Let’s Start with the End

The end of 2019 that is. I survived my first head race in my single. Once it finally happened. I signed up for 5 races in my single, and ended up racing 2, for one reason or another.

Row for the Cure: 9/15/19: cancelled due to poor weather conditions

Lake Salmish Salmon row: 9/21/19: signed up to race my 1x, and then was asked by College Club to fill out their quad. I made the switch, and was glad I did, as conditions were pretty rough. We won this informal Sound Rowers race.

Deep Cove Classic (Canada): 9/28/19: cancelled due to no officials to run the race. So most people still rowed it, in sequence, as a tour, with no timing. This turned out ok, too, as the conditions here were also rough outside the harbor – and two motorboats decided to make waves. I may or may not have said bad words to them. That they didn’t hear. If I said them.

Tail of the Lake: 10/6/19: FINALLY!!! I rowed this in my 1x and again in a quad. My single race was so much fun. I really enjoyed the strategy of picking a line, accelerating through turns, and the thrill of passing people.

Head of the Gorge, Victoria, BC (Canada): 10/19/19: This interesting race was in a quad. The first hurdle for all participants was to go up the gorge against the current. They had an announcer on the shore giving directions to the rowers. Due to the time it took everyone to get through, all participants had to wait in the start area – a large basin that we kept rowing around – in the cold rain. The race itself was short, around 3k. This was HOCR weekend and I was bemoaning the fact I wasn’t racing with TeamJL in Boston, but I had committed to the Gorge quad. I’m glad to have checked the Gorge off my race list, and it was definitely an adventure, but I don’t think I’ll be going back to do this one.

Tail of the Gorge, Victoria, BC (Canada): 10/20/19: I did this in my 1x. This short head race was on the same body of water as the day before, but in the opposite direction. Much more “civilized,” it was a steady, twisty course under a bridge or two. Just enough to give me experience with steering while trying to keep up my power. It rained. My character is now well-built.

Green Lake Frostbite Regatta, Seattle: 11/2/19: Raced a 2x with Jeannette, my new partner for Head of the Lake. The buoys were missing from the Lake, and holding a line was, well, difficult. I also raced a 2x with David, we took silver; and a quad with the ladies from Tail of the Lake – we took gold.

Head of the Lake, Seattle: 11/3/19: Raced a 2x with Jeannette, with Everett Rowing. This was in a boat we had not rowed before, and conditions at the warm up area were less than comfortable. I was in bow, and as most of my doubles partners can attest, this is a position in which I am not experienced. However, Jeannette was a novice this year, so we needed me to steer. Once we got on the course, things went great. I missed one buoy by a hair, but otherwise held my line, thanks to great coaching by Maggie in the prior weeks. We powered through the last sweeping turn, holding tight to the buoys and flew down the finishing straight. What an awesome way to end the season!

Last 1000m race of 2019: Long Beach Rowing Club Christmas Regatta, California. 12/8/19. I was fortunate to be able to borrow a Fluidesign from one of the LBRC members and raced in the 1x race. I crossed the line in 2nd, and with the handicap took home 3rd. I also raced a couple 2x: one with a gentleman from Tempe, Arizona; and another with Mary Perrott of LBRC; we took first. My husband and one of my daughters were there watching, and they laughed at how many times they heard people shouting my name as I raced. I had friends there from Arizona and California. So much fun to travel to another state and still be part of this wonderful rowing family!!

2019 was a wrap!!! Excited to head home and finish out the winter training and improving and getting ready for 2020. Little did we all know what 2020 was to bring…..