By Tom Rohrer
Thanks to the countless rowing clubs and influence from the prestigious University of Washington crew teams, Seattle is considered one of the premier hotbeds for competitive rowing in the entire world.
Each year, members of the Olympia Area Rowing (OAR) juniors and masters programs compete against Seattle area clubs in regional and national competitions alike. This weekend, both age groups will have representation at a unique, rowing event – the Windermere Cup. The rowing race occurs in “The Cut” – the shipping canal under the Montlake Bridge, near Husky Stadium, which connects Lake Washington and Lake Union.
The University of Washington will welcome Cornell University and Dartmouth University to the collegiate competition. Over 800 rowers from other clubs, in both junior and masters divisions will compete in the 2000 meter races.
For the second consecutive year, OAR is sending a mixed masters quad-team to the race. The team includes Rick Peterson, Kiirsten Flynn, Alex Smith and Bob Maki. For the first time, OAR will send two junior quad teams as well.
OAR earned a spot in the invite-only event for their strong performance at meets earlier in the season. For the juniors, it was their performance at last week’s Brentwood Regatta will warranted the invite.
The mens junior team features Walker Capra-Smith, Corban Nemeth, Carsten Beckwith-Strike, and Kyle Darling. The team’s coxswain is Noah McCord. The girls juniors team includes Beth Capra-Smith, Alex Van Hook, Olivia Tanasse, and Emily Porter, with Lian Eytinge serving as the coxswain.
The Windermere Cup kicks off boating season in Seattle. The races offer a high level of competition and loads of fans.
“Throughout the whole race, there are people lining the whole course, watching and cheering,” said Peterson, who rowed for the University of Puget Sound during his time as a student. “There are lots of people in ‘The Cut.’ It’s almost like rowing into a stadium.”
“I would say the amount of energy there is what separates it from other events,” said Flynn. “The start of the race you go through the log booms, all the boats are moored next to each other, fans are everywhere and there’s this electric energy. Other races have energy, but it’s more nervous energy. Windermere has more fun energy.”
Participating in the event is an exciting prospect for the junior rowers, and a vindication of sorts since it’s an invite only race.
“Oh it’s definitely an exciting prospect to be in it,” said Beckwith, a senior at Olympia High School who will row for either Gonzaga University or the University of San Diego next year. “It’s something we are looking forward to and just something different than what we’ve competed in before.”
“We have a lot of confidence in ourselves but it’s cool to be selected to compete in something like this,” said Tanasse, a junior at Olympia High School. “We’ve got a lot of pride in our club and we want to represent it at a high level.”
The event will also serve as a tune-up for the upcoming regional completion the juniors will soon be competing at.
“We want a medal, a top three performance,” said Nemeth, an OHS senior who will row for the University of Washington next year. “Having that mindset, that’s what we want going forward. We’re in a good grove and can use this as momentum for regionals.”
“Regionals are in two weeks, so we’re excited about that, but it’s nice to have something sooner to look forward to,” said Inglin, a freshman student at OHS. “We’re expecting tough competition, and that’s what we will be facing going forward in other events.”
Seeing the juniors get an opportunity to participate in the Windermere Cup is an exciting prospect for the master’s competitors.
“We pushed the (juniors) very hard the first part of the year, partially in hopes that they could reach this event, and it’s very exciting for OAR as a whole,” said Flynn, a fill-in junior program coach. “They deserve to be there and I know they will compete hard and represent the club well.”
Compared to larger Seattle rowing clubs, OAR is relatively small but the rowers like the challenge of representing their area against the powerhouses of the sport.
“You feel that pride for sure,” said Inglin. “We’re smaller in size but we know we have the talent to compete with what is out there and that adds motivation.”
“We know that in size we may be considered underdogs,” Beckwith said. “It helps you get up more for the races to an extent.”
The unique atmosphere, huge crowds, and prestige of the event will surely add motivation for both masters and junior rowers.
“This event has a little of that spectacle feel, and because of the setting, it’s something you’re not going to experience anywhere else as a rower,” said Peterson. “I watched some friends rowing in the (1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles) and there were grandstands at the end of the race, but you never have a race where people are lining the whole course.”
“This is a spectator race, and from my understanding, the race organizers want equal competition, not some that will blow others away,” said Flynn. “So we know that going in. We know there is tough competition, but we still race hard and want to drop the hammer and get the win.”
For more information on the Windermere Cup, click here.
