About Us

The Miami Rowing & Watersport Center

The Miami Rowing Club is a reflection of our South Florida community. Rowers of all ages, skills and ambitions meet at the boathouse and on the water to enjoy a sport that is meant for our tropical climate. Just like Miami, we come from all over, speak many languages and represent the many aspects of rowing from beginner to hard-training competitors.  We start young in the Youth Program and continue on into our seventies.  Rowing in Miami – it’s what we love!

Not for Profit 501(C)3 Organization

Miami Rowing & Watersport Center is a Not for Profit 501(C)3 Organization – all dedicated sponsorships and donations to MRC are tax deductible per IRS regulations.  The club is governed by an elected Board of Directors composed of club members.

Premier Location

Located on beautiful Virginia Key next to the famous Marine Stadium, our boathouse waterfront is on a protected basin off Biscayne Bay.  The basin provides two parallel, 1,500 meter, 7-lane courses for training workouts or leisurely rows. Our rowers enjoy excellent water conditions almost year round.

Excellent Programs

A full range of rowing programs is offered to meet the needs and interests of our community.

• Our Youth Program serves new and experienced rowers from 6th through 12th grades.
• The Adult Learn-to-Row program introduces participants to a new sport and healthy lifestyle.
• Our competitive, adult masters programs for men and women produce many gold medal winners.
• Recreational groups get together to enjoy a relaxed time on the water.
• Private coached groups offer a social and athletic experience.
• Private lessons are available for those desiring one-on-one instruction.

Miami International Regatta

The MIAMI INTERNATIONAL REGATTA, hosted by MRC since 1973, attracts many competitors, spectators and media each year around March. Encompassing both youth events and master’s events, the regatta offers both good racing and an enjoyable way to experience the rowing community.

Mission & Vision

Our MISSION is to promote the sport of rowing and to provide education on the benefits of rowing for all ages and abilities.

Our VISION is to grow the rowing community to reflect the local community.

Donate

Giving through donations is key to the achievement of both out mission and vision.  As a non-profit organization, all dedicated donations and gifts are deductible per IRS regulations.  Please contact us for donation opportunities.

Board of Directors

The Miami Rowing Club is governed by an elected Board of Directors, who serve either 2 year or 1 year terms. The Board oversees all rowing programs of the organization, and 1/4 of the Board is comprised of representatives from the Youth Program Committee, a committee elected by the parents of Youth Program rowers.

The Miami Rowing Club annual elections were held in December 2010.

President:                    Eddie Montalvo

Vice President:            Paul Mellinger

Treasurer:                   Howard Kosowsky

Secretary:                    Bill O’Donnell

YP Rep:                       Megan Mellinger

Rowing Delegate:        Sunny McLean

Directors-at-large:

Sergio Mendoza

Monk Terry

Fernando Mendoza

Raul Arellano

Robert Behar

Marina McCabe

Founded in 1974

The Miami Rowing and Watersports Center, Inc. was founded as the Miami Rowing Club in 1974 by a group of individuals who had the common bond of the sport of rowing among them. The original site was located on Blue Lagoon next to Miami International Airport. During its early years, MRC (as it was known then), brought together Miami’s nascent rowing community and began competing locally and regionally. In 1979, MRC moved to an empty lot next to Miami Marine Stadium and MAST Academy (then known as the Planet Ocean museum).

The current boathouse was built in 1984

1984 City of Miami was looking to enhance the property surrounding the Miami Marine Stadium, at the request of the City of Miami and with full support from the city officials, a permanent boathouse facility was constructed to house rowing shells, a meeting space, and a competitive-size pool. By then, MRC had established a very successful youth rowing program, winning several State Championships and competing at the Junior National Championships.

MRC is known for excellent rowing programs

Throughout the 1980s, the Miami Rowing Club’s Masters and Youth rowing programs had made a name for themselves nationally. The Masters rowing program began winning gold medals at the US Masters Nationals on a regular basis. This set the stage for the Board of Directors of MRC to lure the US Masters Nationals and FISA World Masters Championships to Miami in 1990 and 1991, respectively. The FISA World Masters Championships are the pinnacle achievement of the Masters rowing community. Thousands of competitors from around the world attended what was hailed by the rowing community as the most successful FISA Masters World Championships to date.

The Youth Rowing Program won many State and National championships throughout the 1980s. Through the diligence and hard work of the MRC Board of Directors and the City of Miami, MRC hosted the 1984 US Rowing Junior National Championships at the Miami Marine Stadium. First prize was a 4-man rowing shell whose name was “The City of Miami”. The hard work paid off, as MRC’s youth program continued to grow and succeed because of the exposure and dedication. In 1995, the MRC Boy’s Varsity eight-man shell, the sport’s premier event, won the US Rowing Junior National Championship, the first Florida rowing program to do so. Several MRC Youth Rowing program alumni have gone on to represent the United States as part of the National team, bringing home Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals from Word Championship competition. Today, the MRC Youth Program has nearly 100 high school aged rowers participating in one of the most successful youth rowing programs in the country, as the program continues to excel in both state and national competitions. In addition, there are yearly scholarships offered through the Youth Rowing program, in the name of the City of Miami commissioners.