Races resume at Quidi Vidi Lake after delays; crowds return to 208th Royal St. John's Regatta

The Royal St. John’s Regatta resumed rowing races at Quidi Vidi Lake on August 5 after organizers briefly paused competition because of high winds. Thousands of people remained around the lake during the stoppage, with games, food booths and other attractions continuing as crews waited to return to the water. By day’s end, the 208th edition of the event had completed its championship races, with Volkswagen winning the women’s final and Fine Strokes Plaster & Painting taking the men’s title. (cbc.ca) (stjohnsregatta.ca) The regatta is a civic holiday in the St. John’s area and goes ahead only if conditions allow. The committee says the decision is made early that morning, and if the event cannot proceed, it moves to the next day. This year, vice-president Shannon Brown announced around 5:45 a.m. that the regatta was on. ### Why did racing stop in the middle of the day? High winds forced a temporary pause in rowing on Wednesday afternoon, according to CBC’s on-site report from Quidi Vidi Lake. The interruption did not end the event, and races later resumed. (cbc.ca) The Royal St. John’s Regatta website says the event is weather permitting, and the holiday itself depends on that decision. In St. John’s, the annual uncertainty has long been known locally as “Regatta roulette,” because residents often wait until the early-morning flag decision to know whether the holiday will happen that day. (stjohnsregatta.ca) ### Who won the championship races? Volkswagen won the women’s championship race in 5:11.68, ahead of Smith Stockley Ladies Crew in 5:16.94 and All Star Rebar in 5:25.41, CBC reported. (cbc.ca) The result gave Volkswagen another women’s crown after entering the day as defending champion. Fine Strokes Plaster & Painting won the men’s championship in 9:22.22. Capital Home Hardware finished second in 9:29.01, and Newfoundland Power placed third in 10:44.62. Earlier in the day, VOCM had reported that Fine Strokes and Capital Home Hardware were the leading men’s crews based on trial times. (stjohnsregatta.ca) ### What kept people at the lake while races were paused? Thousands of spectators stayed at Quidi Vidi Lake even during the delay, CBC reported. The official regatta site says the shoreline is lined with booths and concessions, and that crowds can reach 30,000 to 50,000 over the course of the day. (cbc.ca) Brooklyn Tooke, 10, told CBC that the games were a major draw after she won a large green chameleon prize at a game of chance. “It’s just so much fun,” she said, adding that there were many games to play and prizes to win. (cbc.ca) CBC also reported that attractions such as the fish pond and Crown and Anchor continued to draw people during the pause. ### Why is this event treated differently from a normal race day? The Royal St. John’s Regatta committee says the event dates to 1818 and describes it as North America’s oldest continuous sporting event. (cbc.ca) The races use fixed-seat rowing shells with six rowers and a coxswain, and crews start and finish at the same point after turning buoys halfway through the course. August 5 was also a holiday across the St. John’s area because the regatta went ahead. VOCM reported that city halls in St. John’s and Mount Pearl, along with St. (cbc.ca) John’s-based provincial government offices, were closed for the day, while some other services such as garbage collection continued. ### Where do the official results and next details go? The Royal St. John’s Regatta website lists race results, archives, live coverage and planning information for spectators and crews. (stjohnsregatta.ca) The site also identifies August 5, 2026, as the date of the 208th regatta and says updated results and past records are available online. (stjohnsregatta.ca) (vocm.com)