever taken a rowing stroke himself. So that summer, he and his wife, Michelle, signed up for ARC’s month-long Learn to Row session.

“What started as a leap of faith became a family passion. Today, my wife and I row nearly every morning, and I serve as ARC’s President. Rowing has brought us closer as a family in the last four years. We have brought my daughter to over 50 regattas. My wife and I have raced in about 20 of them. These races have been some of the most memorable experiences of my life.” 

Once a new rower has completed Learn to Row (typically four-to-six weeks), they can then shift into the experienced Masters groups. It can be a challenging transition but newer rowers experience rapid improvement once immersed with the more seasoned Masters. “People who row really love the sport and remember what it was like to try it for the first time, so you will always have help and support as you give it a try,” says ARC team captain Rebecca Clark.

While many Masters rowers find themselves on the water five-to-six times a week and racing half a dozen or more times per year, many also participate to a much lesser extent. Racing is entirely optional, and practice is never mandatory. It is understood that many of the Masters are balancing work, family life, and other commitments, so each rower can participate in a way that works for them. The other rowers and coaches understand and respect that. SRA rower Lise Hafner adds, “All coaches are dedicated to improving every rower’s technique and strength and helping them reach their personal goals while finding the joy in being part of the rowing community.”  

Rowing is known to be a somewhat expensive sport, but when you break it down, the cost to row with the local clubs works out to range from $10-20 per practice. Notably, most of the clubs do offer financial aid to those who need it. 

And no price can be put on the benefits you get out of participating. “The atmosphere is so welcoming and friendly, and the Mohawk on a summer day is one of the best places to be in the world. The feel of a good row with the right people is incomparable and almost addictive. The rhythm of the stroke, the strong push through the drive, and glide at the finish can make you feel like you’re truly connected to the rest of the team and striving for something more, as one powerful unit. Rowing is something that I’ll carry with me my entire life,” says Helen Gutelius, Masters rower and program coordinator for BHRA.

That connection – to the water, for sure, but also to the others in the boat – is a key component of the Masters’ rowing scene. Nearly everyone interviewed for this article cited their teammates and the rowing community as a whole as what motivates them and keeps them coming back for more. 

Amy Landauer-Ruder, rower and former president of Aqueduct, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary, was proud to share about the local Hat Race, which started as an Aqueduct-only event and expanded last August to include all of the Masters clubs in the area. New and experienced rowers are mixed together (lineups drawn from a hat) for race pieces on the Mohawk. “I love any opportunity to bring folks together, so this was particularly exciting for me,” Amy remarks.

While all four of the clubs offer multiweek Learn to Row Sessions starting as early as this month, there are also opportunities to test the waters (pun intended) with the upcoming National Learn to Row Day. The event, promoted by USRowing, is typically held in early June each year. The goal is for rowing clubs across the country to offer a free opportunity for the public to get a taste of what rowing has to offer. ARC will have boathouse tours and the chance to row in a boat on Saturday, June 7 from 9:30am-12pm; Aqueduct will host theirs with tours and rowing on Sunday, June 8 from 10am-12pm; and Burnt Hills will host theirs a few weeks earlier on Monday, May 19 from 6-8pm. Ages 12 and up are welcome to participate.

Albany Rowing Center – Masters Learn to Row: MWF 6:30-8pm ($250) – LTR 1: 6/23-7/18 and LTR 2: 7/21-8/15. Youth Learn to Row ($275): Weekly camps M-F 9am-12pm starting 6/16 for ages 12-18. Register: albanyrowingcenter.org.

Aqueduct Rowing Club – Masters Learn to Row ($235): 7/8-31: Tu/Th 5:30-7:30pm. Youth Learn to Row ($300) for grades 6+: Offered through Niskayuna Rowing (contact gliberman@edrdpc.com) on M-F 8:30-11:30am: Session 1: 6/30-7/11, Session 2: 7/14-25, and Session 3: 8/18-29. Register: aqueductrowingclub.com.

Burnt Hills Rowing Association – Masters Learn to Row ($130): Tu/Th  6-8pm: Session 1: 5/13-6/26 and Session 2: 7/15 -8/28. Youth Learn to Row ($225) for grade 7+: Two-week camps 9am-2pm starting in July. Register: bhrow.com.

Saratoga Rowing Association – Masters Learn to Row ($245): 7/8-31: Tu/Th 6-8pm. Youth Learn to Row ($265) for 7th and 8th grades 7-8: 9am-12pm: Session 1: 6/30-7/11, Session 2: 7/14-25, and Session 3: 7/28-8/8. Weekly Sculling Camps ($310) for grades 4-8: Starting July 7, 8:30-11:30am. Register: saratogarowing.com.

If you made it this far and feel a glimmer of interest in rowing, consider following this advice by ARC rower Samin Khan: “Give it a try. It’s unbelievably peaceful. It’s the only place where you can be completely disconnected from devices and distractions. There’s something magical about floating on the river, surrounded by wildlife – just existing.”

Lisa D’Aniello Chase (lisachase459@gmail.com) of Delmar competed in rowing and track at Niskayuna High School and then Marist College 20+ years ago and continues both sports today. She is an elementary teacher and mom to Addie and Will, with whom she set the Guiness World Record in the double stroller mile in 2024.