US Collegiate Rowing – Week Seven Race Preview

The national championships are looming into view, the regular season is winding down as teams focus on selection, training camps and final exams. Despite this, there is still a great weekend of racing on show, with top teams in action across the country against domestic and international competition.

Windermere Cup

In one of the great traditions of collegiate rowing, the Windemere Cup opens the boating season in Seattle with the men’s and women’s programmes from the University of Washington host international competition in the Montlake Cut. This year, the visiting crews come from New Zealand. These strong development crews, contain many experienced rowers at age group and senior international levels including Paris Olympian Alana Sherman in the women’s crew. The matchup is particularly interesting given the #1 Washington men’s crew contains Logan Ullrich, who won silver in the coxless four with the Kiwi crew last summer. In the women’s event, #4 Washington and New Zealand will be joined by their new conference rivals #16 Indiana.

The Big Row

Also on the west coast, the battle of Redwood shores will rage as both openweight programmes from Stanford and California will race on their home water. For the women, #1 Stanford will enter as heavy favourites against #8 California who will both face their second successive top 10 matchup. While for the men the dynamic is reversed with #2 California entering as the favourites, while #6 Stanford are the up-and-coming team with plenty of youth in their squad. These races will unlikely be upsets but will be a key mark in the sand as to how these teams will prepare 

New England Rowing Championships

While these previews normally focus on division one racing, there is a phenomenal field of division three schools racing this weekend on Lake Quinsigamond at the New England Championships. On the men’s side, all six of the national championship grand finalists from twelve months ago and eight of the coaches’ top ten. For the women, the field quality is similar as the entire CRCA top five is lining up in Worcester, Massacusetts.

About The Author

Fraser Innes

Fraser joined the JRN team in September 2022 and regularly writes about domestic and international rowing with particular specialisation on US Collegiate Rowing having launched JRN’s coverage and being a staple on the End of the Island’s series on the topic. He has been involved with the sport since 2016 at George Heriot’s School and the Universities of Glasgow and Wisconsin.

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