The Goring and Streatley Regatta, organised by the Goring Gap Boat Club, has been a regular fixture on our village’s calendar since its revival in 1991. Initially run annually, in recent years we have run it biannually, alternating with the Goring Gap Festival. The regatta has always been equal parts rowing and the entertainment and catering on the river bank. As you can imagine planning, organising and running the regatta requires a large team of volunteers, a dedicated committee working over many months, and a not-inconsiderable financial investment for site preparation and facilities. Profits from the regatta, in years when it didn’t rain, were an important factor in allowing the boat club to build our boathouse by Gatehampton Bridge.
However, with the responsibilities of constructing and maintaining our new facility, an expanding rowing membership and with an increased focus on our learn to row courses and coaching, our pool of volunteers is stretched to the limit. While we haven’t made our final decision, we think that while the club can cope with organizing the on-water events at a regatta, we no longer have the capacity to organize the full-scale regatta, with entertainment, music, food, craft stall and a funfair. From our club’s perspective the options are either;
- to run a ‘water only’ regatta – still inviting village entries and providing training over June and early July or,
- alternatively, running the regatta in partnership with an organization, club, or a dedicated team of volunteers that would work with the club and take on organising (and benefitting from) the land-based events to make a ‘traditional’ regatta – or maybe bring new ideas for an improved event.
It seems a pity to let a village tradition fall by the wayside, so if there are groups who would be interested in working with us to organize the 2023 event, we ask that you contact the club’s committee by email chairman@goringgapbc.org.uk. The committee would be happy to meet with interested groups to discuss options in greater detail.