by MEGAN MOORE, WKRCFriday, July 14th 2017
BETHEL, Ohio (WKRC) – Athletes from across the country are in Bethel, Ohio this week.
East Fork State Park is welcoming hundreds of rowers for the annual USRowing Club National Championships.
The event is the biggest event of the year for Clermont County.
“East Fork State Park is our convention center,” Interim President of Clermont County Convention and Visitors Bureau Jim Comodeca said. “So we look forward to this. It’s the third year in a row that it’s been here now and it’s just amazing.”
An event of this magnitude wouldn’t be possible without help from hundreds of volunteers from the community.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” Comodeca said. “We have an astounding number of local sponsors. Over 500 spots for volunteers to come in. We had county commissioners, mayors, city council men driving chase boats and helping out with the referees.”
Even for those unfamiliar with the sport of rowing, watching the competition can be an enjoyable experience.
“I’m not a rower myself. I’ve come out here for three years now and learned so much,” Comodeca said. “Just looking at the boats and seeing the excitement of the athletes… they train so hard to get to this point and to see the determination, it’s a great event to watch.”
This year’s event will also honor Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin, who was a member of the local rowing organization based at East Fork State Park. Maupin was killed during the Iraqi war in 2004.
“We have a boat with his picture on it and where we’re standing right now doing this interview is the Matt Maupin Pavilion,” Comodeca said. “His mother, Carolyn, was out here volunteering, spending her time at the weigh station. She’s an amazing woman to take such a tragedy and turn it into something where she’s helping others. We’re humbled by the chance that we can offer a little bit.”
The event is free to the public.
The races are going on all weekend and come to an end on Sunday.
Click here for the final results from each race.
