No. Stonington, CT, April 23, 2003 – The National Rowing Foundation (NRF) today announced that it is providing up to $100,000 to this year’s national rowing team athletes in the form of air travel assistance.
“As our national team candidates and coaches are beginning their process of team competition and selection, we want them to know that we will be there for them,” said W. Hart Perry, Executive Director of the NRF. “The first Selection Regatta takes place this weekend in Princeton, NJ with some of the winners qualifying for competition at the FISA World Cup Regatta in Munich, Germany in June. The NRF has committed to paying for their air travel expenses, and we have informed USRowing. We recognize that in this economy the amount of funds available for such competition may be limited, and so we wanted to remove any concerns or doubts the athletes may have about being able to compete. International competition is vital to our national team’s success, particularly with this year’s World Championships (Milan, Italy / Aug. 24-31) being a qualifying regatta for next year’s Olympic Regatta. The opportunity for the athletes to test their speed at the World Cup Regattas is crucial for our eventual success, and the NRF has a 35-year history of providing this “margin for excellence.”
The NRF, founded in 1966, receives donations from individuals who wish to give entirely to athletes and coaches. Twenty-seven directors, nineteen of whom have represented the United States at international competition, govern the NRF. The operating overhead of the Foundation is covered by gifts from Directors and Trustees. The Davenport Endowment is valued at approximately $2million. Every year for the past five years, the NRF has contributed an average of $250,000 to various aspects of putting America’s national teams on the water.