The Masters (adult) rowers from Bainbridge Island Rowing opened their fall season of “head” racing by entering six crews in the Row for the Cure regatta held this past Sunday morning at Lake Union. Bainbridge rowers finished with three first-place medals and one third-place. Starting at the Seattle Pacific University dock, the 5,500-meter course swept along the entire southern side of Lake Union before reaching the finish line a little northeast of Gas Works Park.
In the rolling start typical of head racing, more than 150 boats went off at 15-second intervals starting about 7:30; with most finishing in 20 to 25 minutes, it was all over by 9 a.m.
Head racing involves longer courses (4,000 meters or more) usually with multiple turns, a “rolling start” (meaning the boats row up to the starting line and, without pausing, shift into “race pace” as they cross the starting line), and each boat races the clock rather than (necessarily) the adjacent boats. This is as opposed to “sprint” racing, which has distances of 1 or 2K meters in a straight course, all the boats in an event lined up parallel to each other and stopped at the starting line, and all execute a special racing start when the “Attention: row” command is given by the starter.
Row for the Cure raises money and awareness for breast cancer patients, families, treatment, and research. This year’s regatta drew 760 participants representing 17 rowing clubs from the greater Seattle region and as far away as Wenatchee and Everett.
The day was cloudy and cool with very light winds and relatively calm water in Lake Union and the Ship Canal, making for nice rowing conditions. Luckily, the rain held off.
Bainbridge coaches Morgan Seeley, Molly Murdock and Rachele Turnbull worked hard with their crews to train for this race, and were pleased with the result. Individual rowers, from single sculls to eight-person shells, found it a challenging experience to compete at this distance, and especially, in some cases, to win.
Now, Bainbridge Island Rowing crews look forward to further training and racing until their fall season ends with the Head of the Lake (Union) regatta on Nov. 3.
Bainbridge crews will also be cheering for their “Senior Masters” (average rowers’ age 50+) boat, which was accepted into the legendary Head of the Charles regatta, held in Boston Oct. 19-20.
2013 Row for the Cure Results
Masters events in which Bainbridge Island Rowing participated (seats listed bow to stroke)
MIXED (MEN’S & WOMEN’S) 8+ (COXED EIGHT)
First Place: Brandon Fleet, Tim Goss, Kathy Scanlan, Marilyn Tsolomitis, Carrie Holloway, Callie Sheehan, Kurt Frost, Mark Olason; cox Zoe Lewis
Ninth Place: Ann Munro, Sigrid Knight, Charisa Moore, Sarah Soutter, T. William Booth, Mike Johns, Sandy Gough, Matt Olson; cox Rachele Turnbull
WOMEN’S 8+ (COXED EIGHT)
Sixth Place: Christine Bonham, Judy Friesem, Deb Lantz, Mary Derry, Susan Entress, Terry Bell, Barbara Jeantrout, Barbara Shane; cox Chrina Munn
WOMEN’S 4X (SCULLING COXLESS QUAD)
Third Place: Barbara Emel, Anne Seeley, Mary Madison, Jane Stewart
MIXED (MEN’S & WOMEN’S) 4+ (COXED FOUR)
First Place: Catherine Morrow, John Foy, Dean Dale, Mary Alice O’Neill; cox Karen Campbell
MEN’S 2X (SCULLING DOUBLE)
First Place: Marc Stewart, Chrys Hansen
