Saint Ignatius High School

Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta

Saint Ignatius Crew will be racing at its lone home competition for the year, the Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta, on Saturday, September 16. Crews from Saint Ignatius will race at different times between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Come cheer on the Wildcat Navy on their home course!

Saint Ignatius Crew will be racing at its lone home competition for the year, the Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta, on Saturday, September 16, 2023. Crews from Saint Ignatius will race at different times between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. A full schedule for the Wildcat Navy can be found here. Come cheer on the 'Cats on their home course! #LetsGoCats

Where should I park?
Fans are encouraged to park at Saint Ignatius High School in the student lot and walk down to the Cuyahoga River. Some limited paid parking is available in the Flats near the race site:

  • Free Parking around Ohio City - Short 15-minute walk down Riverbed Rd. to race site
  • $5-$10 paid parking at 1681 Columbus Road
  • $10-20 paid parking at various spots around the Flats

Where should I watch from?
There are lots of parks, restaurants and other places to watch the crews go by, including:

I've never been to a regatta. How does this work?
Races are happening all day long (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and are run in a "time trial" format. The course begins 5,000 meters upstream near the I-490 bridge and ends in front of Rivergate Park. Each crew begins one at a time, separated by 15-20 seconds. Some crews will pass one another. Ultimately, results are based on how fast each crew completes the 5,000m course.

What can you tell me about the race course?
The Cuyahoga River race course is one of the most challenging in the country due to its narrowness and the many twists and 90-degree turns. A skilled coxswain (pronounced cox'n) is needed to drive the crew from start to finish.

What am I looking for, and what do I do?
Saint Ignatius races primarily bright gold racing shells; we're usually the only team in that color boat, so look for that! When you see our crews coming down the course, chants of "Let's Go Cats" are usually best to cheer the guys on.

What's the schedule?
The team racing schedule can be found here on Regatta Central.  We'll have multiple boats competing throughout the day. If you're cheering on near Rivergate Park, you're likely to see our crews come by 15-20 minutes after the scheduled race start time (assuming the regatta remains on schedule).