Twenty adult rowers and two coxswains from Bainbridge Island Rowing competed in USRowing’s Northwest Masters Regional Championships in Vancouver, WA, from June 23 to 25. BIR crews rowed in 18 events on the 1,000-meter course on Vancouver Lake, medaling in eleven: three gold, three silver, and five bronze. The regatta drew more than fifty rowing clubs primarily from Washington, Oregon, California, and British Columbia, but also from as far afield as Alberta, Colorado, Arizona, New York, and Washington, DC.
Coxed by adult Rachele Turnbull and junior Addison Taylor and accompanied by Director of Rowing Bruce Beall, the twelve men and eight women from BIR rowed in men’s eights, fours, pair, double, and single; women’s eight and fours; and mixed eights and fours. Their four events on Friday enjoyed pleasant conditions on the lake with temperatures in the low 80’s and moderate winds, but Saturday’s eight events saw temperatures climbing to the mid 90’s, and by the time of BIR’s sixth (and last) event on Sunday the temperature was nearly 100 and the breeze had disappeared. On a hot afternoon, hydration was the order of the day!
BIR won gold in a men’s single (John Christiansen), a mixed four (Janette Ahrndt, Michelle DeCouteau, Brandon Fleet and Nicolai Otte; Addison Taylor, cox), and a men’s eight (Dean Dale, John Foy, Malcolm Saunders, Eric Driggers, Don Fannon, Kurt Frost, Brandon Fleet, Mark Olason; Rachele Turnbull, cox).
A women’s four (Sue Entress, Barb Shane, Susan Haines, Kirsten Fitzgerald; Addie Taylor, cox) and a men’s four (John Christiansen, Don Fannon, Kurt Frost, Mark Olason; Rachele Turnbull, cox) won silver, and five boats won bronze medals: a men’s single (John Christiansen), a women’s four (Sue Entress, Barb Shane, Susan Haines, Kirsten Fitzgerald; Addie Taylor, cox), a men’s four (Eric Driggers, Brandon Fleet, Kurt Frost, Mark Olason; Addie Taylor, cox), a mixed four (Sue Entress, Susan Haines, Anthony Oddo, Marc Stewart; Addie Taylor, cox), and a men’s eight (Brandon Fleet, Marc Stewart, Anthony Oddo, Eric Driggers, Don Fannon, Kurt Frost, John Christiansen, Mark Olason; Rachele Turnbull, cox).
Though challenged by both the heat and the strong competition, the Bainbridge crews all seemed to feel good about the weekend of racing, one which finished their spring season. In the fall they will turn to “head” racing, entailing timed races over longer courses (5 km or more), but they can look forward to coming back next year for more competitive side-by-side racing in the spring “sprint” regattas.
Click to learn more about UWRowing’s Northwest Masters Regional Championships.