On March 29, 2009, the Virginia Boat Club and Virginia Commonwealth University Crew team co-hosted the first Rocketts Landing Collegiate Regatta - a rowing competition in which several regional collegiate crew teams will battle over a 2000 meter course on the historic Richmond waterfront.
Free and open to the public, the regatta was sponsored by Rocketts Landing LLC, VCU Crew and the VBC. The races will include men's and women's teams from VCU, George Mason University, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, North Carolina State University and other schools.
All schools competed in four and eight person events in 2000 meter sprints finishing by the City of Richmond Intermediate Terminal by Dock and Water Streets, also known as the former "Annabelle Lee" dock. The dock is adjacent to the Virginia Boat Club boathouse and Rocketts Landing.
The regatta marks the return of formal collegiate racing to the downtown waters, which took place from 1967-1973. This year's regatta features a reunion of VCU crews with the current VCU rowing club. VCU crew raced for over a half century from the VBC boathouse on Mayo Island until 1973. The University of Richmond also rowed from the VBC boathouse through the 1950s.
