The regatta has become so popular in the last 10 years that it is now run over three days, starting after lunch today (Friday). More than 200 races with 2300 seats will be rowed from 27 clubs. This makes it one of the largest rowing regattas on the national calendar.

Some of the clubs have been running training camps along the Manning during the past week in preparation for the regatta. They include Leichhardt, St George, Balmain, Sydney, Hunter Valley, Sydney women, Mosman and Nepean. All have been regulars for the past 15 years.

The Manning club also runs a coaching camp from of the clubhouse for its members this week. More than 30 Manning rowers will compete this weekend looking to gain some valuable points in the NSW pointscore.

Rowers from age 13 to 80 are competing in boats from single sculls, double sculls, quad sculls, pairs, fours to eights over distances of 2000 and 1000 metres. There will be a race about every four minutes, so there is a large flotilla of rowing boats on the river at any one time.