RegattaCentral

Secret City Head Race

  • Hosted By: Oak Ridge Rowing Association, Inc.
  • USRowing Registered (Self-Insured regatta)
  • Registration Closed

The 2025 Secret City Head Race - Oct 25-26
Melton Hill Lake, Oak Ridge, TN

Regatta Central is updating the posted event dates. October 25-26 is final.

Schedule, Heats and Timing Results:

Here Now Schedule (pending) The HereNow schedule is authoritative.  
Here Now Heat Sheets (pending)
Here Now Results (pending)

2024 Here Now Results     

Coaches and Coxswains (C&C): Wednesday 8pm Eastern/7pm Central via Zoom (pending). 
It is very important that every team have a representative at this meeting, risking important information about the announcement schedule, launch and staging schedule, and race schedule.

Push-only text messages will be provided through GroupMe. These text-based messages will provide late-breaking news that affects the regatta. QR to be posted once registration opens.

VIP Parking Passes  (link pending) go on sale the same day registration opens. 
Please pick up your pass on Friday to ease congestion at the parking lot entrance on Saturday morning. Per City of Oak Ridge, parking along Melton Lake Road is permitted. Please pay attention to posted signs regarding restricted areas/no-parking signs. The City enforces those violations aggresively.

Continued in 2025 - Collegiate events are expanded, on both days, to include both Men's and Women's Novice and Collegiate 8+ and 4+. 

ORRA is delighted to include inclusive events at the Secret City Head Race. We have scheduled an Inclusive 2x (Saturday: Mixed Masters 2x) and Inclusive 4+ (Sunday: Mixed Masters Inclusive 4+), and are happy to consider other events.  Please contact us with those requests.

We've ADDED a Parent/Child to the Saturday afternoon schedule. We'll use the same rules as the Hooch- All entries in the Parent/Child 2x event shall be comprised of two rowers, an adult master’s rower, and their son or daughter. The “child” can be of any age. Entries can be mixed or of the same gender. The standard Masters’ handicap will not apply to this event. Or, using the HOCR rule- Parent/Child: No handicap, any gender, any age. Participants must be related.

Course Maps are posted.  Full Packet posted.  Quick Reference posted.  Apparel online shop (link pending).

Team Tent Rental Space  Link (pending)

Overview

The regatta features our traditional downstream course on Saturday and our throwback upstream course on Sunday. Both courses are 5000m and offer beautiful scenery and a challenging steering course that includes sweeping turns and bridges. Maps of the courses are posted below. They are completely independent, sharing only the same 5000-meter finish line. Watch for bald eagles and osprey on the downstream course. Heron sightings will be plentiful on the upstream course.

Events are offered on both days to allow coaches and athletes a wide variety of options to enter multiple events and multiple boatings. Legend - M(en), (W)omen, Mi(X)ed, and (I)nclusive.

2025 Saturday Event Cross Reference
  1x 2x 2- 4x 4x+ 4+ 8+
U15           MW MW
U16         MW MWX MW
U17 MW MW   MW   MW MW
U19 MW MW MW MW   MW MW
Collegiate Novice           MW MW
Collegiate     W MW   MW MW
Open MW            
Masters MW MWXI   MWX   MWX MWX
Parent/Child   P/C          

 

2025 Sunday Event Cross Reference
  1x 2x 2- 4x 4x+ 4+ 8+
Jr. Novice           MW MWX
Junior MW MW MW MW   MW MWX
Collegiate Novice           MW  
Collegiate M MW M W M MW  
Open MW            
Masters MW MWX MW MWX   MWX  

ORRA looks to provide ample opportunities to race in events both Saturday and Sunday. However, due to Sunday being a shorter race day not all events will be offered. The order of races are hard to change so please use your line-up and entry skills and experience to plan accordingly. 

Quick Links

2025 Secret City Head Race Dates are CONFIRMED for October 25-26.

Website https://orra.org/events
Contact Regatta Director
Email [email protected]
Phone +1 (865) 482-6538
Sanctioned by  
Chief Referee Andrew Cooke
Juniors Yes
High School Yes
Middle School Yes
Collegiate Yes
Open Yes
Masters Yes
Elite No
Para Yes
Inclusion No
Entry Fees (USD)
Standard Cost Early Cost Late Cost
.Notification of Interest
1x (Singles) $55.00 $45.00 $75.00
2x | 2- (Doubles/Pairs) $80.00 $60.00 $105.00
4+ | 4x | 4x+ (Fours/Quads/Coxed Quads) $120.00 $100.00 $150.00
8+ (Eights) $160.00 $135.00 $190.00
Plus taxes if applicable
Max entries 700 entries. This venue has a restriction on how many entries are permitted. Registration is closed when this cap is reach ( or the deadline passes, whichever occurs first.)