Episode 62 - The Royal St. John's Regatta with Campbell Feehan and Dan and James Cadigan

Well it’s a go.... The Royal St. John's Regatta will be going ahead this year and although its not its same old self we are happy to see it back. For many of us we have grown up around the pond for that special Wednesday in August winning teddy bears and eating some not so healthy but good all the same foods, later in life we may have played regatta roulette hoping our meteorologists called it right.. For many, and I am fortunate to include myself in this group, it is a day you work the whole summer for and for the best teams out there the whole year.
The Royal St. John’s Regatta is the oldest organized sporting event in North America. It has been a part of Newfoundland history for over 200 years. The first record of an organized event was in 1816, but rowing matches were common among ships crews in St. John’s Harbour since at least the 1700’s. Sometimes the Regatta draws crowds of up to 50,000 people annually to the shores of Quidi Vidi Lake. It is widely known as “The Largest Garden Party in the World” when the world is normal.
Although the format has changed this year where the event will be televised and individuals are being told to not come down to watch in person due to the pandemic we still get to see our friends, family and neighbours out there for a one last spin up the pond. Well today I have some very well known rowers in our community – first is Campbell Feehan who was part of the outer cove middle cove logy bay crew that restored the record to the area in 1982 after their communities longstanding record was broken in 1981. He has been active in the sport ever since commentating the regatta and sitting on the regatta committee as well. We will then chat with James and Dan Cadigan both seasoned rowers in the regatta and James holds the honor of being part of the 2007 crew that set the record that currently stands.