SCENE 1.

INTRODUCTION

MEDIUM WIDE: A rowing team rows on a lake in the morning sun.

VOICE:
The annual Royal St. John’s Regatta is North America’s
oldest continuing annual sporting event. On the first
Wednesday in August, more than 100 rowing crews compete
to be the fastest crew on the pond.

WIDE: Crowds of people walking through concessions.

VOICE:
A mid-week civic holiday, the Regatta attracts up to
40,000 people annually. More than 250 booths and
concessions blanket the shoreline of Quidi Vidi Lake and
add greatly to the races being rowed on the Lake. The
booths and concessions are operated by charitable,
athletic, church and fraternal organizations, and by
enterprising individuals.
CUT-IN: Kids playing a game of chance and wining a prize.

CUT-IN: A man passes cotton candy to a smiling young girl.

VOICE:
The Regatta has been about socializing as much as it has
been about amateur sport. It is widely known as "The
Largest Garden Party in the World" and draws attention
from all over. Concession stands, wheels of fortune,
games of chance, food and fun are just as much part of
the history of the Regatta as the races.

SCENE 2. THE BOATS:

MEDIUM: Images of shells

VOICE:
The fixed seat rowing shells are unique. There are six
rowers plus a coxswain. The races start and finish at
the same spot which requires all the crews to "turn the
buoys" at the halfway point of the race. A crews range
in age from 14 to senior citizens. Men's crews row a
2.450 km course, women's crews row a 1.225 km course.

SCENE 3. HISTORY:

MONTAGE: Images of historical crews and St. John's Harbour.

VOICE:
Many historians believe that rowing and sailing
competitions between the crews from various ships in the
harbour and the local populace pre-date any of the
earliest verifiable mention of a rowing competition
dates back to 12 August 1816. In its early days the boat
races were held over a space of three days, and
 old-fashioned gigs and yawls and long boats were manned
by sailors and fishermen who won cash prizes and
bragging rights.

SCENE 4. ROYAL VISITS:

MONTAGE: Stock footage of Queen Elizabeth visiting the Royal

St. John's Regatta in 1978.

VOICE:
The Regatta has been visited by members of the Royal
Family, including Prince Albert Edward (later King
Edward) in 1860 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1978. It has
been canceled due to the death of any Monarch, and any
year a Coronation has taken place or a milestone Jubilee
celebrated, the Regatta has been held in honour of the
Monarch.

SCENE 5: WOMEN ROWING IN THE REGATTA:

MONTAGE: Images of Women's Rowing Crews from the St. John's

Regatta.
VOICE:
In 1856, a crew of women from Quidi Vidi competed
against a crew from Southside, St. John's on the waters
of Quidi Vidi Lake. Although St. John's had held an
annual regatta (Royal St. John's Regatta) since 1818,
this race was the first of its kind. It was almost
another century before women participated again in the
St. John's Regatta. In 1941, members of the American
military took part in the races, including crews of WAF
(Women in the Air Force). Further initiatives to include
women in the races were rebuffed. A 1945 newspaper
column "Notes on the Regatta" reported the decision of
the Regatta Committee not to include a "Ladies' Race" in
the Victory Regatta. In 1949, the decision was
overturned, and four crews of women competed in the
historic event. The spectators gathered to cheer the
women on numbered well over 8,000, one of the largest
crowds reported at Quidi Vidi Lake.

SCENE 6. THE OUTER COVE FISHERMAN'S CREW 1901:

PAN: Photo of 1901 rowing crew.

VOICE:
On August 7th 1901, the Outer Cove Fishermen's Crew with
the racing shell "Blue Peter" rowed Quidi Vidi lake in a
record time of 9 minutes 13.45 seconds. The crew
consisted of: Martin Boland, John Nugent, Denis Croke,
Denis McCarthy, Daniel McCarthy, John Whelan and Walter
Power. This record was held for 80 years until it was
broken in 1981 by the Smith Stockley rowing crew.

PAN: A photo of the 1982 rowing crew.

VOICE:
 This win was a huge blow to the people of Outer Cove.
In the fall of 1981, two brothers Mike and Bill Power
put together six men whose sole intention was bringing
the record back to Outer Cove. This crew was coxed by
Mike Power and included Andrew Boland, Bert Hickey,
Campbell Feehan, Gerald Ryan, Jim Hibbs, and Owen
Devereaux. In the regatta of 1982, the Outer Cove men's
crew gave the most dominating performance in a single
race, covering the course in an astounding 9:03.48.
After reestablishing the record and winning the Men's
Championship Race later that day, the pride was back in
Outer Cove. In 2000 we inducted into the Royal St.
John's Regatta Hall of Fame.

INTERVIEW: Past rowers from the 1982 rowing crew.

SCENE 7. CANCELLATIONS:

VOICE:
From 1861 to 1870 there were no Regattas held due to
political and religious strife within the country of
Newfoundland. It was feared that such a gathering would
instigate riot and unrest among the many peoples of the
country leading to more turmoil and anger.

INSERT: Images of the Fire of 1892

VOICE:
After the fire of 1892, there was no Regatta held
because the shores of Quidi Vidi were used as temporary
housing for those who lost their homes.

INSERT: Images of troops during WWI.

VOICE:
In 1914 the Regatta was held, but was blackened by the
news that war had erupted in Europe, and that
Newfoundlanders would be shipping overseas to aid in the
war effort with Britain. Out of respect for those
fighting in the war, no Regattas were held from 1915 to
1918. There was no event again in 1940, continuing with
the theme of "No Regatta during War time". However,
American, Canadian and Newfoundland military commanders
believed that it would be an excellent distraction from
the war and a perfect opportunity to keep their men in
shape by continuing with the Regatta, and it was
subsequently reinstated in 1941.