ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP A HUGE SPLASH IN HIGH POINT
High Point Travel and Tourism Economy Receives a Nearly $1 Million Boost as Bethany Medical and the Lenny Peters Foundation Sponsor Triad United Rowing Association’s 2023 North Carolina Rowing Championship at Oak Hollow Lake Saturday
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Thousands poured into Festival Park at Oak Hollow Lake in High Point this past weekend for the Bethany Medical 2023 North Carolina Rowing Championship.
The annual event draws in rowing enthusiasts from middle school to collegiate level competitors from across North Carolina and from much of the Southeast.
Gene Kininmonth, founder of Triad United Rowing Association and head coach of the High Point Rowing Club serves as race director for the event. He said more than 2,100 people traveled to High Point from South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Local clubs also participated.
"We're thrilled to welcome so many rowers and their families to High Point," Kininmonth said.
"Festival Park is such a beautiful stadium for spectators to watch the boat racing at Oak Hollow Lake. This alone easily makes High Point the unanimous choice for hosting the Bethany Medical North Carolina Rowing Championships each year."
The event, sponsored for the second year in a row by Bethany Medical and the Lenny Peters Foundation, is split between two regattas, one in April and the other each October.
Visit High Point President, Melody Burnett, said this year’s spring event brought an economic injection of more than $900,000.
“We are so fortunate to have N.C.’s largest rowing event here in our city at beautiful Oak Hollow Lake,” she said. “It takes a team of volunteers as well as our city’s Parks and Recreation staff to implement a successful event. Gene Kininmonth’s leadership as well as the investments from Bethany Medical, the Lenny Peters Foundation and Visit High Point will continue to make this event and sport a thriving opportunity for tourism in High Point.”
Kininmonth said the event continues to grow each year. Last year’s October event was a washout thanks to a hurricane skirting the region, but special invited guest rowers from the University of Cambridge, England, were still able to visit the High Point area and experience Oak Hollow Lake and all the City of High Point has to offer.
On Saturday, 650 individual rowers spread over 345 boats raced for 26 different rowing programs. Triangle Rowing Club of Raleigh topped the gold medal table with 14 wins, taking home the state championship team trophy.
Dr. Lenny Peters, founder and CEO of Bethany Medical and the Lenny Peters Foundation and title sponsor for the event, was on hand Saturday to distribute trophies, medals and the celebrated Dr. Lenny Peters Cup. He summed up all he saw in a single word.
“Amazing,” he said.
Bethany Medical has been a part of the High Point community for more than 35 years and is committed to promoting the city for all it has to offer while supporting competitive sport for young athletes, Dr. Peters explained.
He added that investing in athletic events such as these will draw visitors to our communities, increase commerce for local businesses, and sustain jobs for our industries. “These champions do more than compete; they inspire us to learn, grow, and come together as a community. Combined, we can provide opportunities and support for our young people and make North Carolina the destination for young talent, not just for a weekend to compete but after graduating to come back and to stay, to conduct business and to lead High Point into the future,” Dr. Peters said.
