page_title: Regatta
section_title: Oldest sailing regattas
hierarchical_section_title: Regatta / Oldest sailing regattas
caption_attribution_description: English: Britannia Yacht Club regatta; Ottawa, Ontario
context_page_description: A regatta is a series of boat races. The term comes from the Venetian-Italian language regata meaning "contest" and typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas. A regatta often includes social and promotional activities which surround the racing event, and except in the case of boat type championships, is usually named for the town or venue where the event takes place.
  Although regattas are typically amateur competitions, they are usually formally structured events, with comprehensive rules describing the schedule and procedures of the event. Regattas may be organized as championships for a particular area or type of boat, but are often held just for the joy of competition, camaraderie, and general promotion of the sport.
  Sailing race events are typically held for a single class and usually last more than one day. Regattas may be hosted by a yacht club, sailing association, town or school as in the case of the UK's National School Sailing Association and Interscholastic Sailing Association regattas or Intercollegiate Sailing Association regattas.
context_section_description: 1775 – Cumberland Cup, organised by the Royal Thames Yacht Club, UK
  1777 – Lough Ree Regatta, organised by Athlone Yacht Club, Ireland.
  1792 – Whitstable Regatta UK
  1822 – Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta, Dartmouth, UK
  1823 – Port of Plymouth Regatta, Plymouth, UK
  1826 – Cowes Week, Isle of Wight, UK
  1828 – Kingstown Regatta, (now renamed Dun Laoghaire), Ireland
  1828 – Royal Harwich Regatta, Harwich, UK
  1834 – Lough Derg Regatta, at Killaloe, Williamstown and Drumineer, Ireland.
  1837 – Sydney Australia Day Regatta, held every year since 1837, the longest running without a break
  1838 – Royal Hobart Regatta, Australia
  1840 – Auckland Anniversary Regatta, New Zealand
  1844 – Royal Geelong Regatta / Audi Victoria Week, Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Australia
  1845 – New York Yacht Club Regatta, United States
  1849 – Pass Christian Regatta Club on July 21, 1849; twelve boats participated. First regatta on the U.S. Gulf Coast
  1849 – Sandy Bay Australia Day Regatta Australia
  1850 – Race to the Coast, Southern Yacht Club Regatta. Oldest continuously running regatta in the Western Hemisphere United States
  1851 – America's Cup, usually competed for in the country of the current defender/holder
  1851 – Port Esperance Regatta, Australia
  1856 – Chester Race Week, Nova Scotia, Canada
  1857 – Gorey Regatta, Jersey, Channel Islands
  1882 – Kiel Week, Kiel, Germany
  1885 – Appledore & Instow Regatta, North Devon, UK
  1886 – Torbay Royal Regatta, Torbay, UK
  1894 – Britannia Boating Club, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
caption: Britannia Boating Club Regatta 1895
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