Valencia: the rowing regatta that never was

If you haven’t heard, rowing at the Valencia Gay Games was cancelled. A screen capture from a phone was relayed to the glrfcentral desk in December, answering an inquiry from a participant.  We never were told.  This, in spite of three separate emails sent over the summer of 2025 asking about the event. 

This sudden silence is in sharp contrast to the original Valencia Gay Games bid in which the Gay + Lesbian Rowing Federation was specifically highlighted as the main liaison body that Valencia would work with for the sport.  When we saw this mention, we submitted an online message on their website but as often happens, those online messaging systems are ignored or don’t work.  We followed up every year at the Sin City Classic in 2023, 2024, and 2025 where the Valencia Gay Games had a desk, asking about our email and providing our business card, and yet no replies.

Although there was some significant enthusiasm among a core group of Valencia rowers, the event never got off the ground due to rising costs to host the event, and a tepid interest from the gay rowing community (as of November 2025, there were only two registrations).  We knew something was amiss in April when rowing registration was not open but all the rest of the sports had opened for registration.  Rowing registration finally opened in late June 2025. 

The competition was slated to use the traditional Falucho/Llaüt  open water fixed seat rowing boat.  This type of racing traces its roots to a competition among fishing boats to be the first to reach port and thus obtain a better price for their catch.  Falucho open water competitive rowing is most common in Spain although it is found in other parts of the Mediterranean.

The boat has a coxie and 8 rowers with one bow seat and one stroke seat and three double seats in the engineroom.

Photo courtesy of La Federación de Remo de la Comunitat Valenciana 

The sports desk at the Valencia Gay Games has encouraged rowers interested in participating to switch to dragon boat racing.  Apparently, no one told them that rowing and paddling are different sport styles and muscles.  Rowers face backwards and mainly push with their legs to power the oars. Paddlers face forwards and mainly pull with their arms, shoulders, and backs. Oops!