Oak Ridge Spring Training
Welcome. The Oak Ridge Rowing Association (ORRA) is looking forward to providing you with a safe and successful spring training experience.
Contact ORRA to reserve your spot to train in Oak Ridge. To confirm your desired week of training please include:
1. Program's Mailing Address (E-mail, Snail) and Contact Information
2. Date of Arrival and Departure
3. Number of athletes you plan to bring (not including Coaches or Coxswains)
4. If you will require launches with or with out motors (limited supply)
5. Desire to reserve course for match racing.
6. Desire to participate in or need more information on the John Hunter Regatta, SIRA or Oak Ridge Dogwood Regatta
7. Upon your arrival ORRA would like to know the location and number of night that you will be staying in the area.
8. Send in a $200 deposit to Oak Ridge Rowing to confirm your reservation.
Please make plans to have a program representative at the ORRA Boathouse the Monday after you arrive. The ORRA bookkeeper will be on-site between 9-12 to collect Spring Training Fees. Additionally, the Oak Ridge CVB will be on hand Monday between 9-12 to meet and greet rowing programs. They will have maps, and discounts coupons on area activities.
Below you will
find information and guidelines to ensure your crews' safety and to maximize
your training experience in Oak Ridge. Please review the following information
before your arrival in Oak Ridge.
Spring Training Rules
Oak Ridge,
Tennessee is a city of 28,000 people. The city was founded in 1943 in connection
with the WWII Manhattan Project. The single largest employer is the Department
of Energy. Oak Ridge has a small town atmosphere. The residents, motels,
and restaurants are all familiar with rowing crews in March and you will
be treated with an amazing amount of southern hospitality. The small town
feel means crews generally row, eat, and sleep with few distractions. On
a day off there is a local 7-screen movie theater, a bowling ally and plenty
of shopping with a surprising variety of eating places. We are not far away
from the Smoky Mountain National Park (45 minutes), the Museum of Appalachia
(25 minutes) and the distractions of Knoxville (20 minutes) including the
University of Tennessee Campus.
Meals & Accommodations
Our location
can save valuable travel days for many schools and thus maximizes the training
opportunity. The Florida and Texas training sites may be as much as one
day more of travel, with the loss of two days training time. Traveling to
Oak Ridge is convenient along several main north/south interstates. Oak
Ridge is located 10 hours from 1/3rd of the general rowing population of
the United States.
Directions to Rowing Venue
The average
daily temperature in March is 63 degrees during the day and 43 degrees at
night. However, the weather during spring can vary a lot from the average.
We have known snow flurries in March as well as weeks in the high 70s.
Melton
Hill Lake is a 50 mile-long, current controlled reservoir on the Clinch
River in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains of East Tennessee. There
are 10 miles of water upstream from the boathouse and 26 miles of water
downstream suitable for rowing. The lake is about 10 rowing lanes wide and
runs through farm country for most of its distance. ORRA maintains a permanently
marked 2000-meter straight course (at least 7 lanes wide) with distance
markers at the start, 500, 1000, 1500 meters and finish line. Our mild climate
and constant water temperatures insures that the Clinch River never freezes.
The lake winds through several hilly areas with rock bluffs so that there
is always a sheltered part of the river when it is windy. The course is
usually the most protected part of the river. There is little motorboat
traffic in March and little or no commercial boat traffic.
Spring Training River Map
The Oak
Ridge Rowing Association is a private club of approximately 250 members.
Oak Ridge Rowing has an active junior rowing program that pulls students
from several area schools and a competitive masters program. The Oak Ridge
Rowing Association is not connected with any college or university. ORRA
has a full time employee and member volunteers to assist visiting crews
with any questions or problems that may arise.
Before
parking and unloading of boat trailers, visitors must check-in with ORRA
Spring Break Coordinator or ORRA's Boathouse Manager. Contact information
is listed on the front door of ORRA's boathouse. Boat trailer parking will
be assigned along Houseboat Row. Marked marina resident parking must not
be blocked. There will be no long-term parking of trailers in the main parking
area in front of the ORRA's Boathouse. The New China Palace restaurant parking
area is not available for rowing visitors. We have a good neighbor relationship
with the restaurant and we would like to keep it.
Boat
storage will be in the grass field along Melton Hill Drive. The grass field
is very wet and soft in the spring. For this reason, no truck and trailer
traffic is allowed in this area during the Spring Break training period.
Shells should be carried to this area and placed on slings or stands. Please
bring enough slings or stands for your equipment. Trash in your area of
boat storage needs to be policed daily. Trash containers are provided.
Equipment
Rental (Launches) Regattas held during the Spring Training Period
The
Oak Ridge Rowing Association looks forward to your visit. |
