Young sailors air it out at part one of Fair Haven’s centennial regatta, in July. This weekend’s edition will feature high school rowing crews. (Click to enlarge)
By REBECCA DESFOSSE
Not finished celebrating either its centennial year or its waterfront heritage, Fair Haven plans to take it to our beautiful Navesink River this Saturday.
The Fair Haven Centennial Crew Regatta will feature an afternoon of racing, with local rowing crews from Christian Brothers Academy, Navesink River Rowing, Ranney School, and RFH Crew all vying for a coveted Centennial Cup.
The regatta marks the second water-based celebration of the centennial, the first of which was a sailing event back in July. Including boating events in the yearlong celebration “helps to recognize the important role the Navesink River has played in Fair Havens history,” Mayor Ben Lucarelli said in a prepared announcement.
Fair Haven Yacht Works will open its doors to visitors who want to view the races from a riverside front seat. Two-, four- and eight-person rowing crews will compete in about a dozen races. Rowers will take on a 1,000-meter course, running from east to west along the southern shore of the Navesink River, towards the finish line opposite the beach at DeNormandie Avenue.
Lucarelli will present a Men’s and a Women’s Centennial Cup to the winning crews of the signature Varsity events. Lucarelli said that he is honored to be hosting a regatta for local crews. He hopes to continue the event annually, eventually inviting more high school teams from all over New Jersey to compete.
The regatta runs from 2 to 4 p.m.
