PORPA has three entries in Inland NW Regatta

| August 12, 2016 1:00 AM

PRIEST RIVER — The Pend Oreille Rowing and Paddling Association (PORPA) will take a Men’s and Women’s coxed four and a mixed eight team to the Inland Northwest Regatta on Saturday, Aug. 13 at Wawawai Landing outside Pullman, Washington. The Landing is the training location for both Washington State University crews.

The sprint races will be the first regatta for PORPA this year. Plans are also in the works for PORPA to participate in both the Head of the Pend Oreille (HOP) in September and the Head of the Spokane in October of this year.

PORPA recently relocated the weekly rowing from Riley Creek to The Mudhole in Priest River. The crew is now rowing on the new Head of the Pend Oreille race course. The move to The Mudhole occurred shortly after PORPA rowers helped HOP test its new race course. HOP volunteers showed their appreciation for PORPA’s help by treating the crew to a BBQ with the County Commissioner, Todd Sudick, cooking the hamburgers.

The new HOP racecourse starts on the Priest River and ends on the Pend Oreille at Bonner Park West. The course adds significant challenge, more opportunities for spectator viewing and also guarantees some racing when winds occur.

At the end of July, PORPA members were invited to the pre-screening of the “Boys of 1936” hosted by Spokane River Rowing Association. The one-hour PBS special was shown at the Garland Theater in Spokane. This was a huge success as people had to be turned away at the door. PORPA was recognized as one of the three Master’s rowing groups in the area.

PORPA also participated in the Priest River Timber Days parade at the end of July. With the 60 foot “Arthur Ericsson” riding high on the shell trailer, the float was over 55 feet long and was the longest float in the parade. The float was very popular as the water spray was a welcome relief from the hot weather for the parade spectators.

PORPA rows every Saturday and Sunday morning at 7 a.m. Additional information about PORPA can be found on their Facebook page and at porpa.org.