New Integrations Enable Continued High-Quality Coverage of Local Tradition; 11 California Universities to Compete in UC Irvine-Hosted Regatta.

-- Balboa, Calif., February 27, 2020 --

The Rowing Channel - a webcast service managed by rowers, for rowers - will kick off the spring season at the fifth annual Henry T. Nicholas III California Challenge Cup. The event, hosted at Marina Park in Newport Beach by the University of California, Irvine crew (UCI) and the Friends of UCI Rowing also marks the start of TRC’s sixth season serving the Southern California rowing community.

Collegiate rowing teams from throughout California will gather at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club along Balboa Peninsula shore to race side-by-side down a 1,250 meter stretch, finishing at the iconic lighthouse of Marina Park Community Center. Participating crews hail from the following schools: Long Beach State University, San Diego State University, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, Loyola Marymount University, Orange Coast College, USC, and Santa Clara University.

UCI Crew will host a complimentary shuttle to and from the regatta, with parking available at the municipal lot at Balboa Pier. Spectators can watch from the beach, from boats lining the racecourse, or stream LIVE racing online at www.rowingchannel.com. A jumbotron at Marina Park will provide further viewing to spectators at the park.

Dr. Henry T. Nicholas III, philanthropist and co-founder of technology giant Broadcom, has been a supporter of the sport of rowing for years, specifically UCI’s collegiate team. "Crew is a sport that gets very little glory, but requires tremendous commitment, heart and character," says Nicholas [1] about rowing.

Nicholas’ philanthropy has extended beyond athletics since his 2008 founding of the Nicholas Academic Centers (NAC), a nonprofit tutoring, mentoring, and college prep program originally founded in Santa Ana, California. Seeking to provide a well-rounded experience to its students, the NAC provides transportation to and from Newport Harbor, where they get close to the action—viewing the regatta from a boat anchored in the harbor.

Establishing a broadcast at a new venue isn't easy, but it is no new challenge for TRC. “Our team has put in a significant amount of work into this new venue,” says Brandin Grams, Field Engineer and co-founder of TRC. “It’s been quite an undertaking; much more than we typically deal with, but we know it’s all worth it on race day.” Grams is a certified USRowing official and longtime active member of the local rowing community, having competed for Orange Coast College and then Long Beach State during college.

This year’s coverage of the Nicholas Cup Regatta is a major milestone for The Rowing Channel, as it is the first time ever the LIVE webcast will include aerial footage in addition to shore-mounted cameras in its coverage. “Sports media is changing,” says TRC Operations Coordinator Grant Coultrup. “At live events, the overhead shots that we see with drones are quickly becoming the norm, rather than the exception. This pivot has been an exciting challenge and one which is only possible with our excellent operators.”

TRC will also incorporate new technology to make the broadcast bigger and better than ever. With the new portable Network Distribution Kit, TRC simplifies the management of hardware required for LIVE broadcast, making a secure network simple and accessible in any weather, at any venue.

Heat sheets and results for the regatta can be found on ClockCaster, our sister operation. This timing software employs the FinishLynx precision finish line camera system, and provides times detailed to the thousandth of a second. See live results here: California Challenge Cup Results.

Caption: The Rowing Channel’s new Network Distribution Kit features internal shelving for components and ample wiring for any connections necessary.

Learn more about The Rowing Channel at www.rowingchannel.com and find them on Facebook or Twitter.

[1] PR Newswire, “Dr. Henry T. Nicholas Surprises UC-Irvine Men's and Women's Crew Teams with $40,000 Pledge to Send them to Upcoming National Rowing Meet” (Mar 05, 2018)