About Virginia Beach Rowing Club

Club History

Virginia Beach Rowing Club was founded in 2003. Historically, the club has coached many student rowers and has evolved now into a Masters rowing club offering private rowing lessons and group sculling meetups.

Why Choose VBRC

Our rowing club membership is small but growing. VBRC is a great option for individuals looking to:

Take private rowing lessons (and learn everything else that comes with the rowing lifestyle) so you can independently row as your schedule allows
Find another Virginia Beach-area rower interested in rowing in a double or meeting up to row/erg together
Improve your current sculling skills or prepare for Masters regatta racing
Be on the water quickly in Virginia Beach
Share in the vision of increasing rower access to Virginia Beach waterways through fundraising and community partnerships

Club Leadership

Mark Winters, M.D. - Club President; Level 2 US Rowing Certified Coach & Regatta Volunteer Medical Director
Tom Ackiss, Club Treasurer, Masters Rower and Harvard Alumnus
Perry Lange- US Rowing Level 1 Certified Coach

Virginia Beach Rowing Club Coaches

Mark Winters, M.D. - US Rowing Certified Coach Level 2

Mark R Winters, MD serves as Board President for VBRC and has a rich coaching history, impressive athletic background and leadership portfolio supporting the rowing community and athletes. From 2008 to 2019 he supported the Cox High School Crew Team serving as the Auxiliary President, parent volunteer and then Assist Coach (all volunteer) where he instituted the team’s Nutrition Program and oversaw the Lightweight program involving multiple state and national testing protocols and documentation. As Assistant Junior Coach and Head Junior Coach he has helped drive impressive results for area athletes:

W2X EVSRA gold medalists and State silver medalists and National
Championship qualifiers 2012
W1X EVSRA silver medalist 2012
W1X EVSRA gold medalist 2013
W1X State finalist 2012 and 2013
W1X Head of the Christiana gold medalist 2012
M1X EVSRA silver medalist 2013
M1X State Finalist, silver medalist and National Championship qualifier 2013
MLt2X State silver medalists 2017
MLt2X HOTO silver medalists 2016
MLt4 EVSRA gold medalists and State bronze medalists and National
Championship semifinalists 2016
MLt4 EVSRA gold medalists 2017
WJr4 EVSRA silver medalists and State finalists 2017
W Lt2X HOTO gold medalists 2018
M Lt2X HOTO silver medalists 2018
W 1X HOCR (Chickahominy) gold medalist 2018
M 2X HOCR gold medalists 2018
W 2X HOCR gold medalists 2018

He later founded and funded two University of Mary Washington’s 501c3 charitable foundations for Men’s and Women’s rowing teams. As a competitive athlete and rower, Winters is an accomplished Silver Medalist for Masters Single Sculls at the 2014 Head of the Occoquan Regatta in Washington DC, top 20 age-group finisher at the 2015 World Championship Indoor Rowing / Ergometer Championship (C.R.A.S.H.B’s) in Boston, MA and four-time winner of the Hampton Roads Rowing Club Ergometer Masters Champion and former record holder. When he’s not coaching future champions or maintaining the nostalgic “The Poet Rower” coach boat, you can find Winters serving as medical director for area regattas to ensure athlete safety. Winters is a Level 2 certified US Rowing coach and is a proud owner of Hudson racing shells.

Perry Lange - US Rowing Certified Coach Level 2

As a top national swimmer (former US National Team for UC Berkeley), triathlete and now rower, Perry Lange has helped athletes from coast to coast excel in their sport. Coaching accomplishments include serving as former head swim coach for Northgate HS in Walnut Creek, CA; founding Old Dominion Aquatic Club in Norfolk, VA; awarded VA State Swim Coach-of-the-Year twice and served as US National Swim Team, Regional Coach (Mid-Atlantic). In Virginia Beach, Lange also served as Cox High School assistant crew coach in 2019 and 2020, and he has been a VBRC coach since 2019. In 2020 he served as Coastal Virginia Community Rowing Club assistant coach and assistant crew coach for Catholic High School for the 2021-22 season. Lange can be found rowing across Virginia Beach early in the morning hours in his Sykes 2x, appropriately named Dawn Patrol, or red Vespoli 1x named Gracie.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at vbrowing1@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Who can join Virginia Beach Rowing Club?

VBRC welcomes all US Rowing registered individuals to join our club if our offerings match your interest levels. VBRC is a great option for Virginia Beach residents looking to:

Learn how to scull (and learn everything else that comes with the rowing lifestyle) so you can independently row as your schedule allows
Find another rower interested in rowing in a double or meeting up to row/erg together
Improve your current sculling skills or prepare for Masters regatta racing
Reduce commuting times to other cities for rowing and be on the water quickly in Virginia Beach
Share in the vision of increasing rower access to Virginia Beach waterways through fundraising, community partnerships and social events

Currently there are three other primary rowing clubs in the area (Hampton Roads Rowing Club, Virginia Beach Veteran's Rowing and Coastal Virginia Community Rowing). We welcome you to find the right club for your rowing needs. We are all friends on the water!

Are you an organized team? When are practices?

We are not an organized club team with regular practices. However, we do conduct frequent group rows in various locations. We have members all over the Virginia Beach area with the ability to cartop.

What do I get with my membership?

Members receive:

Unlimited access to club boats year-round on a first-come, first-served basis (subject to safety conditions, ability, and certification in different types of boats).
Access to Lake Joyce with a reserved outdoor rack storage for your 1x or 2x, which is ideal if you do not have the ability to store your shell at your home. We also have an oar house to rack your oars, so no cover is needed.
VBRC car magnet
VBRC shatter-proof champagne flute for formal boat christening ceremonies
Invitations to special member only social events
Access to Member Roster, Meet Up Schedule and Boat Reservation Spreadsheet to easily connect with other rowers in the Virginia Beach area

Do you have a boathouse?

There is not a boathouse in Virginia Beach. We’re a club comprised of Masters rowers who like to get together in a variety of locations, which is why we've committed to helping fund low profile docks across the city. Our home base, or “basecamp,” is Lookout Ct. at Lake Joyce in the Baylake Pines neighborhood. This is a private lot that has been generously donated by a club member for member parking, shell, coach boat and oar house storage.

What member amenities are offered at your Lake Joyce basecamp?

VBRC members have private access to Lake Joyce with a reserved outdoor rack storage for your 1x or 2x, which is ideal if you do not have the ability to store your shell at your home. We also have an oar house to rack your oars, so no cover is needed. Vehicle parking is available at the lot so you don’t have to find parking in the neighborhood.

Do you have club boats, and can I book a club boat in advance?

VBRC currently has a very small fleet of club boats and is expanding the fleet as funds permit.

VBRC uses Google spreadsheets for boat checkout. Access to the spreadsheet is available once you've placed club membership. Our goal is to get members comfortable in the water and help them on their journey to owning their own shell that fits their budget needs, weight and rowing style. Club members will travel to help other club members pick up purchased used shells found online, like on Row2k. If you have a shell you would like to donate or sell to the club, please contact us!

How frequently do club members get together for workouts?

VBRC offers “pop-up” rowing meetups throughout Virginia Beach, VA on most Saturday mornings during the warmer months (spring through fall). Members access the club's Google Spreadsheet to find out where and when we will meet next – it’s always a surprise! Members bring their own equipment (1x or 2x).

Members are able to access Basecamp at Lake Joyce weekdays and weekends at any time.

Do you offer private lessons?

VBRC offers private lessons for individuals interested in learning how to scull or want to improve their form. There are one-on-one lessons, a Learn to Row Beginner Package and a Bring a Friend Package. For all lessons:

Learn-to-row participants must obtain a USRowing Basic membership prior to the first lesson and be a competent swimmer.
Training sessions must be scheduled in advance. Please contact us to arrange your lessons before purchasing this item.

Do you offer youth membership or lessons?

Yes. VBRC offers a student membership rate and offers private lessons for students looking to learn how to scull or improve their sculling form. While we are primarily a Masters group, we welcome students who find VBRC can fit their rowing needs.

When is the best time to learn to row/scull?

Learning to row is ideal spring through fall. In the winter, most club members spend time erging indoors until the outdoor water/air temp combo increases for rower safety.