Duluth Rowing Club prepares to celebrate Duluthian and World Champion Walter Hoover

DULUTH, MN. (KBJR) - The Duluth Rowing Club is less than 24 hours away from celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Duluthian Walter Hoover’s World Championship during their 62nd Duluth International Regatta.

At Saturday’s event, over 300 rowers, juniors (13-18), open (19-26), and master (age 27+) from around the U.S. and Canada will compete in several races, going every ten minutes. Races will begin at 8 am and are estimated to wrap up around 6 pm.

In the middle of the race, the club will pause to name a brand new quad, honoring Hoover’s achievements after a century since he was crowned as the Single Scull World Champ at the Diamond Sculls in England back in 1922. Michael Cochran of Duluth Rowing Club, says Hoover may be one of the most famous people to come out of the Twin Ports.

“I’d like people to know that this was such a big thing for Duluth. That when he arrived back from winning this event in England, he was met at the train station with thousands of people, parading through the city. The citizens were just all sorts of anticipation, the newspaper had published photographs of Hoover in the paper that they thought everyone should stick in their window to show their support. The business community was just ecstatic because they felt that his victory put Duluth on the map.”

Cochran encourages the general public to come out to the event and says they will be around all day. Click here for a complete schedule of Saturday’s festivities at the Duluth Rowing Club.

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