The Head of the Lake 2018 Regatta—the 39th annual—hosted by the University of Washington was a winner this year, coinciding with a gorgeous fall day, nothing like last year’s wintery hydrothermia-inducing event that was ultimately cancelled. Eighty clubs and teams descended on the Conibear Shellhouse launch area early Sunday, November 4, coming from places as far away as Anchorage, Boulder, Dallas, Toronto, Providence (RI), and Philadelphia. The dock masters efficiently marshaled the teams through the launch process, minimizing boat vs. head collisions, as the sun broke through the clouds, lighting up the fall-perfect orange and red leaves across the campus.
The Bainbridge Island Rowing juniors teams competed in varsity 8+, under-17 8+, and men’s junior 4x coxed. The competition was stiff. Ultimately, it was the BIR masters’ teams that enjoyed a chance to medal. The mixed masters 8+ team took second to Vashon Island, and the mixed masters 4x finished second, just under a minute behind College Club Seattle.
Fans lined the Montlake Cut and crowded on the Montlake Bridge to get good views of the rowers and hear the University of Washington’s teams’ precision blades machining through the water. The teams followed a winding race course. They rowed from the boathouse launch in Union Bay to the start in Lake Union. The race took them through the Montlake Cut and back into Union Bay. Drivers on I-5 could see the race from up above.
Enjoy these photos of the event. Double click any image to enlarge the slideshow.
Photos by Sarah Lane and Stefan Goldby.