A Regatta Along the Cal-Sag
November 8, 2007

Sporting events are nothing new in our south suburban area but there has likely never been another competition like last Sunday's first-ever Chicago Southland Regatta along the Cal-Sag Channel in Blue Island.

More than 300 female rowers from seven Division 1 universities took part in the regatta. Activities were centered around Fay's Point, just east of Ashland Avenue, where the Cal-Sag and Little Calumet River join. Members of the Chicago Rowing Center have been training near the Fay's Point residential and marina complex since early 2006 and rowing center head coach Michael O'Gorman was a key regatta organizer.

In the Midwest, rowing may mostly be thought of as an eastern seaboard pursuit, but it's gaining popularity around the country and crews from Notre Dame, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin traveled to our area for the regatta. Hundreds of friends and family members also came to wish them well on a gorgeous fall day.

Indeed it is a little hard to think of the Cal-Sag - often considered an unlovely, industrial waterway - as the site of a classy sport like rowing. But as a venue for this particular regatta, the Cal-Sag got good marks for the races, which took place between Ashland and Kedzie avenues.

Not so long ago, such events would never have been considered on the Cal-Sag, said a spokesman for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. But a concerted effort to clean the waterway for recreational purposes appears to be working, as Sunday's regatta made clear in a totally convincing manner.

 

Contact Information:
Michael O’Gorman
Head Coach
chicagorowingcenter@yahoo.com
312-593-8040