History & Information
Directions
FAQ
    How can I row with the NYAC?   Can I join? Is there a junior program? Where do you row? 

History & Information

The New York Athletic Club, a private club founded in 1868, began rowing on the Harlem River Speedway in 1870. Today, the club rows out of its boathouse on the Orchard Beach Lagoon in Pelham, NY, and has remained competitive at the national level.  Over the years, NYAC athletes have also competed at the World and Olympic level, including six members of the 2000 World Champion Lightweight 8 and nine members of the 2000 US Olympic Team. As a team, the most recent team achievments have included the 1999, 2000, and 2001   Barnes-Sulger Trophy (Men's Point Championship), the 1998 Marion Ventura-NYAC Trophy (Women's Point Championship), and the 1998 and 2001 USRowing Overall Club Championship.

The NYAC (pronounced by those in the know as "New York A--C") Rowing Team trains year-round to produce nationally competitive teams under the tutelage of Vincent Ventura, Rowing Chairman & Head Coach.  The team works out at the Club's boathouse, located at its Travers Island facility in southern Westchester.  The boathouse has five bays, a full fleet of large and small boats, shower facilities, and an indoor weight and erg room on the second floor.  Competitive and master rowers share the boathouse.

NYAC Rowing consists of a year-round team and summer team program, both of which focus on preparing athletes to compete at the national championship level, and beyond.  Qualified rowers, who have competitive racing experience and have met the NYAC's erg standard, can be invited to train with the team and should contact the coaches via the Application for Invitation Form on this web site.  

Year-Round Team 
The year-round squad requires committing to the team workouts on a full-time basis (for further information, see Training), and is primarily designed for post-graduate athletes living and working in the New York metropolitan area.  

If you are an experienced rower living in the New York area (or are planning to relocate to New York) and would like more information about joining the year-round team, please complete the Application for Invitation Form on this web site so that a member of the coaching staff can contact you.

Summer Program (June-July 2002)
In the summer, NYAC Rowing runs a competitive program designed to provide qualified collegiate athletes with an opportunity to contend for championship medals through competitive summer training that offers the chance to improve technique and conditioning.  During the summer, a limited amount of low-cost housing can be arranged for athletes who do not live in the New York metropolitan area.

The NYAC Team is currently accepting information from athletes interested in being invited to train with NYAC Rowing during the 2002 summer season.  If you are interested in the summer rowing program, please complete the Application for Invitation Form on this web site so that a member of the coaching staff can contact you.

Directions to Travers Island Boathouse, Pelham Manor, NY 

The NYAC boathouse is about 3 miles from the Metro North Pelham train station, Interstate 95, and the Hutchinson Parkway.  It is also located about 3 miles from the northern terminus of both the 5 and 6 NYC subway trains. To get specific directions from your location, enter your address coordinates on Mapquest. General directions are below. See the detailed map here.

By Train: From Grand Central Station, New Haven Line, 2nd Pelham stop. Taxi service available at Pelham station to Travers Island. Approx. 3 miles.

East Side of Manhattan: Take FDR Drive to Willis Ave. Bridge (or Triborough) to Bruckner Expressway/I-278, which becomes I-95 (New England Thruway), then take Hutchinson River Parkway North to City Island/Orchard Beach exit. Follow to Stop sign. Proceed 3/4 around traffic circle to Shore Road North Exit. NYAC is approximately 2 miles up Shore Road. At the blinking orange light, bear right. This is the entrance into Travers Island. Take a Left after the guard's gate.  The boathouse will be the second building on your right.

West Side of Manhattan: Take West Side Drive to Cross County Parkway. Follow Parkway East to exit 9/Hutchinson River Parkway South/Whitestone Bridge South exit. >From the Hutch, get off at exit 8/Sanford Blvd. Make a right turn off exit and at second traffic light bear right onto Pelhamdale Avenue. Proceed to the end of Pelhamdale. Make a right turn onto Shore Road and a quick Left.  This is the entrance into Travers Island. Take a left after the guard's gate. The boathouse will be the second building on your right.

Long Island, via Throggs Neck Bridge: Take Throggs Neck Bridge to I-95. Follow from EAST SIDE Directions.

Long Island, via Whitestone Bridge: Take Whitestone Bridge to Hutchinson River Parkway North. Follow from EAST SIDE directions.

New Jersey, via GW Bridge: George Washington Bridge to Cross Bronx Expressway through Bruckner interchange to I-95. Follow from EAST SIDE directions.

New Jersey, via Tappan Zee Bridge : Take Tappan Zee Bridge to exit 8/Route 287 East to exit 3/Sprain Parkway South. Take Sprain Parkway to Cross County Parkway East exit. Take Cross County Parkway to exit 9/Hutchinson River Parkway Whitestone Bridge South. From the Hutch, get off at exit 8/Sanford Blvd. Follow from WEST SIDE directions.

Connecticut, via I-95: Take I-95 South . Get off at exit 15 (New Rochelle/The Pelhams). Bear right off the exit onto Boston Post Road/Route 1. Proceed 3 traffic lights and make a left onto Pelhamdale Avenue . Follow from WEST SIDE directions.

Connecticut, via Merritt Pkwy: Take Merritt Parkway South, which becomes Hutchinson River Parkway . Proceed South and follow WEST SIDE directions from the Hutch.

FAQ

• How can I row with the NYAC?

To be invited to become an active member of the competitive team, an athlete must have competitive rowing experience, meet the club's erg standards, and be willing to commit to the practice schedules set by the NYAC coaching staff. 

• "I don't have any experience.  Can I join?"

Unfortunately, the NYAC does not have a beginner rowing program for incoming athletes; all athletes invited to train with the NYAC rowing team must have at least 1 year of competitive rowing experience and be willing to train full-time for team competitions.

• "Is there a junior rowing team?"

Yes, there is, but only for high school aged children whose parents are NYAC Members.  That is the only way to row in this program. For more information, you should contact Eileen O'Rourke, the head coach of the Club's junior rowing programs.

• "Where do you row out of in NYC?"

The NYAC trains on the Orchard Beach Lagoon racecourse, located on the eastern border of The Bronx and Westchester County. The course covers 2000m at high-tide, and was man-made by dredging for the 1964 Olympic Trials. The course hosted numerous USRA championships and trials in the 1960s and 1970s.  The waters of the course are literally bound by both the Bronx, bordering Orchard Beach area, and Westchester County, near Travers Island and Glen Island County Park.  The greenery makes the Lagoon a far cry from what most people imagine what scenery looks like rowing out of New York City.  The not-so-far off glows illuminating from the Co-Op City high-rises at the end of the course does, however, remind everyone that the City is not far off. 

Although NYAC does not currently host any races at our course, local college teams such as  Manhattan and Iona do host the Metropolitan Championships here every spring. Columbia University also uses the course occasionally as an alternate home venue.  The NYAC does host an indoor erg regatta, the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre," each February.

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