The Washtenaw Rowing Center is set to host its annual spring regattas at Maple Beach in Kensington Metropark starting mid-April. The 2026 regatta season marks the fifth year of exceptional youth rowing competitions on the Kathryn Bennett Race Course.
“We are delighted to enter what is already our fifth year of racing at Kensington,” said Kit Bennett, executive director of the Ann Arbor-based Washtenaw Rowing Center and head coach of Skyline High School Crew. “It is great to have our own race course so close to home, and it is an honor to cement Michigan as a rowing state, leading the way in athlete and racing experiences. The events have grown year over year and the competition has become faster. We look forward to welcoming everyone at the park this spring.”
The season kicks off April 18 with Huron River Sprints, followed by Kensington Sprints on April 25 and Martindale Sprints on May 2. These three sprint regattas are known as the Mitten Racing Series and serve as season openers to back-to-back crucial championship weekends.
On May 9 and 10, the park will once again host the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships. This regional championship regatta draws over 2,000 athletes from 50 teams from across the Midwest region as they aim to qualify for the Scholastic National Rowing Championships and USRowing Youth National Championships held later this spring in Tennessee and Florida.
The Michigan State Championships on May 16 will be the park’s last spring regatta this year. It serves as the statewide season finale for Michigan scholastic rowing teams.
The Kathryn Bennett Race Course is one of just a handful of fully-buoyed, eight-lane rowing race courses in the Midwest and across the United States. Benefiting from the beautiful scenery of the Kensington Metropark and historically favorable wind conditions, it has quickly become a destination site for high school regattas.
A recent economic impact study showed the race course brings over $5 million dollars in additional annual revenue to the counties surrounding the Kensington Metropark through lodging, dining and transportation needs.
The Washtenaw Rowing Center (WRC) offers rowing opportunities for middle school, high school, collegiate and elite athletes. It is a partner of the Ann Arbor Public Schools. WRC coaches and staff also lead the seasonal crews of Skyline High School, Greenhills School, and out-of-district athletes looking to compete in high school rowing.
