Longtail Rowing Club Set For Florida Regatta
Six junior rowers from Longtails Rowing Club will travel to Florida next month to compete in the Halifax Summer Regatta at Daytona Beach, Florida.
Founded by teenager Zoe Oduntan in August last year, the club is an independent initiative that works alongside the Bermuda Rowing Association.
Representing Longtails will be Oduntan, 13, Alasdair Penz, 17, Diya Steede, 16, Nasser Fahy, 15, Salem Jackson-Smith, 14, and Yusuf Abdul-Rashid, 17.
The rowers are expected to race in doubles and quad sculling events at the regatta on July 25-26 while some may also compete in singles.
Oduntan, a student at Saltus Grammar School who attended last year’s event, said it left a lasting impression.
“I loved participating in the Halifax Summer Regatta last year and it was my first time,” Oduntan told Bernews.
“The atmosphere was very energetic, and it really ignited my competitive spirit.
“It was really good to see very competitive athletes who were also chill at the same time.”
She said the team is eager to test itself against international competition.
“Our goals are to enjoy ourselves, show off the skills we’ve built and learned from our coaches, and, of course, win all our races!” she said.
“One of my team-mates, Salem, is especially determined – he wants to come home with gold and says he’s not settling for just any medal; I think most of us share the same sentiments.”
With the six rowers not usually training together throughout the week, the club has scheduled additional sessions before the competition.
“We’re really happy that Coach Amir Thomas is able to take some time to join us on this trip,” she said.
“Coaches Dirk Hasselkuss and Erik Gotfredsen have also been doing some last-minute training with us, which has been really helpful as we work on syncing better as a team.
“The six of us are not usually in the same rowing sessions throughout the week, so we’ve had to add some training sessions just for this squad. It’s been really exciting.”
Oduntan said the club has made significant progress since launching and hopes to continue expanding participation in the sport.
She encouraged other students to consider taking up rowing.
“Longtails’ growth over the past year has been extremely encouraging, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to help grow the sport of rowing among young people in Bermuda,” she added.
“I’m excited to see what the future holds for our club! There are so many people who believe in what Longtails is doing and so we feel very fortunate.
“I also want to take this opportunity to tell students to give rowing a try this September, you might just be ready for our next international regatta this time next year.
“All you need to row is to be 13 years or older, have a positive attitude, and be able to swim.
“If you’re 12 and really want to row, get in touch still and we’ll see what we can do!
“There are so many exciting things planned for the next school year, including an inter-school Indoor Rowing Championship and a pilot programme.
“Longtails Rowing Club is gaining momentum, and we can’t wait to keep growing.”
To sign-up for Longtails, visit.
