Welcome! Textile 2025 is ON — Sunday, October 5th, 2025.
Welcome! Textile 2025 is ON for Sunday, October 5th, 2025
Thanks for playing, see you next year!
Stay tuned to this space for updates about the 2024 regatta. We usually start with messaging here in this space around August 15th. In the meantime, use the links above to look at the course map, prior results, and photos from past regattas.
The online payment system for Team Tent Reservations and Vendor Tents should be available by August 1st. Mark your calendar, and be assured that there will be ample space for everyone along the boulevard in the 1km stretch to the finish line area.
In the meantime... Send your questions to info@textileriverregatta.org. We are especially kind and helpful to coaches and coxswains coming to their first Textile.
07 October 2025
- More pictures! Photos are from the venue, the docks, and of course the Medals Tent awards. Pass the link along the link to your mates. Photos are all courtesy of FraneyPix.com.
- Lost and Found: Someone left a pair of Nikon binoculars behind. If you found them or are wondering how they ended up in your bag, please contact us at info@textileriverregatta.org.
06 October 2025 -- THANKS FOR PLAYING
Pity the fool who didn't use sunblock yesterday! Most feedback was positive, and the weather could not be beat, so we hope you agree that yesterday's Textile left nothing on the table. We're always looking to improve, so feel free to send us your feedback, pro and con. Thanks for coming!
- PHOTOS - Album uploaded by dockmaster Carl is in the Photos section. Once there, click on the 2025-10 Album. This is a SHARED ALBUM, so if you had a team parent with a long lens, ask them to upload a few of their best shots for posterity. If they are logged in with a Google account, the image will be credited to them. Conversely, if you see a photo that is unflattering to you or someone, let us know and we'll remove it.
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PHOTOS - Just uploaded! 544 new photos including all of the "Medal Winners" images taken at the Medals tent and the Venue and Dock photos
taken by Mike and Angel are here: https://adobe.ly/3Y8ZWT0. Enjoy! For the full resolution
versions, contact Mike at franeypix.com.
- Main Docks Time Lapse Watch all 9+ hours of main dock activity in a time lapse of images shot every 20 seconds. If you launched from the Main Docks at Textile in 2025, you're somewhere in this video.
- The Pro Photos - that includes the venue photos and the photos from the medals tent - will be available in a day or two. Check back on Wednesday. You'lll be able to download a reasonable resolution for free, or purchase the high-res suitable for murals from FraneyPix.com for a small fee.
- Results are at HereNOW - HereNOW or visit the Results link here on our site for 2024 and past year results.
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All 8 hours of the drone footage shot by HereNOW Sports is online over at YouTube... Visit www.youtube.com/channel/UCz4lTjPQG2p6SvRmYdlJBzw.
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Lost and Found:
- We have no lost or found yet. Send us an email if you lost or found something, and we'll post it here and try to assist. Now is the time to scour the boathouse if you left something behind.
We wish you continued success during the fall rowing season, and we hope to see you back next year. Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 4th, 2026 and check
back here for details starting in July.
The Textile River Regatta Committee
info@textileriverregatta.org
04 October 2025 - One Day to Textile
- View the recording of Coaches and Coxswains Zoom Meeting from Friday night! 45 minutes of gripping entertainment and tips for rowing Textile.
- Coxswain Clinic Video! Get a headstart on the Course: Watch the 2021 Coxswain's Clinic video by Mark Lewis. If you have any questions, send us an email or ask us on the Zoom call during the Q&A session at the end of the call.
- The C&C Meeting Notes from the Zoom call are available for review.
- We still need your support in the form of warm-bodied humans to help out for a few hours of volunteering at the regatta. We specifically need 4 people for a 5:30am to 8am shift at PARKING. If you haven't yet designated anyone, please fill out the VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM
- Follow us on Twitter @textilerr for game-day announcements as long as Elon Musk is in a good mood.
- We sent out this e-mail with the uber-checklist of essential things to know before you head to Lowell.
22 September 2024
Just a reminder that escaped our notice in 2023: USRowing rule 2-409(a) prohibits the use of amplified equipment by supporters, and this goes for those along the boulevard in the final stretch of the Textile course. "You are free to use the unaided voice, but amplification is strictly forbidden. The appropriate penalty would be excluding the crew. A disqualification is reserved for the worst behavior and requires us to report it to USRowing."
- Coaches and Coxswains Meeting - 7:02pm TONIGHT. Zoom Link:
Join the Textile River Regatta Coaches & Coxswains Meeting
The meeting will be recorded for viewing offline. It should be available here in this space by 9pm on Friday night.
Time: Oct 03, 2025 at 7:00pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88423291087?pwd=hpfIGdMiGLF2nJs7IoMzkHTrtAX4u2.1
Meeting ID: 884 2329 1087
Passcode: 645714
One tap mobile
+16469313860,,83265514327#,,,,*4489769# US
+13017158592,,83265514327#,,,,*4489769# US (Washington DC)
- Coxswain alert! Get a headstart on the C&C Meeting: Watch the 2021 Coxswain's Clinic video by Mark Lewis. If you have any questions, send us an email or ask us on the Zoom call during the Q&A session at the end of the call.
- The C&C Meeting Notes are available for early viewing. Subject to change up until the meeting in Friday.
- We still need your support in the form of warm-bodied humans to help out for a few hours of volunteering at the regatta. We specifically need 4 people for a 5:30am to 8am shift at PARKING. If you haven't yet designated anyone, please fill out the VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM
- The factory is closed, no more entries. The latest/final Event Schedule is posted. Bow numbers will be assigned this morning, and at that point we will post the Event Program with the final schedule along with the bow number ranges for each event. Stay tuned to an update in this space.
- Follow us on Twitter @textilerr for game-day announcements as long as Elon Musk is in a good mood.
26 Sep 2025
Details coming soon. Check back around JULY.
- Registration is CLOSING on SUNDAY NIGHT at Regatta Central.
- We're once again asking for each club to donate a human for a 4 to 8 hour shift at the regatta. No experience necessary, but the more skills the person has, the cushier the job potential. To Emphasize: As an all-volunteer enterprise in a sport that prides itself on team work, we are setting a baseline expectation that each club should bring us at least one volunteer to help with the regatta production. Compensation will be commensurate with the swag we always provide to our volunteers, and that usually means a t-shirt, lunch and priority access to staff for special requests. We'll still have the other perks for donating a launch or other equipment we might need, so stay tuned to this space to find ways in which you can get entry comps. Send your warm-blooded volunteers here: VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM.
- If you are trying to register UNAFFILIATED, send us an e-mail to support that request. DO NOT CALL. The Textile is a USRowing regatta, and as such all competitors must be affiliated with USRowing as an individual or through an affiliated club or school.
- Link to REGISTER YOUR TRAILER in case we need to have it moved. Fill out the form now so that's one less thing to remember in a couple of weeks.
- We're going to separate events #23 (W Jr 4x+) and #30 (W Jr 2x) to give enough time for rowers to enter both races. If you have comments on this, please let us know ASAP. The likelihood is that one or the other will be pushed to after the lunch break, and we'll try to avoid causing a new conflict.
- Coaches' Certification Form: One coach per team: Please fill out this form to CONFIRM to us that your equipment will be in good shape and compliant with all the rules and regulations of rowing. This is a USRowing regatta, and "DQ" does NOT mean Dairy Queen.
- TRAILERS! You can bring your trailers as early as Friday and park them along the boulevard. There won't be any cones set up at that time, so this is at your own risk. The "Trailer Lot" at the boathouse will start to be available around NOON on Saturday if you want a spot in that lot.
- We've renumbered the events over at RegattaCentral to match the order of events on our site. We do not anticipate any change to the order of events at this point, but the exact start times will be shifting slightly as registrations continue to come in. Keep this in mind when reviewing the Event Schedule. If you are going to ask about hot seating of equipment or humans, consider that we consider 60-90 minutes between events to be more than adequate. Anything less than 60, contact us and we'll see if we can add some padding to one or the other of the events.
- We're NOT capping the number of entries in most races. If we do cap certain Junior events, you should expect that the "A" version might be capped for one entry per club but that we will also offer a "B" version for the other boats on your team. The goal is to get everyone rowing, but reserve the "A" events for the best competition.
- Regarding the Schedule of Events: NOW is a GOOD time to send us your comments about which events should be added if you don't see them listed. We may ask you to bring the competition - i.e., we won't add an event if you're going to be the only entry. NOW is NOT a good time to comment on events being too close to each other for hot-seating purposes. We use a proprietary dynamic scheduler that sets the event start times based on registrations rates, but it IS a good time to think about events that might be close together and how that affects your ability to enter your desired events. We generally give priority to humans over hardware, so for example a Junior Boys 8+ "A" and "B" might be close together because we figure that the same children cannot row in both events, but it's possible that you might like to use the same boat in both events - and that might not be possible. Or you might be a Masters 8+ that would also like to row 2x and 4x with some of the same rowers. We cannot guarantee that all requests can be accommodated, but now IS a good time to start thinking about how our order of events maps to your desired entries. It's much easier to re-order events now before they start filling up with entries that won't want to be moved later. And we recognize that this is the first large regatta of the year for many schools and clubs, so we do try to accommodate as many requests as possible. But don't come to us after registration closes when there are 30 boats in an event that you'd like to move from the morning to the afternoon; We're pretty sure that won't be able to help you.
- The C&C meeting will be held on Zoom at 7:00 PM on FRIDAY NIGHT before the regatta. THERE WILL BE NO PLACE TO ATTEND IN PERSON - ZOOM ONLY! It will be recorded and posted on the website. By eliminating the time taken on Sunday morning for the C&C meeting, we can make first call on race-day at 7:15 and the first race will run at 8:00 am instead of 8:30. With this, we hope to have the last event run before 3:00pm in the afternoon. This small change will result in a shorter day for everyone and less exposure to all the elements. We will post the talking points before the meeting, and we'll take questions during the meeting and include them as part of the posted recording.
- The Beach Launch Area will be OPEN FOR BUSINESS this year. The Rourke Ramp "SDAFL" Launch Area (upstream of the Rourke Bridge) will be CLOSED this year.
- The course will be open for practice on Saturday before the regatta from 12pm to 5pm. If you bring a crew that isn't entered to race, they can at least get a run or two down the course during this open practice session. Please note that we cannot provide coaching launches during the practice but we invite you to bring your own and then let us use it as a marshal boat on race day. See the next bullet item.
- BRING A LAUNCH - GET A COMP. We spend a lot of time gathering and feeding launches for the regatta. If you would like to bring one for your Saturday practice and then make it available to us for use as a marshal boat during the race on Sunday, we will comp you one 8+ or two 4+ entries. First come, first serve, as of this writing we could use three launches.
- Registration at Regatta Central is OPEN through September 28-Sep. After that day, late fees will apply for a short number of days, and after that registration will be completely closed so that we can draw bow numbers.
- Trailers As usual, you'll be able to park your trailers along the boulevard, but the cab needs to detach and park in one of the trailer cab lots. We also need you to REGISTER YOUR TRAILER in case we need to have it moved. Parking in the main trailer lot can take place as early as Saturday afternoon, but we'll be actively managing that parking so don't just show up and unhitch without talking to us first. We also expect that you'll be able to park on the boulevard as early as Friday night. Bring your own cones and don't leave valuables in the trailer or cab.
- We remain optimistic about COVID-19, but just the same take a moment to read our COVID-19 SAFETY POLICY in case circumstances change for the worse as the cooler weather approaches.
- If you have a question, refer to the bullet numbers above and Contact Us by email.
Additionally
- Don't get married to the maps, parking or otherwise. The regatta and the venue are going to have an altered shape this year so we will update the maps to reflect that. The Course Maps are reliable - we have no intentions of changing the course this year.
03 October 2022
Thanks for playing! We appreciate your support this year at Textile 2022 and hope your season remains productive. If you have any feedback pro or con, please send it our way at info@textileriverregatta.org. We particularly appreciate that you all rolled with the punches and unfortunate weather cancellations. With some luck, we'll get better cooperation from the weather vendor next year.
Final results can be found on our Results Page or directly at HereNOW.com. And we've posted some photos on our Photo Album page. Please visit the photo gallery and upload your photos from yesterday.
Let's start a little Lost and Found list - if you have anything to add, send it our way and we'll add it to the list. Contact us if you have any information about these items.
- LOST: A small brown WALLET, probably lost near the Boston-Latin tent or the Vendors area. Identification: "William Faller"
- FOUND: A small diamond or faux diamond ring. We're not jewelers, so we don't know for sure.
- LOST: An Apple iPhone - last known location is in Acton, MA so if you're the coach or rower who picked it up, please let us know!
If you still want a Textile 2022 T-Shirt, please contact N&D Sports. There's probably a good chance that they have some leftovers from the regatta.
02 October 2021
Here's the recording of last night's Zoom C&C Meeting and Coxswains Clinic:
View on YouTube if you want to see the index of chapters and skip to certain sections.
01 October 2021
- Hot off the presses: Download the Event Program. If you must print something, this 4-page PDF is the e-version of the Event Program we'd normally print on paper each year. It contains essential Textile info: the course map, event schedule, a little history about the Textile and a copy of our LOC rules in a tiny, tiny font.
- Change: NO CHECK-IN on Saturday. Pick up your packets at the boathouse Sunday morning before your race 6am to 11am.
28 September 2021
The factory is closed. No more entries. We will be tweaking the event start times for better gapping but do not anticipate any changes to the order of the events.
In other news... We modified the COVID policy... MAPS are updated... Note that Saturday check-in is from 2pm to 4pm, not later in the day as it has been in year's past... The Event Program will be a virtual PDF downloadable from this space, we hope to post it by Wednesday night... The Zoom link to the C&C Meeting on Friday night at 7pm will be posted here by Thursday...
Some recent and popular email questions, answered: Yes, you can bring a food truck and kids are allowed to eat on site. Park the trailer on the boulevard but please try to hide it with your boat trailer. Detach the cab. There is no food concession except for the Dunkin across the street. Boat trailers can park on the boulevard starting Friday night, don't expect the Trailer Lot to be accessible until Saturday afternoon. Dogs on leashes are welcome but not on the docks. Follow us on Twitter @textilerr and yes that's a double-r at the end... Race calls will be made by public address around the boathouse but also on Twitter... We might have a Zoom session open all day Sunday if possible, stay tuned.
01 October 2022
- As Promised - Weather Update. At the C&C meeting last night we promised you an update regarding wind speeds predicted for tomorrow. We have seen a slight drop in the forecast so, based on that, we are not altering the schedule in terms of making any early starts. Event #01 will go off at 8am as scheduled. We did, however, find some ways to compress the entire schedule so that the last event of the day goes off at 1:30pm instead of 2pm and just about all events move up by 30 minutes. We are not promising that events won't be scratched as we inspect returning boats, but given the information we have right now there is nothing to be gained by asking traveling crews to show up a half hour earlier. Check the latest Event Schedule on our website for the latest and final schedule.
- Recording of Coaches and Coxswains Zoom Meeting from last night
- We've temporarily removed the Event Program so we can update the schedule on page 3. It should be ready by around 7pm tonight.
- Download the REVISED Event Program PDF for the Course Map, Event Schedule and useful regatta links for
friends and family. This version has the latest/final schedule with the earlier start times for most events.
- Follow us on Twitter @textilerr for game-day announcements.
- Coxswain alert! Watch the 2021 Coxswain's Clinic video by Mark Lewis
- FREE to good home: A pair of Lightweight 4+ shells. They will be at the regatta for your inspection. Contact Coach Kate at kate.smith425@gmail.com
- Placeholder: This is where you'll find near-time RESULTS once racing is underway on Sunday.
Follow Us on Twitter @textilerr for game-day updates and race calls.
Official TRR and USRowing merch at the N&D Booth
Directions
Directions to the Textile
We don't pretend to be any smarter than the GPS on your mobile device, but there are some considerations regarding traffic at the regatta that Google will never know about. When you plan your arrival and departure, all roads will show "green". Then, just when you're actually trying to leave on Sunday afternoon, all of those same roads will be "red" with bumper-to-bumper traffic. So if you read nothing else on this page, take a look at the last paragraph for some tips on "Leaving the Textile at the End of the Day". By the same token, arriving at the regatta is usually much smoother because people and trailers will be arriving over the course of a day or more.
FROM POINTS NORTH:
Follow Route 3 South into Massachusetts. Take exit 32 off of Route 3 at North Chelmsford. You will immediately be on a rotary. Well it was a rotary a few years ago. Now it's some hack of a traffic design that only a Bostonian could love. Basically, you want to straight off the exit, get to your left so that you can make a left to cross back over Rt 3 and head straight onto Drum Hill Road. Two or three orbits of this interchange should be all you need to master these directions. You're on Drum Hill Road when you see paradise - a Starbucks on the left and a Dunkin Donuts on the right among other strip mall tenants. Follow this road straight through TWO sets of lights. At your THIRD set of lights bear left through the fork. Follow straight through TWO MORE sets of lights (Market Basket on left and White Hen Pantry on your right). This will put you on the Rourke bridge which passes over the Merrimack river. Take a right off of the bridge. The boathouse is 200 meters down on the right.
FROM POINTS SOUTH or WEST:
Follow either I-495 North or 128 North (i.e., I-95 N). Take to Route 3 North. Take exit 32 off of Route 3 at Rt.4 in Chelmsford. Take your first right at the stop at the top of the exit. Follow that straight through two sets of lights. At your third set of lights bear left through the fork. Follow this road straight through two more sets of lights (Market Basket on left and White Hen Pantry on your right). This will put you on the Rourke bridge which passes over the Merrimack river. Take a right off of the bridge. The boathouse is 200 meters down on the right.
FROM POINTS EAST:
If you coming from northeast MA, Portsmouth NH, or coming down 95 from Maine, take 95 South to 495 South. Take to Route 3 North. Take exit 32 off of Route 3 at Rt.4 in Chelmsford. Take your first right at the stop at the top of the exit. Follow that straight through two sets of lights. At your third set of lights bear left through the fork. Follow this road straight through two sets of lights. At your third set of lights bear left through the fork (green arrow for left). Follow straight through two more sets of lights (Market Basket on left and White Hen Pantry on your right). This will put you on the Rourke bridge which passes over the Merrimack river. Take a right off of the bridge. The boathouse is 200 meters down on the right.
Leaving the Textile at the End of the Day
Your GPS has a major flaw. It correctly tells you that the route TO the regatta is to get off at the Drum Hill exit of Route 3 and take the Rourke Bridge directly to the boathouse, but fails to let you know that leaving the regatta late in the afternoon is far easier if you DON'T use the Rourke bridge. As with any event on this scale, the traffic going to the event is more evenly spread out than at the conclusion of the event when everyone wants to leave at the same time. There are many bridges crossing the Merrimack north and south of the Rourke, and they are all trailer-friendly.
So here are some valuable tips on how to leave the regatta with your santity intact. High School and Collegiate rowers: Please relay this information to your trailer driver, coaches and parents.
- For Route 3 South, 495 South/West: Continue
east on the boulevard away from the boathouse. You will be on
Route 113 which will take you into downtown Lowell where you
can pick up the Lowell Connector which joins Route 3 and at
a point more south and east than the Drum Hill exit.
This is also your quickest way to 495 in both directions.
For trailers, we recommend avoiding downtown Lowell - get to
495 using the directions in the next bullet.
- For 495 North/East, 93 North and South:
Continue east on the boulevard away from the boathouse.
You are on Route 113 which will take you to Route 38, then
495 which intersects 93.
- For Route 3 North: Head west on the boulevard,
but stay in the right lane and continue on the boulevard
- pass the left turn for the Rourke Bridge (which is crowded
with all the folks that haven't read this memo) and continue
heading northwest. A few miles up the road you
can take the Tyngsboro bridge west to get on Route 3 at a
point further north than the Drum Hill exit.
You should figure that the height of Rourke congestion will be somewhere between 3:30pm and 5pm. So please consider these alternate routes to make a clean getaway.
If you're facing west from the parking lot when you try to leave heading east, you can make a right turn on many of the intersecting streets to get yourself going east.
We will be working with the Lowell PD to make your exit as pleasant and expeditious as possible.
Maps
TRR Course Map
Start Area Detail and Notes
Launch Sites
SDAFL is CLOSED in 2025
Beach Launch Area is OPEN in 2025
The SDAFL site shown on the map is also known as the "Rourke Ramp Launch Site". But this year we don't have the personpower to staff this location so it will be closed for launching but available for trailer CAB and BUS parking. The popular Beach Launch Area is OPEN this year. If your bus or cab driver wants to attend the regatta, consider driving them back from the Rourke Ramp Lot by car before you park in the convenient Main Lot across from the Boathouse.
- Car-Topped Singles and Doubles Express Drop-Off: Drop off your small boats at the grassy knoll near the bay doors of the Boathouse, then go park your car at the Main Lot across the street. Please remove your boat ASAP after your event because this area becomes congested with fours and eights that will have no respect for your precious single.
Land Traffic Patterns
Sorry, NO COURTESY BUS this year. If you are a bus or trailer driver, drop your cargo along the boulevard, follow the yellow dots to park your bus or cab in the ROURKE RAMP LOT and have a teammate or parent with a car bring you back to the venue before they park in the MAIN LOT (cars only, $20 all day).
- Google Map to ROURKE RAMP LOT (160 Pawtucket Blvd, Lowell MA 01854)
- Google Map to MAIN LOT (381 Pawtucket Blvd, Lowell MA 01853)
- Google Map to BEACH DROP-OFF
Venue Map
- Trailer parking permitted in breakdown lane in designated areas. No trailers or parking in front of boathouse to end of vendor area downriver. Only vendors may park in breakdown lane adjacent to vendor area. Car parking across the street in the General Parking lot ($20).
- Camping/rigging permitted uprriver of Trailer Parking lot and downriver past vendors. Keep in mind your distance from the two launch areas to allow sufficient time to get to your event from your camping location.
- Check-in at the Boathouse to pick up your packet and bow numbers. Check in on SUNDAY ONLY starting at 06:00am.
Main Docks Close-up
Follow Us on Twitter @textilerr for game-day updates and race calls.
Official TRR and USRowing merch at the N&D Booth
Parking
Parking at the Textile
All cars must be parked in one of the two lots conveniently located near the venue ($20 on Sunday in the MAIN LOT), or FREE if you can find the very few on-street parking spaces. Heed the "no parking" signs because the private property owners are free to tow. Unfortunately, the CORP LOT is closed this year for repaving. Handicapped parking is available on the boulevard near the Boathouse and in the HCP lot near the Beach Launch site. There are no exceptions - there are mercenary towing companies (out of our control) who are on call with free reign to tow cars that are parked on the boulevard or in other areas where they should not be. If you are tempted to park on a side street or in the lot of a nearby business, be aware that the mercenary tow companies have contracts to operate on nearly every square inch outside of the MAIN LOT (Regatta Field) and any legal on-street parking. If your car has been towed and you contact us to complain, we will send you a link right back to this page. Again, "no parking" should be taken literally.
Car-top drop offs are available near the Boathouse and the Beach Launch site but NOT at the Rourke Ramp (SDAFL) launch site which is not available in 2022. At both drop-off locations, find a suitable space on the grounds to situate and secure your boat, keep your car flashers on, and then quickly move your car or SUV to one of the two main lots. It is VITAL that your car doesn't inhibit the arrival of trailers because your space becomes wasted boulevard capacity if two trailers surround you before you move to the parking lot.
Additional Notes on Parking
There are many U-Turn opportunities along the boulevard, and they come with a dedicated U-Turn lane. If you see an opening for a U-Turn but it doesn't have a dedicated U-turn lane, then it's not a legal U-turn and you are very likely to get rear-ended if you try to use them. Happens all the time. Please obey traffic laws.
- Handicap Parking: There are HCP spots very conveniently located to the Boathouse and also the Beach Launch site on the river side of the boulevard. Look for the standard HCP signage and be sure to display your placard to avoid towing.
- Singles and Doubles Drop Off: You are free to quickly off-load your boat anywhere on the boulevard. Please move quickly and do not inhibit the flow of trailers into the breakdown lane of boulevard. Remove the boat from your car and then move the car to one of the two parking lots. Be sure to tie down your boat to avoid damage from wind.
- School Buses: Park for free in the ROURKE RAMP LOT across from SDAFL. Note: ABSOLUTELY NO SCHOOL BUS PARKING ON THE BOULEVARD.
- Trailer Trucks (Cabs): Once you unhitch from your trailer on the boulevard or in the main trailer lot, proceed to the ROURKE RAMP LOT. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR TRUCK ON THE BOULEVARD WITH THE TRAILER. See the more accurate map on the Trailers page that you should read as well. Register your trailer at the Registration desk in the Boathouse so that we can contact you if your trailer needs to be moved.
- Vendors: Our vendor partners have designated parking on the boulevard adjacent to the vendor area. Upon arrival, go to the check-in desk at the Boathouse to obtain a pass for your vehicle. If you have hired help that is driving by car, they must park their cars in one of the two car lots - they cannot stay in the vendor parking area. The vendor parking area is intended for the easy movement of your inventory and that of the other vendors - space is limited. The vendor parking section of the boulevard is about 100m downriver from the Boathouse, just past the Handicap Parking. You should have received a location map for your tent space that will make it easy for you to put your vehicle near your tent space.
- Regatta Staff: ALL REGATTA STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND REFEREES should park in the MAIN LOT across from the Boathouse. Obtain a parking pass from your committee chair to avoid the parking fee.
Trailers
Trailer Talk: For Drivers and Coaches Pulling Boats
Overview
Clubs with trailers need to register the trailer with Check-In at the Boathouse when they arrive either Saturday between 03:00pm and 05:00pm or on Sunday morning starting at 06:00am.
To speedup the process, REGISTER YOUR TRAILER and then simply confirm with Check-In at the Boathouse when you arrive. We ask you to register in case we need to contact a trailer owner to have it moved. Parking for your Cab/Tow Vehicle is free at the ROURKE RAMP LOT.
Trailers are a constant source of amusement and anguish at the Textile. While we haven't changed much for 2025, we are making an attempt here to give better guidance on how to arrive and depart with a trailer and also offer some common sense guidelines to streamline the process.
If you haven't heard this elsewhere, the 2025 TRR is a one-day regatta on Sunday Oct 5th. The Saturday before the regatta is for setup, staging, and also for trailer arrivals. Trailers can arrive as early as Friday evening (park along the boulevard) and well into Saturday night. Parking in the main "Trailer Lot" isn't allowed until late Saturday afternoon when the cars start to clear out. Your expectation about parking in the Trailer Lot should include meeting up with a Textile rep at the lot as you arrive. We try to organize the lot carefully because it's very close to the main launch site. Also, check with your coach - if the plan for your team is to launch from the Beach Area, then the Trailer Lot will mean nothing to you since it's a full half-mile away from the Beach.
- The Trailer Lot has been renamed "Hotel California", because like the lyrics in the song "you can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave", at least until Sunday afternoon. Translation: If you arrive late Saturday afternoon to park in the main Trailer Lot next to the boathouse, be aware that we cannot guarantee a way for you to depart until Sunday afternoon after all the racing is done. If you're coming on Saturday and wish to leave mid-day Sunday, then resist the urge to enter the trailer lot. Instead, put your trailer on the boulevard to be assured that you won't be boxed in. We expect trailers to arrive for the Textile starting Saturday afternoon and we'd like to start loading the lot by around 4pm.
- The maps found below show a suggested loading pattern for the main Trailer Lot. We continue to think about this, so be assured that we will be on site to assist.
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NO CABS LEFT WITH TRAILERS. What we DON'T want is a boulevard with unusued capacity because the cabs are taking up valuable space. After you unhitch the trailer, all cabs should be moved to the ROURKE RAMP LOT on the "Varnum Loop".
On Sunday we'll have a shuttle bus running the Varnum Loop that can bring drivers back to the venue and return them there at the end of the dayThere is no shuttle bus in 2025, so what we advise is that the cab should unhook the trailer on the boulevard, then proceed to park the cab in the ROURKE RAMP LOT and have a teammate return the driver to the venue by car before putting that car in the Main Lot. It's also a short walk for cab drivers who prefer to stretch their legs. - Your Team Food Trailer can stay on the boulevard. Again, the cab or truck that towed it there should be made to disappear, but the food trailer itself can stay on the boulevard. Just be sure to keep it off the grass.
- COMMON SENSE: If your trailer is a side loader, that's great. But before you butt up against other trailers on the boulevard, consider that those trailers in back and front of yours may not be side loaders and will need space to get boats on and off their center racks. Leave adequate space to accommodate your neighbors, and that will also leave you enough space to reattach your cab when it's time to leave.
Key Trailer Elements of the Venue.
Key Notes
Roughly working from the top of the map to the bottom:
- The SDAFL Launch Site ("Rourke Ramp") IS NOT operational for 2025. It will only be used for CAB and BUS parking this year.
- The Team Tent Area A is closest to the Rourke Bridge. Absolutely DO NOT move cones on the boulevard to squeeze in "just one more trailer" to be close to your camp site. There is room for approximately 3 trailers on the boulevard above the trailer lot, and if the fourth trailer extends into the cone area, it will be towed. This is a traffic pinch point for vehicles coming off the bridge, and it's going to be a major inspection point for the Lowell PD.
- If you "always" use the Trailer Lot when you come to the Textile, consider that this year if you do, you have no guarantee of being able to leave until late Sunday afternoon. We expect/hope that the Trailer Lot will be available on Saturday night by around 4pm, but we'll have to be chasing out cars. If the lot is unavailable and you definitely want a spot in there, put your trailer on the boulevard and plan on bringing it into the lot early on Sunday morning, space permitting.
- Absolutely DO NOT leave your cab with the trailer. Unhitch and take your trailer to the ROURKE RAMP LOT parking lot on the Varnum loop (white dots).
- Absolutely DO check-in at the Check-In desk at the Boathouse when you arrive to secure a cab pass for your truck. Leave you name and contact information with the folks at the check-in desk so we can contact you if necessary.
- Note that we will try to load the Trailer Lot in a particular order. See the Trailer Lot Detail Map below for the order of loading. The current plan is to fit 8 trailers in the Trailer Lot, but we consider spots #5 and #8 to be optional at our discretion. It will depend on how efficiently we can space your trailers with sufficient room for rigging.
- Coaches: The theme for the Trailer Lot should be to (a) remove your boats for rigging, and then (b) either launch for your event or put the boats back on the trailer. In other words, space in the lot will be limited, and boats sitting in slings for extended amounts of time makes matters worse.
- Absolutely DO NOT park in the Handicapped or Vendor spaces immediately below the boathouse. Zones are marked in RED on the map are considered tow zones by the mercenary towing companies we have on call.
- The general rule is "no trailers on grass". Absolutesly DO NOT don't put trailers on the big grassy field down near the finish line, known as the "pavilion". Massachusetts DCR controls this space and also has mercenary towing companies on speed dial.
- Absolutely DO NOT park cabs in the handy parking lot near the pavilion. That lot is reserved for HP, and venue and DCR staff.
- For more information on where to put your truck after unhitching your trailer, visit the Parking page.
- Given all the restrictions named above, it might sound like trailers are a big headache. Actually, there's ample room for all trailers so long as we all act rationally and follow the guidelines and hard rules. If you have a preferred place to locate your trailer, the best advice we can give you is to show up early and not at the last minute. At some point on Sunday morning, your best options will be down near the Beach Launch site - and that's a perfectly good place to set up your team and trailer, but it's not ideal if your team has already located themselves up closer to the boathouse. Work together with your team to plan out your arrival and departure and things can go very smoothly.
- While we expect our signage to be obvious and ubiquitous, always observe local road laws.
Boathouse Trailer Lot Area
We try to manage the arrangement of trailers in the main Trailer Lot a little more carefully than we do anywhere else. Everyone wants to be close to the main docks, and that puts this popular location right on top of the dock queues.
Key Notes
- After the turn off the Rourke Bridge heading toward the boathouse, there will be a line of orange cones to shift vehicle traffic to free up the breakdown lane for trailers. DO NOT rearrange the cones. There is room for 3 forty-foot trailers in the zone. The first trailer in the zone (#21) should pull up to the entrance of the trailer lot but leave sufficient room for other trailers to enter the lot. Keep in mind that those trailers may be making a wide turn from the opposite direction which has a left-turn lane into the lot. We will entertain exactly zero complaints if bows collide when a trailer tries to enter the lot and #21 is in the way.
- The only chance for 4 trailers to occupy this zone is if everyone cooperates, everyone has side loaders, and one or two of the trailers are of the 32' variety carrying only fours.
- This year we may assert privilege and eliminate positions #1 and #8. Anyone launching at the Main Docks during prime time knows that this is the collision zone between trailers and dock operations where boats are being turned and maneuvered in seemingly random directions, all under the watchful eyes of the dock masters. Eliminating these positions closest to the docks may give us a little more breathing room in the hot zone this year.
Boathouse Trailer Lot
The map and notes below are trying to show that trailers entering the trailer lot should meet a few nominal conditions, and arrival timing has a lot to do with how successful we are in packing the lot.
Key Notes
- Position #1 is key in setting the tone for the entire lot. Please make sure to have a Textile Certified Lot Technician (Carl or Jess) assist you if you're the first one into the lot. If we get that one correct, then we might be able to fit position #5 while maintaining useful rigging space between trailers.
- Postion #6 should back into position parallel to the road, backed in far enough to maximize space for other trailers but without impeding flow into the lot. Position #7 should be a side loader, otherwise position #8 might not be usable.
- On the boulevard adjacent to the Trailer Lot, we think there is room for 3 long haul trailers, but position #10 may need to be a side loader. We'll make a game day decision based on who shows up.
- Timing: For those of you new to Textile, the Trailer Lot and adjacent boulevard parking in its vicinity usually fill between 4pm and 8pm on Saturday.
Hotels & Hospitality
TRR Rates and Discounts
Check back soon.
Hotel and Restaurant Management: If you would like to offer preferred rates or discounts to attendees of the Textile River Regatta, please send your information to info@textileriverregatta before Sunday September 28th for posting here on our site. Please be advised that due to time limitations we are not able to engage in protracted discussions or offer firm quantities for block rooms or minimum attendance.
Other Helpful Links
Where to eat:
merrimackvalley.org/where-to-eat
Things to do:
merrimackvalley.org/what-to-do
General Info on the area:
www.merrimackvalley.org
Links and favorable hotel rates courtesy of
Directions to the Venue
For navigation purposes, tell your magic navigation device to take you to "500 Pawtucket Blvd Lowell MA".
From the North
Route 3 south to OLD exit 32. I have no idea what the new exit number is, and I'm not about to drive up there just to find out. Left at the second light at the far end of the square rotary onto Drum Hill Rd. Several lights to the Rourke Bridge, make a right off the bridge.
From either direction on 495
On 495 take OLD exit 35B to get you onto Route 3 heading North. Route 3 north about 2 miles to OLD exit 32. Make a right at the top of the exit onto Drum Hill Rd. Several lights to the Rourke Bridge, then make a right off the bridge.
Event Schedule
Note for friends and family: You really cannot get to the starting line of the course. Your best viewing experience is down near the finish line, and the boat you are cheering for is likely to appear in the home stretch anywhere from 12 to 25 minutes after the Start Time shown in the schedule assuming that the races are on schedule.
The schedule below is always in flux until we say it's final here in this spot. It normally goes final on the Wednesday before the regatta, and at that point the TRR/RC event numbers will be aligned and the bow numbers are assigned. Current version:
Filter events by clicking on combinations of buttons.
| | |Download Excel XLSX File (Version 2025.09.30 13:56)
Rules & Classifications
Classifications |
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| AGE DEFINITION: | Age is defined as your age on December 31, 2025. (New in 2016 - changed to agree with FISA/HOCR) |
| ABOVE ALL: | Regardless of any overlaps you might find in the categorization of rowers or events, rowers in high school or youth rowing club programs cannot row in an event or with a crew that has collegiate rowers. Period. End of discussion. |
| NOVICE: | |
| LIGHTWEIGHT: |
(Changed in 2011, now agrees with HOCR)
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| AGE CLASSIFICIATIONS: |
The age classifications below are provided for possible future use. However, since the TRR does not have age-specific or decade-specific Masters events, our rule is that any rower 23 years or older and not affiliated with a collegiate or secondary school rowing program may row in a Masters event. The USRA calculation for handicaps will apply to all Masters events.
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| CLUB: |
Textile River Regatta definition in effect as follows:
Limited to person (including coxswains) who in ANY sculling or sweep-oared event (master or veteran events excepted) DID NOT:
Race officials reserve the right to classify foreign crews into the appropriate event based on the racing experience of the competitors in the boat. |
| JUNIOR / YOUTH: |
Any rower presently enrolled in secondary school. We
consider this to be the equivalent of "HS" or "High School"
designations used in the past. |
| U23 / COLLEGIATE: | Any rower presently enrolled in college or university and not eligible for U19 designation. We consider the U23 USRowing defintion to be the equivalent of the TRR "Collegiate" designation. Also includes a post graduate rower under the age of 23. |
| MIXED: |
In a Mixed event, crew must consist of equal numbers of men and
women, not including the coxswain. Note that all Mixed events at
the TRR use USRA handicapping to economize on the number of
separate events we offer. |
Rules |
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| COURSE: | The Textile River Regatta is rowed over a nominal 4,500 meter course beginning below Tyng Island and finishing along the Heritage State Park walkway, approximately 1,000 meters south of the Bellegarde boathouse. The course is clearly marked along its length with buoys. |
| LAUNCH SITES: |
Boats are to launch from the docks at the UML Bellegarde Boathouse ("BOATHOUSE") or the
City of Lowell Beach located next to the Pavilion (downstream from the
boathouse about a mile, known as "BEACH"). Singles, 2x/2- and 4x/4-/4+ may launch from the Rourke Boat Ramp ("SDAFL") upriver from the
boathouse about 3/4 mile [New in 2014]. While there is ample room for trailers in the parking lot of this location, the docks are not
long enough to launch eights. Each of the three launch sites is staffed by one or more Dockmasters who have the authority for launching operations,
traffic patterns and priorities at each site.
Priority will be given to boats launching for an event over those returning from a previous event. All boats should launch no later than sixty minutes prior to the start of their event. A Dockmaster will be present to expedite boat traffic. ALWAYS launch and dock with the bow pointed upstream. Boats should STAY ON THE NORTH SIDE of the river upon launching. This is the same side as the boathouse. The travel lane is entirely on the north side - there is NO river crossing. Keep ample berth between the land on starboard and the course, which is designated by RED buoys on PORT. |
| BUOYS: | RED buoys mark PORT side of the course, and GREEN buoys
mark the STARBOARD side. What this means: Keep the RED buoys to PORT at
all times, both going upriver to the Start and on the course. YELLOW buoys
mark hazards. Do not try to put your oars over a yellow buoy as it might
have drifted and you could hit the hazard it is marking. Do not attempt to
go between a green buoy and the shore, even on your way up to the starting
line!!!! Giant ORANGE buoys mark the start and the finish lines.
To Emphasize and Summarize:
|
| START: |
Each entrant is responsible for arriving at the marshalling area ten
minutes prior to the start of their event. Boats will be started in order
by bow number at approximately ten second intervals. Late-arriving boats
may lose their starting position or be excluded from the race at the
discretion of the Starter. Boats must pass through the starting buoys to
be officially recognized.
Crews late to the start may start at the discretion of the referees at the start line. If a late crew is allowed to start, a time will be recorded, however the publication of this time within the results of the original event and/or the boat's standing in the event are not guaranteed. To do your warm-ups, move past the orange buoys marking the marshalling area at the Start. Make sure you do not continue upstream out of earshot of the marshals. |
| FINISH: |
Participants not passing between the two finishing buoys with bow marker
intact are subject to exclusion from the race. Once beyond the finish
line, boats MUST clear the Finish line and row clear of all the orange
bouys following the finish line before turning. This is so you do not
block the other crews as they cross the line. Impeding boats that are
still racing constitutes a major (30 second) violation.
Warning: There is a waterfall approximately 1500 meters past the
Finish line. You should avoid rowing over the falls if at all
possible.
To return to the docks, turn to port and return to the docks in the return lane along the wall. Dock carefully with safety in mind and LISTEN for the Dockmaster's instructions. |
| ELIGIBILITY: | See Classifications at the top of this page. |
| EQUIPMENT: | Bowmarkers and bibs must be picked up at the Registration desk (one per boat per race). All boats launching must have their bowmarkers secured. Bowmarkers will be collected at the launch site. BOWCLIPS: All boats must have a bow clip to which a bowmarker can be secured. We won't have spare bow clips at the regatta, so make sure your boat is equipped. BOW BALL: All shells MUST be equipped with a bowball. HEEL STRAPS: All boats MUST have heel straps securely in place at launch time per USRA rules. This is a cool-weather regatta and heel strap compliance is a very popular item with the referees. |
| PENALTIES & PROTESTS: |
Regatta Marshals and USRowing Referees along the course will be responsible for assessing penalties, USRowing Referees
are responsible for hearing your protests. In the event you wish to protest, notify any Textile staff person who will
direct you to a referee. USRowing rules shall apply if not specifically mentioned below.
|
Registration
Thanks for playing, see you next year!
Registration is always done at RegattaCentral.com and is usually open for Textile business starting around Friday, August 15th.
45th Textile Sponsorship Opportunities
45th Textile Sponsorship Opportunities
| Item | Gold $1,000 | Silver $500 | Bronze $200 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Your B/W logo and website URL in the 700+ printed event programs inserted into regatta packets |  |
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| 2. Your COLOR logo with click-through to your website or SEO/SEM campaign on the Textile website |
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| 3. Your COLOR logo on up to 1,000 "stickers" inserted into regatta packets |
(Temporary Image) |
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| 3. Your B/W logo on one or two 4'x 6' event banners that will be located at the Boathouse and near the Medals tent. We'll be inviting all attendees to sign these banners for posterity. |
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| 4. 3x Promotional Announcements of your choosing from Boathouse Announcer | |
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| 5. Your B/W logo on the "red carpet step-and-repeat" background where medal winners will be photographed by the official Textile photographer. |  |
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| 6. Your B/W logo on 150+ Staff T-Shirts seen throughout the venue on Race Day. 2 complimentary shirts included (Specify size when ordering). |  |
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Gold, $1,000
The Gold package puts your image in the most noticed public locations. This level is a limited offering to the first 4 sponsors that sign up to insure that your placement is highly visible.
- Your B/W logo on 150+ Staff T-Shirts seen throughout the venue on Race Day. 2 complimentary shirts included (Specify size when ordering).
- Your B/W logo on the "red carpet step-and-repeat" background where medal winners will be photographed by the official Textile photographer.
- 3x Promotional Announcements of your choosing from Boathouse Announcer
- All of the elements of the Silver package below.
Silver, $500
- Your B/W logo on one or two 4'x 6' event banners that will be located at the Boathouse and near the Medals tent. We'll be inviting all attendees to sign these banners for posterity.
- Your B/W logo on up to 1,000 "stickers" inserted into regatta packets
- All of the elements of the Bronze package below.
Bronze, $200
- Your COLOR logo and click-through to your website on the Textile website
- Your B/W logo and website URL in the 700+ printed event programs inserted into regatta packets
FOR INTERNAL DISCUSSION - TO BE REMOVED
- Artwork above will be revised after I get back.
- The "Bronze" level of $200 might be problematic, in that we charge vendors $200 for tent space and also give them a promotion in the event program and on the website. But I'm okay with that - it's a way of discounting our Vendor pricing to show our appreciation. Vendors are a good thing. So essentially, we're giving the Vendors "free" tent space with a Bronze sponsorship. Arguably, we might raise our Vendor prices $50...
Welcome Vendors
Welcome TRR Vendors
The TRR Committee welcomes vendors in the rowing community who wish to set up their tent at the Textile River Regatta on Sunday. We provide ample space between the Boathouse and Beach Launch Areas where rowers and guests are concentrated. We also offer advertising on our web sites and ad space in our Event Program at very affordable rates.
The regatta itself typically brings over 600 boats to the Merrimac River for a great day of racing and fun. Accompanying those boats are the over 3,000 competitors that row them, and a few thousand friends and family, all within a short walk of where we locate the vendor area downriver from the boathouse.
If you can't make it to the regatta, or just wish to increase your exposure to the rowing community, we offer the options of advertising on our MRRA and TRR rowing web sites and in the TRR Event Program. Our web sites generate high traffic, especially in the days before and after the TRR, and your ads are good for a full year from first posting.
NOTE: Please note that the TRR has a signed contract with N&D Sports for official TRR merchandise for 2025. Merchandise may not carry any reference to the Textile River Regatta without prior approval from the TRR and N&D Sports.
Pricing
Tent space or ads can be reserved by selecting one of the options below and paying online, via PayPal or any major credit card, or via check sent in advance of the event. If you pay by check, it must arrive by the Friday before the regatta. Please make out check to Textile River Regatta Committee and send to:
Textile River Regatta Committee - VENDORS
P.O. Box 1493
Lowell, MA 01852-1493
We have simplified our pricing structure to accommodate the following options:
- Reservation of a tent space (you must provide your own tent) will automatically include a web ad that will run for one year on the TRR site. All you have to do is send is a graphic and a URL that we can link to. Or just send us your website address and we will extract your logo or graphic.
- Reservation of either a web ad (same instructions as above), a print ad (to be run in the event program), or both. Deadline for Web and Print Ads: 10 days before the Textile River Regatta which is being held on Sunday, October 5th, 2025.
Note that online payments using PayPal are processed using our MRRA account and your credit card statement will read from "MRRA" or "Merrimac River Rowing Association". You will receive a receipt via email from PayPal. We do not store any credit card information on our site.
| Item | Description | Price, $ | Make Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
CURRENT VENDOR RESERVATIONS
If your name appears in this list, we have received your request to participate as a vendor for this year's TRR. If you've paid but don't see your name, please check back - the site doesn't update in real time.
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