The regatta committee said that winds are too strong and could pose a threat to competitors. On Wednesday morning the organizers said that the Royal St. John’s Regatta has been postponed by at least a day due to bad weather.
Regatta course captain Noelle Thomas-Kennell said:
“This year of course we don’t have any vendors, unfortunately, so [it’s] entirely about the rowers this morning. The winds for today are quite high … so we’re certainly just looking out for the rowers’ safety today.”
The organizers stated that winds could reach as high as 51 km/h lakeside Wednesday.
Blair Sparkes at Environment Canada’s Gander weather office said:
“It’s gusting around 40 right now, but that’s going to pick up in the next couple of hours. They’ll continue like that for the rest of the day. I guess that’s not so good for the rowers.”
Sparkes believes that the regatta could start on Thursday. He aid early estimates for Thursday show a sunny day with a light wind.
Thomas-Kennell added:
“All the boats are ready to go, and everything else is ready. So we’ll convene again as a committee tomorrow morning at 5:30 again, and we’ll go through the same process.”
