50p
Opening Day Regatta
Early last Friday morning, Head Rowing Coach Brian Carr and the senior boys’ quad, accompanied by “Assistant Coach” Toby G and Superfan Ruben S, headed to Seattle to compete in the Opening Day Regatta, hosted by the University of Washington. Waking up at 5 am paid off for the boys, as they waited only 5 minutes at the border, and arrived in Seattle in record time.
The plan was to row on Friday afternoon, but rough water forced the boys to take a tour of the Washington campus and go for an erg workout in the Conibear Shellhouse. After leaving the campus, the boys enjoyed two hours of shopping before spending an enjoyable evening dining out with the ladies of Pymble College, Australia whom we had hosted at the Brentwood Regatta a week earlier.
The Opening Day Regatta has been a key event on the rowing calendar for 37 years. Brentwood has been attending this regatta since 1976 when the senior boys would race against the Washington freshmen. As it is now against NCAA rules to train or race with a high school crew, the regatta hosts three different junior categories.
The race schedule sends crews off at three-minute centers, without official’s launches! The race course is lined with hundreds of yachts on either side all blaring their horns; behind them, crowds in the thousands follow the races down the course. The finish line includes the University of Washington Husky Marching band playing while spectators can watch the races on the jumbo screen in the Stewards’ Enclosure.
Our crew of Jack K, Cameron Y, Martin B, Andrew C and Lance B got off to a rough start as waves crashed over the side of their boat for the first 500 meters. Eventually, they pulled out to a one-length lead over Pocock Rowing Center, and cruised comfortably to the finish in front of forty thousand spectators.
The boys quickly de-rigged the boat, loaded it on the trailer, raced to the van, and then hurried to the legendary Dick’s Burgers on 45th for the annual feast. This was Brentwood's first win in the quad at this regatta, and it was a great trip for the boys.
The plan was to row on Friday afternoon, but rough water forced the boys to take a tour of the Washington campus and go for an erg workout in the Conibear Shellhouse. After leaving the campus, the boys enjoyed two hours of shopping before spending an enjoyable evening dining out with the ladies of Pymble College, Australia whom we had hosted at the Brentwood Regatta a week earlier.
The Opening Day Regatta has been a key event on the rowing calendar for 37 years. Brentwood has been attending this regatta since 1976 when the senior boys would race against the Washington freshmen. As it is now against NCAA rules to train or race with a high school crew, the regatta hosts three different junior categories.
The race schedule sends crews off at three-minute centers, without official’s launches! The race course is lined with hundreds of yachts on either side all blaring their horns; behind them, crowds in the thousands follow the races down the course. The finish line includes the University of Washington Husky Marching band playing while spectators can watch the races on the jumbo screen in the Stewards’ Enclosure.
Our crew of Jack K, Cameron Y, Martin B, Andrew C and Lance B got off to a rough start as waves crashed over the side of their boat for the first 500 meters. Eventually, they pulled out to a one-length lead over Pocock Rowing Center, and cruised comfortably to the finish in front of forty thousand spectators.
The boys quickly de-rigged the boat, loaded it on the trailer, raced to the van, and then hurried to the legendary Dick’s Burgers on 45th for the annual feast. This was Brentwood's first win in the quad at this regatta, and it was a great trip for the boys.