People are nuts if they think that the Schuylkill is a better course than Cooper River. There is a turn in the course, and lane six might would have just as good chances getting a DNS as they would racing. Cooper River is a very fair course, and by far the best course on the east coast.
Worcester (Lake Quinsigamond) was terrible all the times I raced there for Big East. I saw the Doris Soliday (Syracuse 2V) get blown parallel to the starting dock and saw all 9 stand up in the boat, jump into the water, and swim a couple feet to the dock as the boat went completely under. Races were running like 2 hours late that day. I'd rather race at Rutgers during low tide (huge sandbar) or in the tiny canal at Cornell then race at Worcester.
Onondaga isnt a terrible course. I guess people have had bad experiences there when the wind blows from the south, but that seems to happen at sprints every year too. When the conditions are good (75% of the time after the ice is off) it is a great course with the park on your left and a view of the city at the end of the lake. Tons of warmup room. There is something to be said for thousands of people coming out to watch the races go down. The lake park is a great viewing area and when the IRA was in Syracuse, it was a huge deal in the community. People who have never picked up an oar still ask me about it.
Thank you for putting Waramaug up there. This is a pristine course set against a beautiful new england back drop. The last 1000m run along a grassy shore, great for spectating. There is a nice warm up area and planty of room for trailers. Waramaug is a very under rated race course.
I'm from San Diego and have rowed in the crew classic for the last 19 years and can't believe that SD even made it in this poll. SD is by far the worst 6 lane course (due entirely to conditions) I have ever raced at in the US. Great weather and sun make it fun, but not great for sprint racing. But it is fun to row home after our races.
Give some love to the Occoquan. It might not have the best viewing, but it is a fair course and does not have crazy cross wins like Oak Ridge nor does it have a turn like the Schuylkill.
19.0%