VANCOUVER, Washington – Bainbridge Island Rowing Masters crews won victories in multiple events at the U.S. Rowing Northwest Masters Regional Championship Regatta.

In one of the premier races of the regatta — held in Vancouver over the weekend of June 24-26 — the Bainbridge Island Rowing Mens 8 oared crew in the 50-54 age category won by more than a boat length over rivals from Portland, Oregon, Seattle and Lake Sammamish.

Other first-place finishes included John Christensen in a single scull and the Men and Womens Mixed 4 and 8 oared shells.

Mark Olason and Kurt Frost, who have been longtime Bainbridge oarsmen, were common denominators in three of the club’s first-place finishes.

Men and women among the Bainbridge Masters competed in 23 events at the three-day regional competition, which featured more than 250 rowing events involving more than 800 men and women rowers.

Rachele Turnbull, the Bainbridge Island Rowing coxswain for many of these crews, said that this competition is the highlight of sprint racing for the year for all Masters Rowing in the Northwest.

Bainbridge Island Rowing is planning a new rowing center with construction expected to begin in July of this year.