WOW Program – Women on Water 2024
We are looking for 10 women to be part of our first ever WOW program this summer!!
This program is offered for FREE thanks to generous funding from the P.E.I. Alliance for Mental Well-Being!!
The Women on Water program offers a supportive and flexible female-only environment to encourage participation in rowing for women and girls.
You don’t need any experience. We provide all the equipment and coaching!
Don’t worry if you haven’t done a lot of sports. Rowing is a very unique sport and we will show you everything you need to know, and how to do it safely, led by our all-female coaches and coordinator.
We call it an amazing workout with amazing water views!!
Our 10-week program will take you through learning about water and boat safety, learning how to row, learning how to be part of a crew and how to race. Along the way, you will get strong and fit! We will also do some yoga stretching and breathing exercises, to help you relax.
We will wrap up by taking part at the annual Rowing PEI Red Island Regatta in August of 2024. Participants will be encouraged to race at the regatta, but they can also volunteer if they prefer – or both!
How do I sign up? We will have an information session and help you get registered in late May.
There is no fee to participate. We provide all of the equipment, plus you will receive a WOW Tshirt and water shoes to wear in the boats.
Where: The Charlottetown Yacht Club 1 Pownal Street (CYC) -corner of Water and Pownal
When: WOW kicks off the second week of June at our home base at the Charlottetown Yacht Club and wraps up on Sunday August 18th at the Red Island Regatta.
We will have a wrap-up event in Charlottetown in late August to celebrate the summer’s achievements!!
Introduction to Rowing:
We will start with two weeks of training before the regular practice session begins.
Monday June 10th 6-7:30 pm
Intro to the Indoor Rowing Machine (ALL)
Wednesday June 12th 6-7:30 pm
Tour of the Dock and First Strokes (ALL)
Monday June 17th 6-8 pm
Safety Session
OR
Tuesday June 18th 9-11 am
Safety Session
On the water Intro Sessions with a Coach
*choose TWO
Tuesday June 18, 2024 5:00-6:15 pm OR 6:15-7:30 pm
Thursday June 20, 2024 5:00-6:15 pm OR 6:15-7:30 pm
Friday June 21, 2024 5:00-6:15 pm OR 6:15-7:30 pm
Summer Schedule
The regular schedule for the summer begins on Monday June 24th and continues until the regatta in August.
You will select TWO rows a week from the following time slots:
Every Friday, we will have a Group Session from 6-7:30 pm featuring special guests, yoga and breathing lessons, snacks and socializing. The content will vary from week to week but this will be a chance for the entire group to check in over the 10-week program.
WEEKLY ROWING TIMES
*choose two – they can vary from week to week *there will be an online signup
Tuesday 9-11 am
Tuesday 6-7:30 pm
Wednesday 6-7:30 am *
Thursday 9-11 am
Thursday 6-7:30 pm
Friday 6-7:30 am *
FRIDAY GROUP SESSION – 6-7:30 pm (ALL) Guest speakers, yoga and breathing sessions, snacks and socializing!
*the 6 am rows end promptly so we are walking off the dock at 7:30 am because some people are going straight to work. There are showers at the Yacht Club that you can use.
Friday August 16th – Training Camp at Brudenell River Provincial Park
Saturday August 17th and Sunday August 18th – Red Island Regatta at Brudenell River Provincial Park
TRANSPORTATION – will be provided if you need it
WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING
-Wear athletic clothing – shorts with no baggy pockets – sweatshirts with no pocket in front
-a ball cap or hair band or elastics
-we will provide sunscreen – sun safety is important
-a water bottle is very important – you can fill it up at the CYC
SPECIAL BONUS – For every session that you attend, you will be entered in a draw to win the grand prize for the summer.
The winner will receive either $300 in gift cards of their choice OR a rowing membership in 2025 ($600 value)
What is this all worth? An individual summer membership with Rowing PEI is $425 dollars, plus regatta fees, plus we are providing you a free WOW Tshirt and water shoes!!
The entire package is worth at least $600, which we are able to offer to you for free thanks for the support of our funder.
Thanks to the P.E.I. Alliance for Mental Well-Being for funding the Women on Water program in 2024. Click here to read more about their work in communities across Prince Edward Island!
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
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Is rowing a good workout?
Rowing is an excellent full body workout. It is 70 percent legs, 20 percent core and 10 percent arms. So no, you won’t get big shoulders from rowing, but you will get powerful legs and abs. It’s no impact, so good for anyone with knee issues. It also has a low risk of concussion. We do lift boats over our heads at times, so it’s important to let us know if you have had previous concussions. We also describe it as moving meditation. So there are also benefits to your mental health, from being out on the water and watching the beautiful scenery going by.
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What happens if I fall out of the boat?
Safety is very important to us and that is why we do extensive safety training and have a safety boat with us when we row.
You are always wearing a PFD – a personal flotation device. We will show you how to activate it in the cause of needing it.
Our rowing shells are coastal boats, designed for ocean water. They are very stable, compared to the rowing boats that you may have seen at the Olympics.
You will start in a coastal double with an experienced coach who will keep the boat stable as you take your first strokes.
Some of our rowers have fallen out of the single, not the double. Most times they just climb back in!!
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Do I need to know how to swim?
We like our members to be able to swim at least 50 metres in light clothing and tread water for at least 2 minutes.
If you are not comfortable, you can also wear a full PFD, not the one that goes around your waist.
All of our rowers under the age of 16 must wear these PFDs, so they are always available on the dock.
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What kind of fish and marine life will I see?
As you walk down to the dock, you may see starfish stuck on the walls and rocks. There can also be jellyfish in late June and early July, but then they disappear. We sometimes see schools of fish swimming in the marina, and there are lots of people fishing at the end of the wharf where we go in and out of the marina. In August and September, we sometimes see a friendly seal pop its head out of the water to check us out!
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What happens if it’s raining or too windy?