50p
The Windermere Cup
Last Friday at 5am, Brentwood’s Varsity 8 crawled out of bed and staggered down to Crooks’ Hall before collapsing into the seats of a small bus.
After a ferry to the mainland, we arrived in Seattle that afternoon. We managed to fit in a quick row down the course with the SMUS quad in a semi-torrential downpour; the weather caused 7 seat Nick R to adapt by constructing a garbage-bag rain jacket.
That evening, the Milne family treated us to an unforgettable dinner at the Space Needle. Most of us chose the steak option, but all the dishes were fantastic. The general tone afterwards was sorrow…that we were not going to have a meal that good for a very, very long time and we briefly considered amending the race plan with a call based on the possibility that a second steak was waiting for us beyond the finish line.
Held at the University of Washington, the Windermere Cup is one of the most prestigious rowing regattas in North America featuring the best in high school, club, university and national team rowing. With a full marching band, a racecourse framed by huge yachts, and over 200,000 spectators, it was an experience that none of us will ever forget. The ecstatic blur of noise as we raced down the course, as well as the pack of innumerable boats that we rowed amongst on the way back are memories that will last forever.
Being an invitational regatta, it was a great honor for Brentwood to be included. We placed second in the Club Youth Division, being the only Canadian boat as well as the only school entered in the category. We also beat Mount Baker who bested us at our regatta a week prior. Revenge was sweet. Next week we will be racing at Shawnigan, then on to St. Catharines! Thanks the Mr. Carr and the Milnes for such a wonderful weekend of hospitality and excellent racing.
Brett L, Captain of Rowing
After a ferry to the mainland, we arrived in Seattle that afternoon. We managed to fit in a quick row down the course with the SMUS quad in a semi-torrential downpour; the weather caused 7 seat Nick R to adapt by constructing a garbage-bag rain jacket.
That evening, the Milne family treated us to an unforgettable dinner at the Space Needle. Most of us chose the steak option, but all the dishes were fantastic. The general tone afterwards was sorrow…that we were not going to have a meal that good for a very, very long time and we briefly considered amending the race plan with a call based on the possibility that a second steak was waiting for us beyond the finish line.
Held at the University of Washington, the Windermere Cup is one of the most prestigious rowing regattas in North America featuring the best in high school, club, university and national team rowing. With a full marching band, a racecourse framed by huge yachts, and over 200,000 spectators, it was an experience that none of us will ever forget. The ecstatic blur of noise as we raced down the course, as well as the pack of innumerable boats that we rowed amongst on the way back are memories that will last forever.
Being an invitational regatta, it was a great honor for Brentwood to be included. We placed second in the Club Youth Division, being the only Canadian boat as well as the only school entered in the category. We also beat Mount Baker who bested us at our regatta a week prior. Revenge was sweet. Next week we will be racing at Shawnigan, then on to St. Catharines! Thanks the Mr. Carr and the Milnes for such a wonderful weekend of hospitality and excellent racing.
Brett L, Captain of Rowing