The USGN So Far

 

Many of us have been fortunate enough to participate in previous editions of the US Gondola Nationals, but each year there are new gondoliers in attendance, and representatives of the press who are seeing it for the first time.
Of course each installment of the competition is unique and different from the others, and this year will be special in its own ways.
But just to get everyone up to speed, here's a summary of the event, and a collection of links to posts from this blog over the years.

THIS YEAR

The competition will be on November 14th and 15th.

This will be the fourth annual US Gondola Nationals.

More than 45 gondoliers from 12 different companies in 7 states will compete.

Each of the competitors is a working gondolier.

 This year we will have 7 races:

                Gondola               distance              1 man

                Gondola               distance               2 man

                Gondola               distance               4 man

                Gondola               sprint                    1 man

                Gondola               sprint                    2 man

                Pupparin              distance               2 man

                Sandolo                valesana              1 man

 

Of course an event like this must have good food.
And there will be singing and entertainment.
Most of all, the US Gondola Nationals is a great place for gondolier's to spend time with friends in the business around the country, and make new friends too.

Does everyone want to win?

Yes, of course.
But win or lose, everyone who comes has a great time, and goes home a better rower with new friends and experiences to look back on.

HISTORY

The US Gondola Nationals began in 2012 in Providence, Rhode Island.

It was the folks at La Gondola who had both the dream and the follow-through to make it happen.

The first edition was named the GondOlympics.

The next year we competed in Huntington Harbour, California,

with Tim Reinard and his staff at Sunset Gondola hosting the event.

The event took on a new name - the US Gondola Nationals.

Last year it was back in Providence again, with La Gondola hosting.

This year I'm hosting it here in Newport Beach, California.

After four years of back and forth from East Coast to West Coast, the next installment will happen in the Midwest. Next year it will move to Minnesota, with John Kerschbaum of Gondola Romantica taking the helm.

To learn more about the US Gondola Nationals, go to www.usgondolanationals.com

BLOG POSTS

To chronicle some of the moments throughout the last three years of the event, here's a collection of posts that appeared here on the Gondola Blog.

 

2012 - Providence, RI

 

GondOlympics http://www.gondolagreg.com/2012/04/gondolympics.html

 

GondOlympics - Sprint Winners http://www.gondolagreg.com/2012/05/gondolympics-sprint-winners.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GondOlympics - Slalom Winners http://www.gondolagreg.com/2012/05/gondolympics-slalom.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GondOlympics - Relay http://www.gondolagreg.com/2012/06/gondolympics-relay.html

2013 - Huntington Harbour, CA
 

License to Dream http://www.gondolagreg.com/2013/10/license-to-dream.html

Spent http://www.gondolagreg.com/2013/10/spent.html

Marathon Man http://www.gondolagreg.com/2013/10/marathon-man.html

The Snapper http://www.gondolagreg.com/2013/10/the-snapper.html



 

The Surprise Boys http://www.gondolagreg.com/2013/10/the-surprise-boys.html

Another First http://www.gondolagreg.com/2013/11/another-first.html

2014 - Providence, RI
 

A Day at the Races http://www.gondolagreg.com/2014/10/a-day-at-races.html

Slalom http://www.gondolagreg.com/2014/10/slalom.html

Tandem Sprint http://www.gondolagreg.com/2014/10/tandem-sprint.html

Shoeless Tim http://www.gondolagreg.com/2014/11/shoeless-tim.html

Solo Distance - "Snapper" and Richie http://www.gondolagreg.com/2014/11/solo-distance-snapper-and-richie.html

Tandem Distance - the Brothers Haynes  http://www.gondolagreg.com/2014/11/tandem-distance-brothers-haynes.html