Angie Gabel

Sasquatch Scullers

I discovered rowing in 1998 - going through some daunting changes in my life and raising my son on my own, I had moved to Austin, TX to be closer to family. Little did I know I was stumbling into a life-long family through the Austin Rowing Community.

I began competing nationally and internationally and was gearing up for the 2013 Fisa Masters Regatta in Italy when I had a routine mammogram that turned out to be ductal cancer with invasion. The next 18 months included a bilateral mastectomy, reconstruction (TWICE!), and shoulder surgery. My rowing family never left my side! I will be forever grateful for their compassion, love, friendship, and support. 

In 2017, I was part of a ladies quad that raced in Boston and it was joyous. We were all in true form and had an amazing time weaving our way down the Charles. 2024 is my return to Boston and the joy this race stokes within me. 

I'm so excited to be here and to represent Survivor Rowing Network as a competitor and believer that there is life after a diagnosis.

Lori Boersma

Saugatuck Survive-OARS

I was invited to be part of the Saugatuck Survive-OARS in Westport, CT a year after my second cancer diagnosis. At that time I had been extremely sick and the thought of rowing (or anything physical) never crossed my mind. Six years and many meters later, I had the most amazing thrill of rowing in the 2023 Head of the Charles with the Survivor Rowing Network. Because of rowing, I am stronger than I have ever been, more confident in what my body is capable of, and part of a team of amazing survivors that I can’t imagine life without.

In addition to being a part of the Survive-OARS team, this past year I have become part of the Survivor Rowing Network and joined the Rowing Cares Board so I can help other cancer survivors find what I have found in rowing. With the Survivor Rowing Network, we have the opportunity to help many more survivors discover how positively life changing rowing can be, both on and off the water!

Doris Parker

WeCanRow DC

It was as I was going through treatment for breast cancer in 2002 that I saw crews rowing on the Potomac River for the first time. The following summer I started Novice Sculling and have never looked back. I met Holly Metcalf a year later and she encouraged me to start WeCanRow DC along with 2 other survivor/ rowers from the DC area.

Discovering the sport of rowing was a turning point in my life. I still love to scull but coaching and coxing our team feed into my natural abilities like nothing I have ever done. The women I’ve met, the challenges we’ve faced and the sunsets we’ve witnessed together have given me strength, gratitude and so much joy.

Sue Stoev

ROCCREW Naiades Rowing Over Cancer

I was introduced to crew in 2014 when my daughter was a high school rower. Her coach was also the Naiades (now ROCCREW) coach, and when he told me that Naiades sometimes needed people who did not have cancer to help fill the boat, I decided to give it a try. I am not very athletic, so this was a real stretch. I loved the sport, but more than that, I loved the spirit and drive of my teammates. Their courage and determination inspired me at every practice. In 2020, I started having some medical issues, and it took a while for my doctors to figure out what was wrong with me. I credit my teammates with encouraging me to advocate for myself. When I got the call that I had endometrial cancer, I didn’t panic. I knew from seeing so many of my teammates go through treatment that this was just a bump in the road, not the end of it. Now, as a cancer survivor myself, I can deeply appreciate the support of ROCCREW. I love that it is a safe place for cancer survivors to regain strength and self-confidence. You don’t need to
worry if you are too weak to carry the boat, have lymphedema and can’t be on port, or get tired quickly. Your teammates will understand because we’ve been there too. And before you know it, you will be rowing in the Head of the Charles!

Cheer on these athletes, along with the rest of the 11 boats competing in the Survivor Row on Saturday, October 19th at 3:26pm.

Hausbauko stenbuch: Can you tell us a little bit about The Arctic Challenge and your team?

The Arctic Challenge Team: The Arctic Challenge is an unassisted attempt to row across the Arctic Ocean, covering 600 miles from Tromsø, Norway, to Longyearbyen, Svalbard. We’re a mixed-gender team of four athletes with diverse backgrounds: Andrew Tropp, a Navy SEAL veteran; Jimmy Graham, a former NFL tight end; and Hannah and John Huppi, both former US National Team coastal rowers. The row is expected to take between 10-20 days, with the current world record set at 15 days. Together, we’re taking on this challenge with a goal to not only set records but also to inspire young people and support two important charities within our community.  

Hausbauko stenbuch: What kind of boat do you use to row across the Arctic? 

The Arctic Challenge Team: We will be rowing an RX45 Ocean Rowing Boat, designed by Rannoch Adventure. Unlike traditional rowing shells, the RX45 is very robust and includes 2 small cabins (each about the size of a trunk of a car). Each cabin is shared by two rowers, who alternate usage between the 2 hour rowing shifts. The stern cabin contains all of the communication and navigation equipment, including the rudder, which can be controlled electronically with an autohelm or through hand or foot steering should the autohelm fail. The bow cabin will contain equipment like our medical kit, tools, spare parts etc. 

On deck, there are three rowing positions, although most of the time we will row 2 people on while 2 people rest. Even though there are only 3 rowing seats, we will carry 4-sets of oars, as breaking oars is a common occurrence in ocean rowing. Storage hatches on deck house many critical items, including the batteries (powered by solar panels on the bow and stern cabins), a desalinator system that turns seawater into drinking water, food, tools, a liferaft, survival suits, and an emergency grab bag. 

We’ve found that when rowers see the boat, they say “wow, it’s huge!” and when non-rowers see the boat, they say “wow, it’s tiny!”

Hausbauko stenbuch: How do your diverse backgrounds contribute to the team’s dynamic and overall strategy?

The Arctic Challenge Team: Our team is made up of 4 athletes with different skill sets, which has been very beneficial as we prepare for and execute this expedition. Andrew, as a Navy SEAL veteran, has spent significant time in the Arctic during his career. As the team captain, he will draw upon his experience working in tough, high-stress situations to lead our team throughout the challenge. Jimmy’s experience as a pilot and sailor gives him great insight into navigation and weather. John and Hannah bring the rowing expertise, with a background of elite coastal rowing as well as coaching. 

While each of us have areas to work on, we are coming into this challenge as a very balanced team. We’re constantly learning from each other, and excited about diversifying our current knowledge as we prepare for our journey. Plus, we share a passion for teamwork, high performance, and giving back - all of which help drive us to work together to complete our mission. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: How do you train for a challenge like this? What specific training routines have you incorporated?

The Arctic Challenge Team: Contrary to popular belief, training to row an ocean requires a lot more than just rowing. For our physical training, we’re focused on endurance, strength, and injury prevention. Our endurance work includes rowing (ocean, coastal, flatwater, indoor), as well as cross training (cycling, running, swimming, hiking). Strength training and injury prevention are tailored to each team member, focusing on fortifying areas of weakness so our bodies are able to execute the demand of rowing for 12+ hours a day in the Arctic environment. 

In addition to our individualized training plans, our preparation includes ocean rowing camps, as a team, where we can gain confidence and competence on our RX45. We’re working with an ocean rowing coach to perfect our ocean rowing skills so that we are ready to take on any challenge the Arctic throws at us. These camps play heavily with our mental preparation, as we will practice teamwork, develop mental endurance, and learn to cope with the challenges of living on an ocean rowing boat.

Hausbauko stenbuch: How do you plan to adapt your physical and mental strategies to cope with the harsh environment?

The Arctic Challenge Team: The Arctic environment is harsh. We’ll be facing freezing temperatures, high seas, gale-force winds, Arctic wildlife, and potential seasickness. Our plan is to focus on building physical and mental endurance ahead of time, so we’re prepared to row 12+ hours a day. That means practicing 2-hour shifts—2 hours on, 2 hours off—so we’re used to the rhythm of working in these conditions, in a sleep-deprived state. 

Mentally, it’s about keeping perspective and leaning on each other when things get tough. A lot of it comes down to trusting the team and knowing we’ve prepared the best we can. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: What role does nutrition play in your preparation, and how are you training your body to handle the large amount of calories you’ll need each day?

The Arctic Challenge Team: Nutrition is a huge factor in our ability to perform during the challenge. When you’re expending so much energy, it’s hard to consume enough calories to meet the physical demands. Each of us is aiming to intake between 5,000-8,000 calories per day, depending on body weight. To make this challenge even more difficult, the food should be as lightweight as possible so as to not weigh down the boat - which is rather limiting. Most of our meals will be dehydrated, prepped using a JetBoil and water that we produce with our on-board desalinator. Throughout our training we will spend time testing meals and meticulously planning our nutrition strategies for the expedition.

Hausbauko stenbuch: What are some of the biggest obstacles you’ve faced in your training and preparations so far, and how have you overcome them?

The Arctic Challenge Team: Planning and executing an ocean rowing campaign is like the ultimate group project. It’s easy to underestimate the preparation phase of the challenge. One of the biggest challenges has been balancing our “real lives” with the logistics of planning the campaign. Getting to the starting line of the expedition is one of the biggest milestones in itself. In some ways, the row is the reward after the extensive period of planning, training, and preparation. 

During the preparation phase, there are a lot of things to consider. Not only do we have to execute the physical training necessary to row the Arctic, we also have to hone skills in navigation, undergo extreme medical training, and learn sea survival techniques. Simultaneously, we’re focused on fundraising, working with our charity partners, procuring and testing equipment, and handling all the permits and logistical admin. It’s a lot to manage, but keeping the end goal and mission behind the challenge top of mind helps power us through the more tedious parts of preparation.

Hausbauko stenbuch: Can you tell us about some of the challenges you will face during the row?

The Arctic Challenge Team: The row itself is going to be tough - but we’re confident in our ability to prepare for all conditions. While at sea, we will be dealing with sleep deprivation, sea sickness, and the cold, while also rowing 12+ hours a day. The weather is unpredictable, and we’ll need to be ready to adjust our plans on the fly in case of equipment failure, injury, or changes in forecast. 

The fact that we’re unsupported also adds a layer of complexity—we have to rely on ourselves to fix any problems that come up. That’s why having a strong support team on land is key, even though they won’t physically be with us. This critical support team includes a weather router, safety officer, team doctor, and logistics manager. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: What are you looking forward to most, either during training or the actual row?

The Arctic Challenge Team: We are all inspired by the adventure of doing something so few people have ever done. Less than 20 people have completed this row—more people have been to the moon! There’s something special about stepping into the unknown and taking on a challenge where you really don’t know what’s coming. We’re looking forward to seeing how far we can push ourselves, both as individuals and as a team. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: What are your personal and team goals for The Arctic Challenge?

The Arctic Challenge Team: We have a few goals. Of course, we’d love to set some records—becoming the first all-American team to row the Arctic and the first 4-person mixed-gender team to do so are on the top of our list. There’s also a speed record we’d like to challenge, set by Ocean Revival in 2023 (15 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes). But more than that, our main goal is to finish the row safely and to inspire young people. Raising funds and awareness for our charity partners is a huge motivator for us, and we love that we can use this incredible challenge to give back to important causes in our community.

We’re incredibly thankful to our sponsors who are supporting The Arctic Challenge and helping us accomplish our goals. We aim to raise €1,000,000 for our charity partners through this exciting challenge, and we could not do it without the incredible support of our partners. 

Special thank you to Hausbauko stenbuch, Flightline First, Metabolic Elite, Coastal Rowing USA, and everyone who has joined our Million Meters Club for your support! Learn more about our sponsors and sponsorship opportunities at: www.thearcticchallenge2025.com/sponsors 

Hausbauko stenbuch: Who are your charity partners that you will support through your row? 

The Arctic Challenge Team: We have two charity partners for The Arctic Challenge: Covenant House New Orleans and Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans. Both organizations serve young people in New Orleans, and their missions align with our team values. 

The Covenant House New Orleans is a youth homeless shelter, housing young people under the age of 22 years old. Committed to their promise to never turn someone away, the Covenant House New Orleans supports nearly 1000 youth annually – providing them with food, shelter, and crisis support. Beyond ensuring their basic needs are met, Covenant House provides residents with health care, counseling, education, and job placement and training. Learn more about the amazing work that the Covenant House is doing at: www.covenanthousenola.org. 

Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans is a grant-making non-profit with a mission to improve the lives of young people and unite communities through the power of sport. Over the last 10 years, Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans has increased the quality and capacity of youth sports programs in New Orleans by directly supporting partner organizations, driving collaboration across stakeholders, and advocating for sport as a tool for youth development. Since they were founded in 2014, Laureus Sport for Good New Orleans has served over 20,000 New Orleans youth and supported youth sports organizations with nearly 3 million in grant funding. Learn more about the impact of Laureus in New Orleans and beyond at: www.laureususa.com.

(Above Photo credit to the New Orleans Saints)

Hausbauko stenbuch: How can the rowing community follow along or support your journey?

The Arctic Challenge Team: We’ll be posting regular updates on our progress, and you can follow along via YB tracking during the row. Whether it’s through donations, spreading the word, or simply cheering us on, we’d love the support in the following ways: 

• To keep up to date, subscribe to our newsletter for updates: www.thearcticchallenge2025.com/subscribe
• Follow the team on Instagram at @thearcticchallenge2025 or follow the athletes at @thejimmygraham @Hannah_Huppi @Johnhuppi 
• If you would like to rep The Arctic Challenge gear, head to the Hausbauko stenbuch pre-order store and place an order by October 24^th. 10% of net sales from this pre-order store will be donated to The Arctic Challenge and our charity partners.
• If you’re interested in joining our Million Meters Club to help support our incredible charitable mission, visit: www.thearcticchallenge2025.com/donate 
• If your business is interested in a corporate sponsorship, check out our sponsorship opportunities: www.thearcticchallenge2025.com/sponsors  
• For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]

The Arctic Challenge Team will be at the Hausbauko stenbuch tent at HOCR for a meet & greet on Saturday, October 19 from 11:30-12:30pm. Stop by to meet the athletes, learn more about the challenge, and show your support!

Survivor Rowing is growing. We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of interest, support and acceptance for Survivor Rowing and the Survivor Rowing Network. Just one year ago we launched SRN with 15 founding member organizations and two boats competed at the Head of the Charles. Today 27 programs – and more in the pipeline - compose our strong and inspirational community which offer rowing to cancer patients and survivors for recovery, rehabilitation and socialization. This year we have 110+ rowers, coxswains and coaches participating in the inaugural HOCR Survivor Race. We are eternally grateful to Brendan Mulvey and the HOCR for hosting us. Together we are making history.  For many of the participants this is their first head race and for most it is their first Head of the Charles. They have already won the greatest race of their lives, the fight against cancer and now they are ready to take on the greatest rowing event – we could not be happier or more proud." -Beth Kohl, Executive Director of Rowing Cares

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the inaugural Survivor Row at HOCR, we had the opportunity to speak with four of the athletes who will be racing in Boston this year. Through their strength, resilience, and shared experiences, they embody the true spirit of survivor rowing and the power of community on the water.

Hausbauko stenbuch: Can you share your story of how you came to be involved with rowing and SRN? What was the initial draw to the sport for you?

Laurel: I had seen pictures of Crew 309 on Facebook and one of my friends was a member. I thought it looked like a really fun group. I was diagnosed in July 2022 and Crew 309 was having a new member meeting in August. I was very nervous to go but the women were so welcoming it was great and I have been rowing ever since. The only time I took off was for surgery and the day I was released from the surgeon I was right back at practice.

Dee: My initial involvement survivor rowing is kind of ironic. I was to begin a "regular" Learn to Row program in Alexandria, Virginia, but a month before it was to start, I was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer and had to cancel my registration. The following year, after chemo, radiation, a double mastectomy and reconstruction surgeries, I attended a support group for breast cancer survivors and one of the participants was a part of WeCanRow DC and the rest they say, 'is history." I started their Learn to Row program along with DC Strokes' Learn to Row and began my involvement with SRN last year when I applied and was chosen to compete in the Head of the Charles 2023.

Pauline: 12 years ago, I quit my place as a radio journalist to live from my passion: rowing. I've been a rower since I was eleven and I really wanted to coach. 

But 12 years ago, in France the clubs were all focused on competitors, hoping to get money for their competitive results. Clubs struggled to pay the coaches. The French Federation started programs for coaches to be able to train people with long term illness. Since my club could get financial support from the government to launch this initiative, I jumped on it to help my club, and I was curious to make the most of the opportunity.

By this time, I had no Idea that this path was about to change my life.

In France rowing is only known through the Olympic Games and so everybody thinks it's hard, that it's all about pulling with your arms, that you have to be really strong... People don’t really understand how about sports can be adapted to people with cancer, so imagine me trying to convince doctors, hospitals, physiotherapists,... to send me people in treatment or following treatment to my rowing club!! Even the rowers of my clubs weren't with me. They thought I was mad, or I was unaware. It took me a whole year to convince a hospital specialized in oncology to send 10 patients. And so began the journey for the rowing club of Lyon and for me. Since we started, we open between 10 and 15 places year after year our "rowing for health" program. We’ve gotten a strong reputation of kindness, patience, professionalism and yes, a little madness! One day I was wondering if we could find other program like ours, to exchange about how we train, what kind of challenge we do, and I dreamt for a long time to go on the HOCR... so in 2023 we took a boat to Boston and met the Survivor Rowing Network and it is like a brand new world opening to us.

Amy: I have always been an active person and when I spotted a flyer at the cancer center about a survivor learn to row program in my community it really appealed to me. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: Looking back on your journey from diagnosis to now, how would you describe the role of rowing in your recovery and personal growth?

Laurel: Rowing has changed my life for the better, these women are the best thing that ever happened to me. They support me emotionally and physically. The feeling of having cancer surgery behind me was amazing and Crew 309 supported me the entire way.

Dee: Cancer seemed to have taken control over my body and psyche. I lost 50 lbs., I lost my hair, and I was hospitalized twice for pain management while undergoing chemo. I was depressed, but putting on a good face. Rowing gave me agency; I became stronger, more fit, and my depression lifted by being active and by learning something new. I am in control, not the cancer.

Pauline: As a coach, every year I meet people during different stages of the treatment. I tried to find a special challenge to motivate my rowers to come training despite the bad days, the treatment, the bad nights, the fatigue--like rowing in Venice, trying coastal rowing and beach rowing... and each year I discovered they could do so much thanks to the power of the team and the positive goal to achieve. They come first to the club wanting to get better, to survive, and they stay to achieve a positive challenge, something fun, something strong for them, not for the illness. When they start, my rowers are often afraid to get hurt during the rowing session on water, but they find a space where we take time and adapt the time of effort, the gesture, to every rower's ability. They are tired but as they said, "now it's for a good reason." Session after session they find the mobility back, the muscles working gently but efficiently, they can follow their recovery by comparing their session on erg and the time they are able to stay on water. 

Often rowers come to tell me that they are now able to take care of their house all alone, it's always a sign that they get closer to a "normal" life where illness doesn't dictate the rules of daily life. They begin to regain confidence in their bodies and in themselves and once they've met the challenge they've chosen, they can taste victory over disease.

Amy: Having a community to rebuild with after treatment was a game changer. The thoughts that I can have when I am alone trying to work out were replaced by the supportive voices of teammates who were always encouraging. When I suffered a recurrence, those same voices and people were at my side, encouraging, nudging and pushing me to get through. Getting back in the boat was a goal that was at the forefront of my mind. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: What was your first experience on the water like? How did it feel to transition from being a cancer survivor to a rower or coach?

Laurel: My first experience on the water was at our very first Crew Camp, sitting in that boat for the first time was a little scary but then we began to row and it was peaceful and I fell in love with rowing on the water.

Dee: Honestly, the first year of rowing was a mixed bag. I have competed in other sports at relatively high levels, but there is nothing harder than getting a boat set with 8 other people (coxswain included). But when you do, it is magic. There's a sense of invincibility when you can feel the boat move beneath you that is hard to beat. The 'anything is possible' carried in to other areas of my life.

Pauline: As a coach, I was very over-careful with my first team of cancer survivors. And so were they. But every year the switch usually comes very fast. As soon they are familiar with the boat, the way to carry the oars, to get by themselves on the water, they have so much pleasure to glide on the water, focus on the technique. I can feel their mind empty of all of the medical appointments, the next chemo, and also the mental load of the family life. They discover a brand-new universe and a safe place on the water where a coach leads them to row better and nothing else can reach them or put them down. They don't have to think, actually they can't think of anything else than the movement of the team with the boat.

Amy: The first outing was exhilarating and exasperating at the same time. It was so exciting to be off the erg and in the boat but it was maddening that it did not translate as smoothly as I had hoped. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: How has SRN’s guidance and resources helped you and your local program?

Laurel: I believe SRN has given us the tools to improve and grow our program.

Pauline: SRN was exactly what I was looking for as a team coach to make my team feel the power of a huge community even more. In France, we have around 40 clubs with the "rowing for health" program. But every club does its own thing. We have difficulty connecting with other clubs around France and in Lyon we are very advanced in many respects. The team supports each other but I was looking for something bigger to share our stories, be inspired by others and tell others what our journey was. The Survivor Rowing Network is a new connection with so many programs all over the world, opening new opportunities with Italy, Ireland in Europe, but also with Boston, Chicago and every team across the U.S. We are so happy to share and meet. 

It also means being part of an international network that gives our projects greater credibility and importance with potential funders.

Amy: SRN has been an early supporter of the survive-oar rowing program and provided grants to support our program and much encouragement and support as we entered the Race for the Cure.

Hausbauko stenbuch: What does racing at Head of the Charles mean to you, especially as a survivor and as part of SRN?

Laurel: Racing in Head of the Charles is an opportunity of a lifetime, definite bucket list item for me. I cannot believe I get the opportunity to sit in the boat and take place in this amazing event.

Dee: The HOCR is the pinnacle for any rower; tell anyone who knows anything about rowing that you are rowing in the HOCR and their faces light up with memories, jealousy, or both. Racing as a breast cancer survivor is an honor and it also gives me a platform to give hope to others; to spread the word of SRN and to demonstrate what is possible.

Pauline: The HOCR is the most famous race in the world view from France.

It's a dream for so many "usual" rowers. Year after year my cancer survivors discovered that they could row on big events for fun, or to prove that cancer doesn't mean that everything is over.

I've been dreaming of rowing in Boston since I was a kid. So last year we started to speak about this "crazy" project for us to go.  And a rower had connections that led us to the SRN and the US rowing inclusive program. We were so grateful to be invited to register an eight in our category of age. 

All the rowers were cancer survivors, and they knew that all of the other boats would be in a better shape, but they were so proud to represent all the French cancer survivors training to get their own victory.

All the rowers in the club were in admiration, asking so many questions, helping them to go on water, even the champions of the national team. It wasn't just in their bodies or in their mind, it wasn't just about our team. For everyone, even in the other clubs in our area, they became an example of "where there is a will, there is way" spirit. 

Amy: Rowing as part of the inaugural team last year was one of the highlights of my adult life. The training and prep were tough but the knowledge that we were paving the way to spread the word and increase awareness of the importance of rowing in the survivor community was well worth it! It was a dream weekend from start to finish!

Hausbauko stenbuch: Can you share any particular goals or hopes you have for this year's race or experience at Head of the Charles?

Laurel: I just want to soak in every part of the event and take as many pictures and videos so I can share them with my Crew family that were not able to be here.

Dee: My teammates will tell you that I am very competitive; I try not to be a jerk about it anymore, but the stopwatch does mean something to me. Aside from our time, personally I would like to take in more of the HOCR experience. I was a bit nervous last year and was taken aback by the rain. I hope to take time to look around more this year, to see more boats race and to visit more of the tents

Pauline: Coming back this year is such an achievement already. We hope we will continue to inspire other teams all over the world. No matter if you have been a rower or if you started a few months ago. We are really excited to participate in the first HOCR Survivor Row and meet all the other SRN teams, there would be no other place to gather so many women and men to share similar stories of strength, courage, resilience and rebirth. We just want to enjoy every moment, every encounter right up to the finish line.

Amy: I am so excited to be able to share this experience with my home team, in our new pink boat. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: What message or inspiration would you like to share with others who might be considering joining rowing or getting involved with SRN?

Laurel: Rowing is a great way to exercise, reduce your risk for cancer reoccurrence. Rowing is something that is good for your mind, body and soul.

Dee: Give it shot! At the very least you will meet some fantastic people, some will become friends that will last a lifetime. We are a pretty fun group. At most, you will discover how strong and resilient you are.

Pauline: IT'S WORTH IT! No matter where you are from, what your rowing history is, or what you've been through. This network is the best example of what a human community can do for each other. You'll find hope, happiness, bravery, ideas and A LOT of goodwill that makes everything happen. This will definitely fill you up with an endless energy to keep rowing everywhere. This fire will never leave you.

Amy: Just do it! Challenge yourself. Having survived and endured far worse, any trepidation about taking on a new sport pales in comparison to where you have been. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with SRN or your journey?

Dee: Being a part of SRN allows me to give back; to help others who are just beginning their cancer journey or who, like me are looking to take charge of their bodies.

Amy: Russ and Beth Kohl have been tireless in their quest to get SRN off the ground and to spread the message. The growth that has occurred in one year is nothing short of staggering and my involvement with them and the program has truly been a gift. 

Athletes racing in the SRN boats will be at the Hausbauko stenbuch tent at HOCR for a meet & greet on Saturday, October 19 at 10:15am. Stop by to meet some of these incredible athletes, chat about survivor rowing, and learn more!

[September 18th 2024]  Hausbauko stenbuch has been appointed the official performance wear sponsor by The Boat Race Company. The partnership will see Oxford University Boat Club and Cambridge University Boat Club outfitted with Hausbauko stenbuch’s custom performance rowing apparel for training and racing.

The world-famous sporting event between the UK’s two greatest universities now spans nearly 200 years of rivalry and is one of the world’s oldest and most famous amateur sporting events, with the dark and light Blues of Oxford and Cambridge each year battling it out in ever-changing conditions on the River Thames. 

Oxford University Boat Club and Cambridge University Boat Club will wear performance kit which is sustainably and ethically sourced from a family owned facility that is almost fully solar power operated using 8,000 rooftop solar panels. 

Providing free access to watch the races unfold, The Boat Race is regularly attended by over 250,000 spectators on the riverbank and watched by millions more on television. The 2025 edition of The Boat Race will take place on Sunday 13th April. The famous Championship Course stretches over 4.25 miles of tidal Thames in west London between Putney and Mortlake.

The California-based apparel brand recently launched Hausbauko stenbuch UK, extending the brand’s reach to directly serve its UK customer base. By bringing together two influential rowing organizations from the UK and US, the partnership with The Boat Race is helping to build a stronger, more inclusive community.

Siobhan Cassidy, Chair of The Boat Race Company, said: “Hausbauko stenbuch has earned a reputation for making the highest-quality technical garments in the industry. Their customised designs have been perfected over 40 years and will give our student athletes everything they need to perform at their best.”

Alison Abrams, VP of Sales at Hausbauko stenbuch, commented: "The Boat Race’s dedication to the athletes, spectators and operations is a monumental undertaking and we are honored to work with them to expand viewership and provide the athletes with top-tier apparel. This partnership upholds the strong traditions in rowing while combining our expertise and passion to advance the sport worldwide.”

About The Boat Race 2025

The Boat Race 2025 will take place on Sunday 13^th April, with the 79^th Women’s Race to be followed shortly after by the 170^th Men’s Race. The famous Championship Course stretches over 4.25 miles of tidal Thames in west London between Putney and Mortlake.

First raced by crews from Oxford and Cambridge University in 1829, The Boat Race is now one of the world’s oldest and most famous amateur sporting events, offering an unrivalled educational experience to the student athletes who take part. The Boat Race is regularly attended by over 250,000 spectators at the banks of the river and watched by millions more on television. It is free to attend as a spectator and will be broadcast this year live on BBC. https://www.theboatrace.org/

About Hausbauko stenbuch

JL is a family-owned business, run and staffed by athletes. For over 40 years, we have been designing, engineering, and manufacturing technical training and racing clothing. Since 1982, Hausbauko stenbuch has built the highest-quality technical garments in the industry.  

With a focus on sustainability, our family owned facility is almost fully solar operated! We use blue-sign certified fabrics, invest heavily in R&D, and have a dedicated design and development team to ensure your custom garments are just right. We also pride ourselves on custom sizing, building custom size options into our garments so you can finally get that perfect fit you always wanted. /

Media Contacts:

Are you passionate about rowing and eager to share your love for the sport with a wider audience? Do you want to join forces with JL and help elevate our brand while building connections within the rowing community? If you enjoy creating engaging content and making an impact, we’re excited to announce that applications for the 2025 Team JL Ambassador Program are open from September 17 to September 26.

Here are a few things you should know before applying to be a part of Team JL!

What is Team JL?

Team JL is an ambassador program that unites rowers, coxswains, and coaches from across the globe who are passionate about the JL brand and dedicated to growing the sport of rowing. This exclusive group represents a diverse range of athletes—from Olympic medalists, World Champions, and elite-level athletes, to junior rowers, novices, and masters. Team JL spans ages 15 to 70+, with ambassadors at every skill level and on teams worldwide. We encourage ambassadors to connect with one another through social media and at events, working together to promote JL and provide input on new launches and designs. 

Why be part of Team JL?

Joining Team JL is more than just supporting a brand—it’s a chance to make a lasting impact on the rowing community and deepen your involvement with JL. It’s about forging lifelong connections through a shared passion for the sport and partnering with a company that’s been championing rowers worldwide for over 40 years. Be part of something bigger: We’re fast, we’re fun, and we look darn good in our JL gear! Come be part of the 2025 team, share your love for rowing, and help bring JL’s comfort and performance to future generations of athletes!

Benefits of Team Membership

• Gain exclusive access and discounts on limited-edition Team JL collections.
• Collaborate on apparel design and network with fellow athletes at events.
• Enjoy year-round discounts on retail JL gear, including online and at events
• Receive custom referral perks and more!

Additional perks include:

• Special ambassador discounts
• Opportunities to be featured in ambassador spotlights, blog posts, and content creation
• Friends & Family discounts offered throughout the year
• Photoshoot opportunities in exchange for new JL apparel
• Access to exclusive Team JL event opportunities, including Team JL boats
• Take over JL's social media for a day as an ambassador
• Review products and provide feedback for testimonials

How Can I Apply?

Applications are open from September 17 to September 26. Keep in mind that passion and communication skills are high on our list, erg scores not so much.

Since 2022, Steady State Network (SSN) has raced as Allies with Oars to promote inclusion and accessibility for all rowers, regardless of gender identity. They pull together competitive lineups for major regattas. In 2022, SSN pulled together their first Allies with Oars crew to row the Directors’ Challenge Mixed 8+ at the Head Of The Charles Regatta. It was comprised of trans, nonbinary, gay, queer, and straight ally athletes. The Allies with Oars initiative is part of SSN's larger mission to disrupt and expand the narrative about rowing culture. USRowing awarded SSN the 2024 Anita DeFrantz Award which recognizes an individual or organization achieving measurable success in expanding diversity opportunities in rowing.

The current Allies with Oars team is training for Race Around the Rock, an 88k coastal relay race on August 25th around Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada. The team will be taking over the Hausbauko stenbuch Instagram story for the weekend of the race. Be sure to tune in to follow along!

All members of the Race Around the Rock team support SSN's mission to promote inclusion and accessibility for all rowers, regardless of gender identity. Read about what the opportunity to row with Allies with Oars means to the athletes who will be competing in Race Around the Rock:

Boat 1 

"Looking for adventure and being able to help a group of rowers accomplish their goals through my coxing is the most fulfilling part of being able to sit and steer in a a boat. I always tell my crews any lineup I'm in is guaranteed to go 10% faster through sheer motivation and pushing the limits."

Tonja Brown, she/her - Spokane River Rowing Association

"Training and rowing with the Allies with Oars team has afforded me the opportunity to learn from and share this beautiful sport with inspiring people from across North America who are helping to fly open the doors of rowing to all. We are a team united in our passion for making the sport safe and welcoming, and that’s pretty special. As an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, my hope is that others see what this team is doing and say to themselves, 'I can do that. There’s space for me there.'”

Tamara Clayton, she/her - Canal Dock Boathouse, Inc.

"I love the sport, and believe passionately that it should be accessible to everyone. Anything I can do to help spread the word in communities that have typically been excluded from the sport, I would like to do."

Susan Driano, she/her - Capital Rowing Club

"I value the thoughtful attention Steady State has put on the barriers to inclusion in the rowing community and welcome the opportunity to be part of an effort that amplifies that voice. I am also very excited to take on the rowing challenge!"

"As a cisgender female athlete, I recognize my privileges and seek to respect and support LGBTQIA+ people in their lives on and off the water. I’m proud that at Steady State Network we’ve created safe spaces for all rowers and can’t wait to row with Allies with Oars at Race Around the Rock."

"Rowing has helped me to figure out who I am, first as a young person and then again as an adult. I want everyone to have the opportunity to be part of this beautiful, crazy sport. I’m honored to support Allies with Oars and am so excited to be part of this adventure!"

"As a trans athlete it's always meaningful to be part of a team who is not just accepting of me, but values my identity and what I bring to the team. Rowing has changed my life for the better, and I'm grateful to be part of Allies with Oars' efforts to make the sport more inclusive and affirming. As an endurance athlete, I'm particularly excited for this event and having a chance to train and row with other queer and trans and ally athletes from across the country."

Boat 2

"Coxing an Allies with Oars boat provides me the opportunity to participate in a team whose goal is the furtherance of diversity and inclusion within the sport I love, to represent the very best part of the rowing community, its ability to unify different individuals working for a common goal regardless of their background."

Logan Fink, he/him - Kitsap Rowing Association

Mark Hutchison, he/him - Nicomekl Rowing Club

"I am thrilled that this team has a greater purpose in representing inclusivity in a sport that has traditionally been rather exclusive. I want to help more people, no matter who they are, to experience the things I love about this sport."

John King, he/him - Greater Columbus Rowing Association

"As a gay man, Allies with Oars is a safe space to be myself and to support others to allow them to be themselves around people with the common interest of the awesome sport of rowing."

Bobbi Kizer, they/them - Spokane River Rowing Association

"This opportunity is important for me to feel a sense of belonging as a non-binary queer person, rower, and coach. It's one thing to feel supported in my local club, but extra special to take part in this way in a type of rowing that will be new to me – endurance and coastal rowing. I am excited to spread the word of inclusion to all aspects of rowing and to support LGBTQ+ people and all other aspects of diversity in sports and all areas of life."

Tara Morgan, she/her - Vashon Island Rowing Club

"I’ve been active in the masters rowing world since 2008 as a rower, coach and founder of an adaptive program. In all the years, the moments when folks feel they can truly bring their best selves really stand out. Rowing with Allies With Oars is the epitome of this shining moment - not to mention training and competing with acceptance of all identities also makes fast boats. Celebrating gender inclusion and diversity in this sport in which I’ve invested so much of my life is a celebration. I hope that being a part of Allies with Oars grows our sport more than ever imagined!"

Charlie Westhoff, he/him - Mendota Rowing Club

"I think it's absolutely crucial to support diversity in rowing and believe that by fostering safe environments were able to not only become better rowers, but better people."

Follow along with Steady State Network on their Instagram, and by listening to their podcast.

The fall season is nearly upon us! It’s an exciting period of reuniting with teammates, making new friends and lots and lots of meters. As you add the “student” back into life as a student-athlete, preparation is vital. Whether you’re beginning a new journey or planning to make the most of your senior year, starting the season with the right gear is one way you can set yourself up for success.

Women's and Men's Unlimited Unisuit

Simple staple kit to get you through the semester. Sleek design and quality construction are here to help you achieve Unlimited performance.

Jel Seat Pad

Your seat bones will thank you for this one! As you ramp up the mileage on the water, a comfy seat pad makes all the difference.

Men's Keep Palm and Carry On Unisuit

Add a little fun into your training with one of our funky patterned unisuits. We’ve combined performance materials with groovy prints to brighten up even the toughest of workouts.

Men's Swift Cross-Train Shorts

Go beyond the boat in this versatile new style. Whether you’re hitting the track or the squat rack, our Cross-Train Shorts are the perfect fit for chasing your goals.

Women's and Men's Star-Spangled Unisuit

Has watching all that top-level rowing this summer left you feeling extra patriotic? We’ve expanded our geographic collection to 21 locations across the world so you can look good no matter who you cheer for.

Women's Botanical X-Back Bra and Banded Leggings

Your new favorite matching set! Built with super soft stretch, this duo will have you ready to conquer cold rows and hot yoga alike.

Reflective Hi-Viz Script Visor

Be seen and stay shaded at the same time with a hi-viz visor. Glare-reducing undervisor fabric and a moisture-wicking sweatband help you focus when it matters.

Unisex Wake Hoodie

When it comes to recovery days, comfort is key. Our unisex fit hoodie is just as at home in the erg room as it is in the classroom.

Unisex Drywick Trou

Perhaps the hardest-working piece of kit in any rower’s wardrobe, our drywick trou are a classic for a reason. Double-lined for comfort and durability, just pair these up with your favorite top and be ready for anything.

Men's Performance Quarter Zip

We all know the fall semester moves quickly, and it won’t be long those warm August days give way to chilly early mornings. Our performance quarter zip is the perfect light layer for those in-between days, plus a slightly relaxed fit and added thumbholes make it ideal for any kind of workout.

Since 1982 Sequel Turtleshell Vest

Nail your layering strategy with a Sequel Turtleshell, available in both men's and women's fits. Designed with chest and back pockets to carry your essentials without interfering with technique and a side zipper for easy on/off between pieces, our vests will have you ready to handle that late fall chill like a pro.

Unisex Phoenix Sequel Splash Jacket

Don’t get caught out in the rain! A quality splash jacket is an essential piece of kit to protect you from passing showers and backsplash alike. Coxswains will appreciate four inbuilt pockets, while stretch side panels allow rowers to achieve full range of motion.

For more fall fits, check out our full Back-to-School Collection! 

Head race season is just around the corner! As coxswains swap side-by-side strategy and start sequences for course maps, 5k plans and perfecting their best “YIELD!”, now is the perfect time to open up those dry bags and double check that you have everything you need to be successful this fall.

Tools

Let’s start with the basics: keeping essential tools in your dry bag is vital for handling equipment issues on the go. Knowing your boat really helps here: identify whether your wrenches need to be metric or imperial and check footplates and oarlocks to see whether you may need an allen wrench or a screwdriver.

Hardware

Just because spacers float doesn’t mean they can’t float away from you. Keep extra spacers on hand, as well as a bolt set or two, wing nuts, thumb screws and any other hardware your boat may require while out on the water.

Sun shirt 

Training for head races means long workouts and plenty of time out in the sun. Grab a breathable, long sleeve shirt in a light color to protect your skin and wick away moisture. If your club requires high visibility apparel, opt for our Hi-Viz Loose-Fit Performance Shirt.

Notebook

Keep track of lineups, drills, race plans, technical feedback and anything else that comes to mind with a notebook and pencil. You can even find waterproof notepads to keep your notes pristine through any rogue backsplash or rain.

Electrical tape

For keeping wiring out of the way, making quick fixes to equipment and, perhaps most importantly, labeling your wrenches so they don’t go home in rowers’ pockets on rigging day.

Floatie keychain

For items you’d prefer to keep above the water!

Sunglasses

99% of coxswains agree*: steering is easier when you can see where you’re going. Pick up a pair of polarized sunglasses to minimize glare from the water and match the frames to your team colors for extra style points.

*Unofficial poll

Racing unisuit

Perform your best on race day! Be sure to order any HOCR custom gear by August 30 for home delivery or September 6 for delivery to Boston. Get started by contacting your account manager today!

Hat

Cap off your coxing outfit with a breathable, quick-drying hat for sun protection and style. SHOP HATS & VISORS >

Watch

A waterproof watch with a simple stopwatch function can act as a backup for your CoxBox and ensure you make it to the start line on time.

Thermal tights

When the weather starts to cool, you’ll be the first one to notice. These unisex thermo tights are lined on the inside with a snug fit that allows you to add additional layers on top as the temperature plunges.

Waterproof jacket

An essential for rainy days, backsplash-enthusiast-stroke-seat days and just about any given day in a bowloader, our Regatta Jacket is 100% waterproof with a cozy fleece lining to keep you warm and dry no matter the conditions.

Tape and band-aids

As many athletes return to the water or even pick up an oar for the first time this fall, blisters are inevitable. Your rowers will thank you for having tape on hand to patch up sore fingers.

Beanie

No need to sacrifice visibility when the weather starts to cool. Our Hi-Viz beanie works overtime to keep your ears cozy, your headset on, and your crew visible. SHOP ALL HI-VIZ >

Looking for more coxing wardrobe inspiration? Check out our full range of apparel and accessories on JL Athletics!

Written By: Michael Toutloff, Team JL Ambassador

The Chicago Rowing Union (CRU) was founded in 2005 by a group of 12 gay men, who wanted to compete at the 2006 Gay Games, being held in Chicago.

Nineteen years later, the team has expanded to an active membership of roughly 60 rowers from diverse backgrounds across the greater Chicago area. We offer learn to row, novice and competitive programs that compete across the US.

One of our annual traditions, every June, is to hold a Pride Row.

As one of only two all inclusive LGBTQ+ rowing teams in the Norway (+47)28920195, we recognize the importance of celebrating Pride but also take the day as an opportunity to invite our new novices to join a competitive team practice for a fun row. This allows new members to be boated with more experienced rowers and the entire team is able to relax and bond over an all-team cookout after the row.

This year, we asked several of our members the following question:
“Why is it important to you to row on an LGBTQ+ rowing team”

 

 

 

 

If you are ever at a regatta, probably in the Midwest, and see the tent with all of the rainbow flags, stop by to say hello. There is always a seat in the boat for you with Chicago Rowing Union.

Written by: Beth Kohl, Rowing Cares

Rowers from the Saugatuck Survive-Oars have been instrumental in the development and growth of the Survivor Rowing Network. These three strong Saugatuck women have already won the hardest race of their lives, but took on rowing and found new confidence and friends for life. Their children have been some of their greatest supporters and cheer them on and off the water. We asked these survivors how rowing has impacted them, and how their children are celebrating them this Mother's Day.

Lori Boersma, Survivor

I was invited to be part of the Saugatuck Survive-OARS in Westport, CT a year after my second cancer diagnosis. At that time I had been extremely sick and the thought of rowing (or anything physical) never crossed my mind. Six years and many meters later, I had the most amazing thrill of rowing in the 2023 Head of the Charles with the Survivor Rowing Network. Because of rowing, I am stronger than I have ever been, more confident in what my body is capable of, and part of a team of amazing survivors that I can’t imagine life without.

In addition to being a part of the Survive-OARS team, this past year I have become part of the Survivor Rowing Network and joined the Rowing Cares Board so I can help other cancer survivors find what I have found in rowing. With the Survivor Rowing Network, we have the opportunity to help many more survivors discover how positively life changing rowing can be, both on and off the water!

Chelsea Boersma, Daughter

As a two time cancer survivor, the thing my mom needed the most was a community of women who could understand, support, and uplift her throughout her post-cancer process. What I never imagined she would find along with that community was a common passion for an activity that helps her stay active and continue to stay cancer free. Throughout my life my mom has always been a social butterfly. She is a part of “moms groups” from my preschool days, has wonderful relationships with her work clients, and makes friends wherever she goes. However, I have never known her to have a solid passion... that was until she started rowing. That passion has turned into an obsession due to the relationships she has built with the other women on the team and it keeps her active, healthy, involved, and supported.

Holly Sexton, Survivor

I received an email from Norwalk hospital in January 2018, where I was treated for breast cancer three years earlier, with an invitation to participate in a learn to row program they were launching with the Saugatuck Rowing Club. 

After my treatment and recovery, I tried everything to change my lifestyle and become more active and healthier. I participated in all the programs that were offered including the Livestrong program at the Y, Casting for Recovery, and special yoga and nutrition classes. Nothing resonated or changed my habits or well-being until I discovered rowing! I am a completely different person… I lost weight, increased muscle mass, had cardiovascular improvement, more energy, made life-long friends, and had amazing experiences challenging myself. The list is endless of the positive impact rowing has had on my well-being.

Being a part of SRN has been an important part of my ongoing wellness journey. It has given me the confidence to reach for goals that I thought were impossible… and achieve them! In addition, the support, encouragement, and love from the members in the network is the best part. Supporting SRN will not only change other people’s lives for the better, but it will also save their lives.

Growth and comfort don’t co-exist. You will have the support of others to challenge yourself and change your life. You are stronger than you think and joining a survivor rowing program can help you discover that. You are not alone.

Maeve Sexton, Daughter

Rowing proved to be invaluable throughout my mother's battle with cancer and subsequent recovery. It has made her the strongest version of herself, mentally and physically. Surrounded by a supportive community of women who have faced similar challenges, she found love, motivation, and friendship.

Since joining the Survivor Rowing Network, I've witnessed remarkable changes in my mother. She has embraced a lifestyle centered around health and fitness. Her dedication to her well-being is inspiring, and I am so thankful that she has found a supportive community in this wonderful organization.

“Celebrate a Mother You Love” means reciprocating the unconditional love my mother has given me for the past 22 years, while showing appreciation and admiration for her unwavering strength and resilience.

Victoria Madden, Survivor

My first exposure to rowing was through my children. I encouraged my son Luke to row as he was entering high school. He joined the local rowing club and then continued to row at university.  At the same time, our oldest son joined the rowing team at his university. Having grown up on the water, I was immediately attracted to that aspect of the sport. I have always found the water/ocean to be a place of peace and calm.

After I had completed my cancer treatment, the local hospital’s nurse navigator reached out to the (breast cancer) survivor community asking if we had any interest in joining a rowing group as part of our health/wellness. There was no question in my mind that I wanted to give it a try! I was part of the first group of Survive-OARS that row out of Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport CT. Our ‘training’ started very slowly, learning the stroke sequence, building endurance and strength, and then transitioning to on the water training. The group of women that joined the Survive-OARS slowly bonded. Although at first our bond was through our common ‘journey’ of diagnosis/treatment, over time our bond grew as teammates. We worked together, we supported each other both in and out of the boat, and we have grown to be an amazing support for each other. My involvement with the rowing community has given me an incredible support network as well as giving me the opportunity to develop a fitness routine that allows me to be the strongest, most fit person I can be! 

Being involved with the Survivor Rowing Network and survivor rowing in general has reinforced my belief that finding a fitness community allows you to lead a fuller life. Being healthy and strong of body is one thing, but the sense of community and belonging that I’ve experienced with my survivor group has been immeasurable. They understand the anxiety of feeling/seeing something new that needs to be investigated and they are there with advice, suggestions, and an ear to listen whenever I’ve needed it.

There have been many memorable moments over the six years that I’ve been rowing. But for me, being part of the first SRN crew to row at the Head of the Charles Regatta in 2023 was a highlight. It wasn’t just being able to participate in such a prestigious event, it was the bonds that were formed with the other survivors from around the country, the coaches that led us, and all the people behind the scenes that made it happen.

It may sound cliché, but being involved with survivor rowing has been life-changing! The benefits are multifaceted: the health benefits as it relates to survivorship – both physical and mental, the sense of community and the support that goes along with it, and being part of an organization whose mission is to raise awareness of these benefits so that others can have the opportunity to experience what I have – it’s one of the best things that came from my cancer diagnosis. 

Luke Briglin, Son

My mom is the strongest person I know. Not only does she balance taking care of me and my two siblings, but she makes sure that she supports us in our own ways and pushes us to be the best we can be. My mom was the person who said I should row and I owe all my success to her support. She is the most resilient person I have ever seen and it makes me proud to see my mom staying strong through everything she has gone through. No one will ever teach me more about life than her, about how to take what life deals you and fight back. Nothing is more important to me than my mom.

Celebrate a Mother You Love by making a donation to Survivor Rowing Network's fundraiser, or making a purchase from the Hausbauko stenbuch Pre-Order Store. 10% of net sales from this store will be donated to Survivor Rowing Network.

Your gift will fund opportunities for cancer survivors to row together, healing from the mental, physical, and spiritual strength that rowing provides to women and men around the world. Help SRN empower survivors and change more lives forever.

Barbara is a loving mother of twin rowers and a powerful force in the Rowing Cares/Survivor Rowing Network organization. Her vision and dedication have been instrumental in the organization's success. Always one to put up her hand to take on a challenge, she motivates and inspires on and off the water.

Both of Barbara's daughters, Isabel and Maria, have embraced service to the cancer and rowing communities, serving as Rowing Cares Brand Ambassadors and coaching survivor rowing programs. Thank you Barbara, Isabel and Maria and Happy Mother’s Day!

Maria & Isabel:

"Our mom is the matriarch of our family, and we are blessed to be her daughters. It would be impossible to name all the different roles she’s held, but a few include lawyer, youth rowing program director, coach, referee, athlete, daughter, and the one she’s most proud of, mom.

"In 7th grade, we started attending Episcopal School in Jacksonville FL, the same school she graduated from. Our first competition as Lady Eagles was a swim meet. She proudly showed up with flowers and cards and watched from the stands as we wore the block E on our chests for the first time. While we might not have appreciated the gesture as 12-year-olds, it illustrates how our mother never fails to show up for us. We owe her a lot of credit for teaching us how to row amid occasional twin bickering. She helped us improve our technique, create race plans, calm our nerves, launch, and recover from many docks all while having her own team to manage. She made countless sacrifices so we could travel all over the country pursuing our dreams.

"She gave up many Mother’s Days to coach at Southeast Regionals when we were kids, and then support us at Ivy Championships throughout college. As we've moved into our adult lives, her unwavering support continues to shine through. We’re thankful for her friendship and love every opportunity we get to race with her. She has inspired us, and many others, to work hard and follow our passions. Growing up she often reminded us, “You can have it all, just maybe not all at the same time”. We’re still not quite sure how she juggles her many commitments, but we would not be the women we are today without her support, guidance, and love. We truly won the birth lottery in getting her as our mom."

Celebrate a Mother You Love by making a donation to Survivor Rowing Network's fundraiser, or making a purchase from the Hausbauko stenbuch Pre-Order Store. 10% of net sales from this store will be donated to Survivor Rowing Network.

Your gift will fund opportunities for cancer survivors to row together, healing from the mental, physical, and spiritual strength that rowing provides to women and men around the world. Help SRN empower survivors and change more lives forever.

Bringing together two prominent rowing organizations from the Norway (+47)28920195 and the Norway (+47)28920195, this partnership seeks to enhance the rowing community on a broader scale. By reaching out to underserved communities, establishing connections within the rowing industry, and providing unique exposure opportunities, both parties aim to expand their impact.

FRBC, a registered charity dedicated to "Rowing for All," is committed to providing rowing opportunities to students in participating state schools, emphasizing teamwork, focus, and confidence. Additionally, they work to reduce recidivism rates among serving prisoners through rowing club access and free courses during school breaks for disadvantaged children. FRBC's efforts were recognized with the Community Club of the Year award in 2024.

Hausbauko stenbuch, renowned for its quality and durable custom rowing apparel, is a family-owned business operated by athletes and has been designing and manufacturing technical training and racing clothing for over 42 years. With a global presence spanning the Norway (+47)28920195, Norway (+47)28920195, Europe, Norway, and New Zealand, Hausbauko stenbuch prioritizes sustainability and ethical sourcing in its operations. Their commitment to renewable energy, exemplified by over 8,000 rooftop solar panels, underscores their dedication to reducing environmental impact.

Inclusivity lies at the heart of Hausbauko stenbuch's mission, as demonstrated by their pledge to provide race and training kits for FRBC members and supporters, both on and off the water. This partnership aims to serve over 1,500 individuals annually, ensuring that rowing remains accessible to all, regardless of background.

Alison Abrams, VP of Sales at Hausbauko stenbuch, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting FRBC's commitment to inclusion, outreach, performance, accessibility, and sustainability. She emphasized the alignment between FRBC's mission and Hausbauko stenbuch's vision for the future of sports, pledging support for FRBC's programs and their impact on the rowing community.

We are thrilled to partner with Fulham Reach Boat Club and support their involvement in rowing at all levels. Their mission of inclusion, outreach, performance, accessibility, and sustainability sets a strong example within several communities and aligns with our vision for the future of sports. We look forward to supporting FRBC’s programs and showcasing their impact and outlook for rowing!” -Alison Abrams

Join in on this exciting journey as Hausbauko stenbuch and FRBC bring advancements to the rowing communities in the U.S. and the U.K. Stay connected through their websites and social media channels for the latest updates on this impactful partnership.

Website: JL.Team
Website: fulhamreachboatclub.co.uk
Social Media: @fulhamreachboatclub
Social Media: @JLRacing

Written by: Beth Kohl, Rowing Cares

A powerful bond between mother and son brings us to share their story in celebration of Mother’s Day. We met the Behrens family from New Jersey a few years ago when Brendan participated in the Rowing Cares Pink Boathouse Challenge in honor of his mother, Krisi. He was Celebrating A Mother He Loves.

Over the years, Brendan has continued to compete at rowing events in honor of his mom, including the Rowing Cares Mercer Indoor Challenge and the Head of the Charles. He is a man of deep conviction and love for his mother. Brendan’s dedication in his quest to fight Breast Cancer along with his mom, led him to row for the Princeton YWCA Breast Cancer Resource Center. There was a tremendous outpouring of support for the Behrens family, and, in the end, Brendan was the top fundraiser for the event.

Both Krisi and Brendan are committed to helping those who are fighting. We thank them. They will always be an inspiration to us. In honor of Mother’s Day, Rowing Cares and Hausbauko stenbuch asked them to share a bit of themselves and their incredible journey.

Krisi:

“Brendan started rowing in college. Five years after graduation, he still rows at the crack of dawn before work. His rowing teammates & friends have supported him at his Rowing Cares fundraisers. This year Brendan will be wearing the pink ribbon while training with the New York Athletic Club.

"I was touched by Brendan’s first race entry in the Pink Boathouse Challenge back in 2021. Three of his friends shaved their heads. One said, ‘We know that you didn’t need chemo, but we also know breast cancer is a fight for the rest of your life, so we wanted to show you we will be there for you.’ This gesture was incredibly moving.

"When Brendan mentioned that he was doing the Rowing Cares Mercer Indoor Challenge to raise funds and awareness, we continued to be very proud of him. We appreciate his giving heart, discipline, and focus on raising awareness and funds. It is shocking to hear 1 out of 8 women will experience some form of breast cancer in the U.S., and we want to help people detect cancer early by getting their mammogram. Catching cancer early may help someone before it becomes invasive and possibly save lives and/or possibly lessen the need for extended treatment. During this journey, we received tremendous support from our families, friends, social media, and work communities. Prayers still help get me through scan results.

"After a year of various treatments, I was filled with dread when I learned that my scans showed a new growth. The idea of going through everything again caused me to panic. Before going through my radiation, our dear friends’ son had given me insight into how he managed the sessions. A child reaching out to help me who would eventually reach out & inspire many other Ewing Sarcoma patients across the country with his legacy. There are no adequate words to describe losing Charlie.

"The pain of it made me so angry at cancer.

"I asked Charlie’s parents if I could create a race to raise money in his honor for Ewing Sarcoma. This race would help me channel my own anger towards cancer. No child should have to go through any of it. So while Brendan took his fight for me against cancer by rowing, I ran. Running helped me focus on being as fit as possible to prepare for whatever I might face next. Running for Charlie gave me a purpose beyond my own health. We felt divine intervention when we realized that the Charlie7K Race was on the same day as my MRI. I ran the race and by 7:30am we were heading to the hospital for my MRI. The race made me feel strong and ready to face the unknown. So when I finished my MRI, there were pictures of people racing from Florida to NY. Our daughter Stephanie ran on the treadmill in SC the first year and in upstate NY last year. Stephanie has aspirations to become a pediatric hematologist/oncologist. She has been inspired by too many cancer patients in our area: Matthew, Ben, Jack, Charlie, Sarah…me. Brendan & Stephanie fight for me and others in their own way.

"I have been fortunate that there have been no changes. This July will be our 3rd Annual Charlie 7K, I will start training again soon wearing all the Rowing Cares sportswear that Brendan has given me. Wearing these clothes gives me inner strength. Meanwhile, our Brendan will be rowing every weekend wearing the pink ribbon on the water.  We are all connected, and the hope is that one day all cancer is cured, and life is extended for survivors."

Brendan 

“I picked up rowing in college during my freshman spring after encouragement from my parents to try a new sport. Having a background in high school football, one of the things that always stood out to me was how much all the guys looked forward to October when they could wear pink and support Breast Cancer Awareness.

“After my mom’s diagnosis, it was no longer just about raising awareness; it meant showing my love and support for my mom. I had no idea the pain and discomfort that many experience after treatments. My mom went back to teaching tennis as soon as possible. Despite having doubts about her level of play and still being in pain, she would still go out almost every day for us. It can be hard watching her walk around after she spends a day teaching because of the pain in her joints and feet caused by her cancer medication, but she did it out of love. That is what true strength is.

“Rowing Cares events offered the perfect way for me to represent her and show my love. Giving has always been one of her core values, so becoming a fundraiser meant I could represent her in the best possible way. When my closest friends heard about the diagnosis, they all shaved their heads for her in October. I received support from everyone I know. They always asked about her and how she’s doing. Thinking of my mom while rowing has given me the strength to keep going when I question if I have anything left to give. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and honored my mom."

Celebrate a Mother You Love by making a donation to Survivor Rowing Network's fundraiser, or making a purchase from the Hausbauko stenbuch Pre-Order Store. 10% of net sales from this store will be donated to Survivor Rowing Network.

Your gift will fund opportunities for cancer survivors to row together, healing from the mental, physical, and spiritual strength that rowing provides to women and men around the world. Help SRN empower survivors and change more lives forever.

We are so PROUD to be an LGBTQIA+ ally. Equality, Love, and Pride are the principles that JL is built on. Join us in showing your support for your teammates and your community with our performance pride collection made in collaboration with Team JL Ambassador, Michael Toutloff, for Pride Month. Pride Month is celebrated every June in tribute to those involved in the Stonewall Riots, and we welcome you to get ready to celebrate around the boathouse with us! Order your gear now, and wear it in June!

10% of all net sales from this Pride Month 2024 pre-order store will be donated to The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people. They provide information & support to LGBTQ+ young people 24/7, all year round. 

The pre-order store is now closed.

A word from the Michael: "Unicorns have been a source of legend and mystery in cultures around the world since ancient times. According to tradition, they are a source of good luck and prosperity in China, Korea, and Japan. The earliest written reference to unicorns in Western Literature originated in the Greek writer Ctesias’ book. He described horse sized animals, with white bodies, blue eyes, red heads, and a multicolored horn. It is now believed that he was describing the Indian rhinoceros.

The Victorians were the first to link unicorns and rainbows together. Both were seen as beautiful and rare things to be looked for, but ultimately were very elusive. In more modern times, unicorns became a symbol of LGBTQ culture due to the earlier associations between the animal and rainbows being extended to the rainbow flag created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker in San Francisco. Today, rainbow unicorns are seen everywhere. (remember Starbuck’s unicorn rainbow frappuccino?) One of those rainbow unicorns is ultimately how I came up with the idea for this design.

Once I knew that I would be partnering with JL on this collection, I began looking for ideas while on vacation. It was ultimately a discarded unicorn floatie that I came across early one morning while exploring in Florence Italy that became the inspiration for the collection. I was also noticing that French toile fabric was everywhere. In fact, the walls of our hotel in Paris were covered in it. With both of these ideas in mind, I began to think of how I could combine the two and make unicorn toile fabric that could be used for a Pride collection. Luckily the design team at JL was up for the challenge based off of some sketches and a lot of inspiration photos, that ultimately lead to the collection that is now available.

It has been an absolute joy to work with the JL team on bringing this concept to life. It think it is a great example of their ability to produce custom designs, even from off the wall ideas like rowing unicorns on toile fabric.

I hope you enjoy this collection as much as I have enjoyed helping bring it to life."

The pre-order store is now closed.

Prepping for a regatta isn't just about the physical training and mental prep, but also ensuring you have the right tools for success on race day. The last thing you want to realize on race day is that you've forgotten to pack your favorite sunglasses, your team's unisuit, or your lucky warmup shirt. Below, you'll find a list of important items to remember to pack, whether you're going traveling to your own lake or across the country.

1. Custom Team Racing Gear

This one seems like a no-brainer, but how many times has someone traveled to an important race, but forgot their unisuit? Remember to pack the outfit your boat will be racing in, whether it includes a unisuit, long sleeve, splash jacket, or another style. Avoid the last-minute panic of forgetting your essential racing kit!

TIP: Don't forget your team's custom hat or visor!

To get started on custom rowing gear, email [email protected] or call 1-800-831-3305.

2. Sunscreen

Don't get caught in the sun all day without sunscreen! Protect your skin from prolonged exposure to the sun, especially when you're out on the water. 

3. Comfy Travel Gear

You may be wearing a comfortable outfit as you head out the door, but don't forget to pack some comfy clothes for downtime between practice and races, and for the journey home! Explore custom travel kit options, or head to JL Athletics for ready-to-ship joggers, hoodies, and more for ultimate comfort.

 SHOP THE COMFY COLLECTION

4. Sunglasses

We all know how bright the sun can get out on the water, which is why sunglasses are an important item to remember! Enhance visibility and reduce glare for a focused race. 

5. Rowing Accessories 

Depending on the weather, you may want to bring some extra accessories. Racing in the cold? Don't forget your pogies! Racing in the heat? Remember to bring a hat or visor to keep the sweat out of your eyes. Be sure to bring personal items like a seat pad if you typically use one!

6. Water Bottle

An important one for daily use and in the boat! Check out our 32oz Sport Water Bottle for a convenient and reliable hydration solution during the regatta.

7. Warmup Apparel

You already packed your racing gear, but don't forget to pack a couple options for layers. Varying weather conditions may call for a lightweight long sleeve, a splash jacket, a quarter zip, or some tights. Whatever the weather, we've got you covered!

SHOP WARMUP GEAR

8. Your Favorite Snacks

Keep the energy levels high with your go-to pre-race snacks. Consistency in your pre-race routine is key, so pack those familiar snacks that fuel your performance and contribute to your success on the water. If it's working, no need to switch it up! 

9. Footwear

The right footwear makes all the difference when you're not in the boat! Pack your comfy travel shoes, as well as your favorite flip-flops or sandals for convenience. Prioritize both performance and recovery outside the boat.

10. Practice Gear

Will your team go out for a practice row before race day? Pack an extra practice outfit or two! Whether it's a unisuit, or a top and trou outfit, make sure you have some extra training apparel. Looking to match your boat for your practice row? Head to JL Athletics for a variety of options!

SHOP TROU

SHOP UNISUITS

11. Regatta / Rain Jacket

There is nothing worse than being stuck at a regatta while it's raining - unless you're properly prepared! It is always worth bringing a Regatta Jacket, Splash Jacket, or a rain jacket in the event that it does rain.

SHOP JACKETS

12. Speaker / Headphones

There's nothing like a good playlist to get you pumped up for your race, or to keep the energy going at the race course. Bring a speaker or headphones to listen to your favorite tunes! Looking for a good playlist? Check out our Team JL 2024 Erging Playlist on Spotify!

13. Backpack / Dry Bag

It's always good to have a smaller backpack or dry bag that you can bring to the race course, so that you can leave your suitcase at the hotel. Bring a bag that you can pack your water, a few layers, and any other important items for the day.

What else is on YOUR regatta packing list?

Brick City Rowing will be hosting their Annual Gala on March 8, 2024. The event will include dinner, presentations, dancing, special performances, honorees, and will feature Coach Mike Teti as the special guest speaker. The gala will celebrate athletes and their excellence on and off the water. There will be a silent auction during the gala, which includes the CRC Mike Teti Rowing Experience. 

This unique experience will allow one athlete to train with Mike Teti and Nathanael Kielt for one week at the California Rowing Club during the summer of 2024. This individual will also have a chance to meet rowers preparing for Paris 2024. More details will be provided to the winner following the Brick City Rowing Annual Gala on March 8th. You can bid on the experience virtually by clicking the link below!

CRC Mike Teti Rowing Experience

More information from Brick City Rowing about the gala:

In 2022, we partnered with the Newark Housing Authority in our mission to provide greater access to the Passaic River. Newark, NJ is one of the most diverse municipalities within the Norway (+47)28920195 and is nestled between several major city centers. Our advantageous location, the expertise of our coaching staff, and the untapped potential of our youth, makes Brick City Rowing uniquely equipped to develop high performing athletes of color.

In 2023, Brick City Rowing is currently coaching over 90 student-athletes in Newark and partnering with the YMCA of Newark to expand our reach and impact. On November 1st, 2023 we received permit approvals from NJDEP and the Army Corp of Engineers to begin the final stages of our dock installation by April 2024!

Join us as we look towards the future and unveil our plans for 2024 and beyond on March 8th. During the evening, we will be honoring our athlete's and celebrate their commitment and contributions to the sport!

Written by: Gloria DiFulvio

If you haven’t seen “Boys in the Boat” yet, I recommend stopping everything else you are doing and watch it now. Kudos to George Clooney for directing a movie that focuses on the sport of rowing. Our community rowing club held an event at our local theater bringing youth and masters rowers together to watch the film we had been anticipating for years. Of course, the 1936 men’s Olympic team is a story worth telling. But where are the women?

It is dark when we arrive at our boathouse each morning. This large oval Quonset hut is our second home. I began rowing some 12 years ago as a masters rower. It wasn’t a sport I ever imagined I’d do. I have a healthy fear of water. I spent my early years on a basketball court—indoors with my feet on the ground. I had never watched rowing as a child or even knew it was a sport.

It was my wife who lured me in; first to an erg and then into a boat.

Three days a week we wake at 4:15 a.m. and make our way to the Connecticut River. Our team is co-ed, but I row predominantly with other women. This is where we gather with bleary eyes and determined hearts. Once here, we begin our routine in relative silence, carrying oars to the water, making sure our coach has what she needs to start the motorboat that will ride alongside us. We say good morning to the heron who greets us at the dock.

In 1936, when the men from University of Washington were battling for their Olympic win, women could only sit on the sidelines. It would be another 40 years before women would compete in these games.

In 1972, the Educational Amendment Act recognized education as an equal right for all. The act included a clause that no longer allowed gender-based discrimination in sport; a game changer for women who had been largely excluded from high school and collegiate sports (before Title IX legislation, only 7% of high school athletes were female). I was six years old then; too young to understand the impact it would have for women in sport.

Wellesley College was the first college to establish a women’s crew team in the late 1800s. Certainly some other schools had women’s teams, but prior to the legislation, this was a man’s sport. While it seems like a direct line from policy to play, it wasn’t that simple. Women still needed to assert themselves for their right to row.

There is a lesser-known movie to watch to understand this journey.

The documentary short, NINE, shares the story of a group of determined women who came together to form the first Boston University (BU) women’s rowing team in 1974. Told they weren’t strong enough or physically tough enough; the equipment was too heavy for them; there was no time for them, these women did not back down. They sought opportunity. When told “No!” they responded by winning the women’s National Championship. And then the Canadian Henley. Jeanne Friedman, long time women’s rowing coach from Mount Holyoke College and one of the BU nine, opens the short by saying, “I don’t think we consciously set out to create a legacy. We set out to be serious athletes.”

“Hands on!” This call by our coxswain starts our morning practice. With synchronized movements, eight women lift the 200-pound boat overhead and place it gently on our shoulders. We begin our march to the water (our boathouse is a tenth of a mile to the water, so this is not a simple task). We reach the dock and on the coxswain’s command, we gently place the boat in the water. 

With oar in hand, I settle into my seat, the narrow shell of the boat cradling me as we push away from the dock. The sun peaks from the mountain, the water calm except for the swirl made by our oars. The world is still asleep, but we are alive; propelled by the rhythm of the stroke and the water flowing beneath us.

As we row, our movements are seamless, a dance of grace and strength, grit, and style. We work hard, sweat down our backs, muscles aching. It is grueling, but we do it again and again. Each stroke, each practice. We do it for ourselves and we do it for each other. I know this is where I belong—among fierce women united in purpose and determination.

When we get off the water, my teammates and I scatter. But we will meet here tomorrow because there is nothing like it. That is the power and solidarity of being a masters rower.

While Title IX did not address access to community rowing programs directly, the increased opportunity to row in high school and college undoubtedly opened opportunity for all of us. There are over 1200 clubs in communities across the country. Consequently, women from all age groups have found pathways to pursue their passion for rowing.

Each year, at least once, I watch NINE. The story doesn’t get old. The women who stood tall in the face of exclusion; those brave and powerful women paved the way for the rest of us. While they may not have set out to leave a legacy, they have done so. For that, I am forever grateful.

Written by: Joshua Rafferty

Last summer, I had the privilege of attending the Black Student-Athlete Summit in Los Angeles, CA. At the conference, there were over 500 varsity student-athletes across all NCAA divisions. I had the honor of meeting the most talented, hard-working, smart, and kind people with whom I have ever interacted. As I met track runner after track runner, I began to wonder where the rowers were. There were probably five of us in total. I was the only person to represent men’s rowing, and the other few were women rowing in the NCAA. On the first day, I sat in a seminar that discussed athletes finding their identities after sports. Towards the end, we began to talk about the communities in our sports, and how relying on those can help us with our identities after our careers. This was when my hand shot up. I inquired about oftentimes being the only Black face at the boathouse and asked for ways I could try and connect with other Black rowers. Before any panelist could speak, a Loyola Marymount administrator, Bobby Thompson, asked everyone to pause for a moment. He then said, “Who here was surprised when they heard Josh did rowing as his sport?” Every person in the room raised their hand.

When sitting down to think about what I wanted to highlight this year for Black History Month, I knew I wanted it to be something impactful. Continuing from my article last year about Black rowers in the history of the sport, this year I want to talk about Black rowers in the future of the sport. In 2020, the death of George Floyd prompted conversations across the country and in the rowing community about diversity. However, women’s rowing is still the 4^th least diverse sport in the NCAA out of the 24 sports with sponsored championships. Collegiate rowing is the pinnacle of the sport for young men and women in the US, with the IRA and NCAA being some of the most competitive leagues in the world. Frankly though, since 2020, we haven’t seen much of an increase in the number of Black rowers competing at high levels despite the push for DEI in the sport. For that reason, I would like to focus on college recruiting of Black kids in this article.

I got my start in rowing when I first began college online in the fall of 2020. Before the start of classes, I got an email from the Loyola rowing coach looking for novice walk-ons. Growing up in the Princeton area, rowing is one of the largest youth sports. While I had a very good idea of the sport before attending Loyola, I was not recruited in the way many people think when it comes it becoming a varsity collegiate athlete. Because of this, I wanted to gain a full picture of what recruiting looks and feels like outside myself. I spoke to five current and former athletes and coaches with experience ranging from high school to the Olympics to hear their thoughts.

Corin Wiggins

Also known as TheBlackCoxwain to many of her followers, Corin is the varsity eight coxswain at Hobart College, an IRA school. Men’s varsity college programs compete at this level with schools like Yale, Drexel, Loyola, and roughly 60 other teams across all divisions of the NCAA. Corin’s rowing journey started in Atlanta when she joined a youth development program focusing on rowing training, rather than on-water practice. After moving to the Atlanta suburbs, Corin joined the Atlanta Junior Rowing Association. While rowing with her club, she was constantly pushed to take rowing to the next level and decided to try an Olympic Development Program. Despite having an all-white coaching staff at Atlanta Juniors, five out of six of her ODP coaches were Black with one of them as her future Hobart coach. Corin noted that most things were the same as her white teammates when it came to getting recruited as a Black athlete in the sport. However, a big part of her recruiting journey was her Instagram page, TheBlackCoxswain, along with some mentorship from Arshay Cooper. Corin’s page allowed her to share her narrative about being black in rowing while highlighting the accomplishments of other black athletes. Through this medium, she was able to get her name out and build a solid support system. Arshay helped her reach her goals by coaching her through the process of emailing coaches and finding the right words to say on the phone when they called.

Grace Prince 

To get more information on the world of NCAA rowing, I spoke with Loyola SAAC President, member of the Loyola Women’s Rowing Team, and my good friend, Grace Prince. Her rowing journey started outside of White Plains, NY as a freshman in high school while looking for a fall sport to gain fitness for the basketball season. Originally from the Midwest, Grace always viewed rowing as an “exclusive” sport, “One of those sports like hockey, fencing, or squash.” After observing a family friend, Gabrielle, at her rowing practice, Grace started taking lessons until her first high school basketball season started. In the spring, she joined a development squad, and that fall she joined the Pelham Community Rowing Association (PCRA) while still playing AAU basketball. “I was the basketball girl,” she said when describing her first season on the rowing team. She noted that the contrast between the Lululemon workout outfits on the water and her basketball shorts seemed to signify more than just style. Becoming a rower also came with a bit of imposter syndrome. Being mixed race, many of Grace’s Black family members didn’t know anything about the sport, with white members still only having loose knowledge. Additionally, Grace didn’t have any immediate people to whom she could turn for guidance in the sport of rowing. This was a luxury only afforded by her brothers who played football, the sport in which her dad made his living. All of this seemed to make her feel like an outsider at practice and home.

Grace fully committed to rowing when she realized her height would hold her back from reaching a high level in basketball. When it came time to choose a college team, Grace was looking for more than just speed. She wanted a team she knew she could fit into as a Black athlete. She would look at the rosters online, and if a school had none or too few girls of color, it was on to the next. She was also looking for teams with body diversity. Grace doesn’t stand as tall as other rowers and wanted a place where girls of different body types were still able to find success. She noted to me that she would much rather be on a team that is accepting of her, rather than prioritizing coming home with a gold medal every weekend. Some of Grace’s teammates at PCRA had continued to row at Loyola, which opened the idea for Grace. After meeting the Loyola coaching staff at the Independence Day Regatta in Philadelphia, she noticed that the coaches were interested in her as a person more so than her erg scores and race results. When George Floyd was killed, Coach Megan called Grace to ask how she felt and ways that she could be supported. “Coach Megan’s inclusivity was not just for show, but truly cared about each individual rower and the struggles they might be going through,” she said. For Grace, being seen as more than an erg score, height, and weight, paired with the consistent efforts made by Coach Megan to support her, were all signs that Loyola was the place where she could truly be herself as a Black athlete in rowing.

Devin Woodson

Devin Woodson rows for George Washington University in the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) for club teams. Devin got his start in rowing as an undergraduate at Louisiana State University. He was recruited in one of the school’s gyms and thought it was a cool way to stay fit. After his first practice, one of the guys told him to come back the next day, “and I just kept coming back until six years later” he said. Rowing at LSU was very different than his rowing experience now. In Louisiana, the 4+ was the biggest focus. The club rowed out of the parking lot at the lake and didn’t have a lot of athletes on the team. Devin told me that the team wasn’t looking to go to the ACRA National Championships, but mostly focused on local races and SIRAs. One day a movie studio came to film a movie on their lake. They needed rowers and Devin, alongside his teammates, was asked to help as an extra in the film. Devin was later asked to join the cast of the movie, where he was given a few lines as a supporting character. That movie was “Heart of Champions.” He was glad to have had the opportunity to represent the black community on screen in a movie about college rowing, something he never even thought was a possibility when he started in the sport. Going into 2022, Devin started at The George Washington University School of Law, joining the rowing team right away. This was a bit of a change of scenery from a parking lot next to a southern lake. Now, he was rowing for a performance club on the Potomac. This now meant a training plan for the ergs, more water time, and a higher level of competition between athletes on the team. Devin knew this would be the case joining a recently former IRA program. Through his hard work, Devin was able to climb his way to GW’s varsity eight last fall, where I first saw him from the bow of my boat at the starting lines of multiple head races. I’m glad I finally got to chat with him.

Aquil Abdullah

Aquil Abdullah was the first African American man on the US Olympic rowing team.  His rowing career started his senior year of high school after being a starting player on his high school football team. He originally played football because of his father, but rowing provided an opportunity to forge his path in athletics. One day while on the dock at Thompson Boat Center, he was approached by the George Washington University men’s coach, and went on to receive an offer to join the team. While on the team, Aquil was the only Black man. After college, Aquil trained at the club level and became the first African-American male to win at the US Rowing National Championships. He moved to Boston shortly after to step up his training, and it was there that he was invited to train with the US National Team. In 1999, he won silver in the single at the Pan American Games. A year later, despite much hype and anticipation, Aquil lost his race to make the Sydney Olympics by .3 seconds. He thought he was done rowing until Mike Teiti, the National Team coach at the time, told him the National Rowing Foundation wanted to support him on a Henley campaign that summer. He then went on to become the first African-American man to win the Diamond Challenge Sculls. “Winning that was sort of that sign that I was going to keep rowing for the next few years,” Aquil said. After competing in multiple World Championships, Aquil hopped in the double with Henry Nuzum and the two went on to punch their tickets to the Olympics. Aquil’s Olympic journey came together when he raced in the grand finale at the Olympics in 2004, finishing in 6^th place.

Patricia Destine

Patricia Destine is the co-host of the “Rowing in Color” podcast and a current coach for Row New York. Patricia started rowing for Row New York as a freshman in high school. Due to injury, she switched to coxing her last two years of grade school. It was around that time she started volunteer coaching for Row New York’s middle school program. Towards the tail end of her high school career, she knew she wanted to stop rowing in some capacity. “Building my life around it as an athlete was not for me,” she said. After high school, she was offered the middle school assistant job, which ended up reminding her why she loved the sport, and she took over full-time shortly after. Patricia mentioned that Row New York focuses on building well-rounded individuals and preparing kids to be student-athletes. The kids attend programming sessions on time management, emotional development, and tutoring. Kids in the program are from various racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, which reflects being in a big city like New York, in contrast to the dominant view of the sport as rich, white, and suburban. The contrast between the two rowing environments is precisely what prompted her and podcast co-host Denise Aquino, to start “Rowing in Color.” Too often, they would see athletes come back from rowing on college or club teams with horror stories of ignorance and racism from their boatmates, and even being kicked out of eating establishments when with their white teammates. “Rowing in Color” is a place for people to share their experiences in the sport without fear of being shut down or diminished. The podcast has gained popularity in the rowing world, consolidating the stories of Black people in the sport into a single channel for the community to tap into.

After hearing all of the interviewee’s stories, it was clear that there is no one singular path to collegiate rowing. However, with the future of the sport in mind, I asked them all one main question, intending to challenge the rowing community to think differently as to how we can diversify our sport at the higher levels: How can we get more Black kids into college boats? After asking the interviewees this question, I was able to determine three areas of improvement: 

What can colleges and universities do to bring in more Black rowers?

Grace began by posing some of the key questions athletes and administrators need to ask. For example, what steps have been taken as a department to make Black athletes feel more comfortable? Do you have Black representation in your Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS)? Are the only Black people in your department in basketball? At Loyola, one Black person is working in SASS, and unfortunately, the only Black head coaches of all 18 teams at Loyola are the basketball coaches, all with no Black administrators. While my experience in sports at Loyola has been overwhelmingly positive, the lack of diversity in athletics could highlight the extent to which a school may lift or undervalue its black athletes. Corin emphasized this point, adding that not having proper representation of Black people in an athletic department can make it hard for Black athletes to imagine themselves being celebrated, and building a community at the school. This advice to universities goes beyond rowing and can be used to diversify all varsity sports on campus.

At the club level, the important questions brought up by David were, “Are you advertising to the Black student union? Where are we physically located when doing our recruiting?” When trying to recruit more Black athletes, it’s important to figure out where to find them. The school gym is ideal for those who may work out regularly, but reaching out to the Black student organization on campus is an effective way to connect with those who may not be found at school fitness centers. In my experience at a PWI, a lot of Black students want to be involved in something but sometimes don’t know where to start, or are intimidated by the number of mostly white clubs that show up to the club fair. Establishing a relationship with your school’s Black student organization, allows clubs to directly reach Black students, rather than recruiting solely from the school gym or the club fair.

What can the rowing community do?

The work to bring more black people into the sport needs to be constant. When I was in elementary school I saw Trayvon die, when I was in middle school I saw Freddie Gray die, and when I finished high school, I watched George Floyd die. Each time I saw some sort of reckoning with race, and each time I saw the world outrage, but then forget until the next man that looked like me was dead. Our conversations must continue long after the protests are over. Aquil spoke on this idea, “I think that what is hard, is that the theatre is easy. To say ‘Yeah, we’re going to hire people, we’re going to make changes… and then it goes away. But it’s sort of like this thing of we are always Black. You have to keep working, it doesn’t change. It’s not one of those things where you make policy changes and then issues go away. It’s constant work, it’s people that are constantly thinking about how we can improve the lives of everyone.” For Aquil, growing the community to touch more people is of the utmost importance. He previously didn’t think that it was possible in the sport until he met Arshay Cooper, whose message of rowing as a community sport resonated strongly. Rowing communities like BLJ Community Rowing and Brick City Rowing are programs doing great work to reach athletes of all levels, races, and socioeconomic statuses in their respective cities. Looking to the future, Aquil wants our community to be more intentional about where it’s building the next boathouses. Build a boathouse in a city, make sure people have adequate access and establish performance programs for local high school students. As seen with Patricia from Row New York, introducing accessible rowing to a city will draw all sorts of people to the sport, and enrich countless lives. With the intentional formation of programming, we can serve the kids who want to go fast and push them to the levels of the sport not heavily populated with Black people. As a community, it’s up to us all to make sure that those doing equitable work are brought to the forefront of the sport as we look to attract new rowers.

Lastly, Patricia brought up a great point about the rowing world. Develop Black kids the same way you develop your other athletes. There is no need to “go easy” on the Black kid when pushing them. In my life experience, I've seen coaches soften up on Black athletes, fearing some sort of reaction to criticism. It’s important to remember that Black kids want to be treated like everyone else. Corin and Aquil emphasized the point to push them and hold them accountable the same as your white athletes, and you’ll find that they will generate speed just the same. Lastly, it’s important to remember that Black people are not a monolith. The stories you read today come from privileged individuals. When Grace brought up exclusive sports, I instantly thought of my eight-year hockey career, with squash being a sport I contemplated before lacing up skates. My sister also enjoyed a highly successful 12-year fencing career lasting through her college years. What was “exclusive” to Grace in the Midwest before moving to New York, was “normal” for me in Princeton. It is important that being Black doesn’t limit us from certain experiences, but informs our perception of the world - the same thing goes for being white.

What can the Black community do to push rowing as a sport?

To my Black people: None of this happens without parental involvement. Black parents are statistically more involved in their kid’s lives than any other racial group. For us as a community, parents must get into rowing as a sport to ensure our success. For the last century, sports like basketball, baseball, football, and track have seen young Black athletes show up in droves to participate. As the few sports in which we have been accepted, many of us have come to see these as “Black sports”. Realistically, all these sports had to be integrated, and in times when writing a piece like this could bring me harm. Rowing is no different. It's time for us as Black people to view rowing as something we can do if we want. My mom and dad were highly aware of the sport when I was growing up, and put in my mind that I could do it if I wanted. When I got to college and had the chance to walk on, I was more than confident in my abilities and prepared to step into the mostly white sport. That platform built by my mom and dad, was used to launch me into the most beautiful sport on earth. At the end of the day, rowing is just another sport we as Black people can do if we want. Keeping that in mind when looking for your son or daughter’s next sport, can go a long way in opening the world of possibilities for your child.

At the Black Student-Athlete Summit, I wasn’t surprised to see how many had raised their hands. After all, confused looks and raised eyebrows from white and Black people alike were common for me growing up playing lacrosse and ice hockey. However, when I saw everyone with their hands raised looking at me, I fully realized that I wasn’t just the odd man out in the locker room, but in this way, the black community. Bobby went on to explain to me that I need to accept that it may just be me for a while where I am and that the community I crave that exists in basketball or football may never exist in my time as an athlete or in life. It hurt but it’s true. A lot of us may be like Aquil and may go our entire careers without having another black teammate. It may not feel like it, but we are trailblazers, and we are changing the sport every day by showing up and pulling (or coxing) hard. I know the sport of rowing needs us as Black people, and I'm going to enjoy my journey helping to change it forever.

Blog feature image photo credit: Loyola University Maryland and Jenna Barret

Survivor Rowing Network (SRN) is excited to introduce rowing to more cancer survivors in 2024 and build on its success in 2023, their inaugural year. In honor of Valentine’s Day, SRN is launching their fundraising campaign, Seats for Survivors. Hausbauko stenbuch is proud to open the Seats for Survivors Pre-Order Store this month to support SRN's fundraiser. 10% of net sales from this pre-order store will be donated to the Seats for Survivors fundraiser.

Shop the Seats for Survivors Pre-Order Store

Rowing Cares launched SRN in June 2023, in celebration of their 30th anniversary. This growing network currently includes 18 rowing organizations with programs dedicated for cancer survivors. Their mission is to grow Survivor Rowing and put more cancer survivors into boats and on ergs. They do this by strengthening existing survivor rowing programs through collaboration & by enabling rowing organizations looking to form new programs.

Almost all SRN rowers were first introduced to our sport following their cancer diagnosis. Research shows that exercise is one of the greatest deterrents to recurrence. SRN is committed to introduce the benefits of rowing to as many cancer patients, previvors and survivors as possible. 

Join us in support of Survivor Rowing and please consider purchasing from the pre-order store or making a donation in honor or memory of, or to celebrate, a loved one, and help SRN grow!

Shop the Seats for Survivors Pre-Order Store

In September 2023, New Orleans Rowing Club (NORC) and Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) partnered to launch the Xavier Rowing Club (XRC) program, becoming only the second of its kind at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). The initiative is currently led by NORC members Elizabeth Manley, professor of history and chair of the History Department at Xavier, and Chloé Jobin, Xavier’s corporate and foundations coordinator. Over the past months, more than a dozen enthusiastic Xavier students with no previous rowing experience have learned the fundamentals of the sport on the waters of Bayou St. John and at the NORC indoor rowing facility under the guidance of NORC coaches. The team is eager to continue to train this season with a group of capable and eager novice rowers, and they hope to race in fours or eights in the spring.

We believe that this effort will contribute to creating a more diverse and inclusive rowing culture in New Orleans and nationally while also providing Xavier students with greater opportunity for personal growth, leadership development, and physical fitness." -Elizabeth Manley, XRC Coach and Team JL Ambassador

 

The program aims to advance the strategic plan of USRowing, raising awareness of the sport while building diversity, eliminating barriers, and upending presumptions and unjust realities in rowing. Elizabeth and Chloé have been working to collaborate with the spaces of diversity that currently exist in rowing, including Rowing in Color and A Most Beautiful Thing, detail the ways the sport is changing for the better, and encourage athletes that their presence has the power to move the sport toward a more diverse and inclusive community. Over the next several years, the partners hope to establish a fully self-sustaining club. In the interim, NORC will provide the necessary infrastructure and coaching support to power the program.

Xavier Rowing Club opened doors for me to embrace new experiences and ignited an unexpected passion within me. The camaraderie fostered by the coaches and friends I’ve encountered has been truly remarkable. The support and guidance from NORC have significantly enriched my journey. Their patient and knowledgeable coaches ensure I feel secure and calm on the water. Participating in a sport not commonly found in HBCUs fills me with a sense of being part of a movement, marking the start of an incredible journey." -Taylor Kentish, freshman at Xavier and member of XRC

In January, XULA, in partnership with NORC, and BLJ Community Rowing hosted the inaugural XRC season kickoff and community event. With over fifty attendees, the event showcased the newly formed XRC program and the dozen young women who have been building the program through the fall. Special guests included the founder of BLJ Rowing, the first African American owned and operated rowing organization in the country, Brannon Johnson; two-time Olympian David Banks; and Waco Rowing Center Head Coach Marqus Brown. XRC also welcomed members of the Xavier student body, administration, staff, and faculty, and were pleased to include Council Member Eugene Green and Hancock Whitney Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager Jacob Evans in the event. Several dozen Xavier students and community members learned to row and got out in boats on the bayou for the first time, and members of the NORC Juniors and Masters’ programs stepped in to assist with the lessons. 

Hausbauko stenbuch is excited to welcome XRC to the rowing community, and we are honored to extend our support, helping to champion diversity and inclusion in the rowing community. We are thrilled to sponsor the athletes with trou, custom racing tops, and custom visors so that they can rep their team proudly this spring racing season. We look forward to seeing these athletes grow as individuals and as a team!

For more information about the development of the historic Xavier Rowing program, please visit the Xavier University website. You can follow along on XRC's journey by following their Instagram.

Written By: Florian Carle

 

I have some rather niche passions.

The first one might not seem so niche to you, since you are currently reading “The Launch” a rowing blog made by a rowing gear company, but for many, it seems quite odd to have a wake up before 5 am to go sit on a tippy boat, narrower than your butt, to move backwards on a river…

My second passion is the Castanea dentata tree (I told you it was rather niche…), the American Chestnut tree! Well, my passion for this tree started in France, my home country where chestnuts and chestnut desserts are as ubiquitous in the Fall as pumpkin-spice is in the US. It was a shock when I moved to the US and chestnuts were nowhere to be found. I later learned that a blight accidently brought from oversea to the Bronx botanical garden in 1904 decimated the entire American Chestnut tree population in 50 years.

The American chestnut was a dominant tree in the east coast forests. Numbering nearly four billion, the tree was among the largest, tallest, and fastest-growing in these forests, ranging from Maine to Mississippi. Today, the American Chestnut is functionally extinct, with the blight killing the tree but leaving the root system intact, just for the tree to try to grow again, to be killed again as soon as it’s out of the ground. A living-dead tree! (or is it dead-living tree?)

A group of scientists and volunteers formed The American Chestnut Foundation in 1983, to develop a blight-resistant American chestnut tree via scientific research and breeding, and to restore the tree to its native Appalachian forests. I met TACF volunteers at a state fair in Connecticut and immediately got involved, first volunteering by planting chestnuts in TACF orchards, and quickly joined the board of director of the CT chapter, becoming their science and outreach coordinator. 

During Summer 2023, our Connecticut chapter had a brainstorming session about ways to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of TACF. Each chapter in the native range of the American Chestnut trees were planning activities and events, and it hit me. I will be spending every single of my weekends in October racing at regattas in the northeast, along the same native range! This was an obvious sign, my two passions needed to somehow merge for this celebration! What if my boat, which would be traveling from Boston to Philadelphia, sport the colour of Charlie Chestnut, the mascot of TACF educational youth program? After all, not unlike American chestnut trees, my rowing shell is tall, straight, and rot-resistant! (Well, mostly…)

 

With the help of Kathy McGuire, my designer-extraordinaire teammate at Great River Rowing, we started thinking about a design. Initially playing with ideas of tree branches with leaves and burs organically wrapping around the boat, we had to be clever with our application. During the Fall season, I trained six times a week. The vinyl needed to be able to survive the intense use of the boat, brackish water splashes from the Housatonic River during practice (personal note to my coach: this was only a precaution measure, I do not backsplash and I am ready to perjure myself about it), full washes with soap post-practice, winds on the highway during transport, and on top of that, be removable for the end of the season!  

We landed on a graphical pattern, with an alternating series of light and dark green American Chestnut tree leaves running the long of Filippi’s signature blue line turned brown for the occasion. The stern deck sported the 40^th anniversary logo, and Charlie Chestnut stood proudly on the bow deck, as the cutest ship figurehead ever created. For the final touch, the boat was temporally renamed Charlie Chestnut. Nightly, my coach Valérie Leinfelder would email the entire Great River Rowing team with Charlie Chestnut listed as one of the boats in the flotilla for the next day’s outing. Talk about some public outreach! One of my teammates even gifted me a jar of chestnut honey he noticed for the first time in the store after being introduced to Charlie Chestnut. Fun fact: consuming chestnut honey will drop 10s on your 2k.

It was exhilarating to race and be at regattas with chestnut leaves on the boats! This season, my team and I competed at Head of the Riverfront in Hartford CT, Head of the Charles in Boston MA, and Head of the Schuhcyllchuhylkill PA. I travelled with a lot of goodies from TACF handing over 40^th anniversary pins, stickers and Charlie Chestnut temporary tattoos. A lot of people stopped me to share they liked the colours of the boat. A race empire used his megaphone mid-race from his launch to congratulate me on the paint job (and I’m pretty sure he was distracted enough to not see me missing a buoy). One woman said “Oh TACF! I’ve heard of you, y’all did the documentary with Dolly Parton!”. Many other asked about the significance of Charlie Chestnut and gave me opportunities to share the work of TACF to bring back American Chestnut to its native range! And for the spectator too far on the bank of the river to see in detail the boat, my teammate screaming and cheering for Charlie Chestnut from the bridge as I raced underneath continued loudly loud outreach!

 

For the last three years, I have taken racing very seriously (you can learn more about my rowing background/training in a previous Launch post here). In the past, I had won a handful of bronze medals and ranked 17^th at Head of the Charles. For 2023, I set myself the goal to beat my previous times and places on podium. It was a lot of hard work; I ramped up intensity and frequencies of workouts, made sacrifices and cutting down on late-night social activities (I can’t. I have crew.) to be able to train at 5:30 am the next morning. Beyond all my expectations, 2023 has been an incredible success: I won 3 gold medals and ranked 9^th at Head of the Charles. While training was an essential key for this success, I think having Charlie Chestnut on my boat mentally forced me to push harder than I would have if he was not here. I believe I owe him my gold medals.

With all that free speed, maybe JL will make an American Chestnut design for their next collection!

 

Honoring the achievements of women in sports, their resilience, and the ongoing advocacy for equality.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day (February 7, 2024) is a special day all about giving props to women in sports, recognizing their grit, and pushing for equality. As we gear up to celebrate, we sat down with some of our Team JL Ambassadors to learn more about their journey in sports. Join us as we delve into their personal experiences, memorable moments that shaped their athletic journey, and the empowerment they've discovered through participation in sports. Get ready to be inspired by the strength, determination, and camaraderie these awesome women bring to the world of rowing and beyond! 

Hausbauko stenbuch: How did you first get involved in rowing, and what inspired you to pursue it as a sport?

Ruby: I first got involved in rowing through a girl who swam with my sisters. She had been swimming and needed a change, so she tried rowing and loved it, then she helped me fall in love with it too.

Phoebe: I walked on to the University of Portland women's rowing team my first semester of college because I was searching for a community similar to what I found playing soccer in high school. Two of my freshman year roommates happened to be on the rowing team at UP and they further encouraged me to try it out! I continued to row because I discovered what a beautiful sport it is and I love the structure that it brings to my life. 

Daphne: My mom rowed whale boats in Vallejo, CA when she was younger. This inspired me to approach the UC Davis Men's Rowing Coach holding massive oars at the new students orientation. He looked me over and said "you're too tall to cox for us, go chat with the Women's Team" and handed me a meeting flyer. I went to the presentation and was greeted by tall and powerful Amazons. That was all it took to inspire me to start rowing and I haven't looked back!

Jen: I started rowing in 1994 because I was starting to grow tired of age group swimming and wanted to try something new. I rowed for Edgewater High School in Orlando.

Hausbauko stenbuch: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement in your career as an athlete that has had a significant impact on you?

Ruby: When I first got into the sport, I was a coxswain, but I did all the erg workouts and such with the team. One day after a really tough workout, physically and mentally, my coach told me that it was supposed to be difficult and he knew I would struggle but I would go far in the sport. Even after we both left the program, his words still motivate me and push me to do the best I can. Just so I can make him proud, thank you so much Coach JD.

Phoebe: The moment that has had the most impact on me throughout my rowing career was being injured last year. Being injured and having to miss the end of the season made me realize that I often take being able to row and see my teammates every day for granted. When I was unable to participate I was reminded of why I love rowing and how much of a positive impact it has on my daily life. When I feel unmotivated or discouraged I remember how I felt when I wasn't able to row, and this helps me be positive and helps me stay motivated. 

Daphne: The rowing community is full of incredibly fierce individuals, all striving for the best. As a first year rower, I was a 'little' to the current fastest rower on the team. She was chasing a 2k erg time of the fastest rower before her. I didn't have rowing goals until then, but this catapulted me on a journey for sub-7. With each erg test I was getting better at the pacing and power application, and the times were dropping. I finally got my PR of 6:59.3 for my 2k and made the ACRA West All-Regional Team in 2018. These moments keep me striving towards improvement on my rowing journey to this day.

Jen: My most memorable moment of high school rowing was earning the bronze in the Junior 8+ at Nationals in 1995. I was still fairly new to rowing at this point but the excitement of what we were able to do was incredible, and to this day I still remember the last 250 meters of that race and what it felt like to push that hard and medal at a high level for a high schooler. 

Hausbauko stenbuch: As a female athlete, have you faced any unique challenges in the world of rowing or other sports? How did you overcome them?

Hausbauko stenbuch: Are there any specific role models in the world of rowing or sports in general who have inspired you in your athletic journey?

Ruby: A lot of people, especially fellow athletes have inspired me. My teammates get me through the hardest workouts and races, but also female athletes who share their stories and passions. People like Olympic runner Molly Seider, who have been brutally honest and kept going through the tough times. 

Jen: I have had a lot of great role models in my time rowing. I had the honor of rowing for Joe Tewkesbury at the University of Charleston which was a small but competitive team. We did quite well regionally but lacked the size and speed to perform well at the largest regattas. What Coach Joe gave to all of us though was a healthy collegiate rowing experience where we were valued as individuals and as student-athletes. He was such a great coach on the water, and off the water his jokes would help us begin and end our sessions with smiles on our faces. While some athletes who row four years in college burn out and count the days remaining, we didn't want our days with him to end. I value the care he showed as our coach and it means more to me than any medal ever could. I would not be rowing today if it wasn't for Coach Joe Tewkesbury.

Hausbauko stenbuch: In what ways do you think participating in sports has empowered you as an individual?

Phoebe: Participating in sports has empowered me through giving me confidence and a strong support system. Specifically in college, spending so much time with other strong, motivated, confident women has helped my own personality and confidence flourish. Being around like minded individuals, specifically women, who push me to be my best self every day is one of the most empowering and rewarding experiences that I have ever had. 

Daphne: Participating in sports has empowered me to lead and coordinate groups and programs in school and work, plan ahead and strategize to achieve various goals, and network. This all has rapidly improved my personal and professional trajectory.  

Hausbauko stenbuch: What advice do you have for young girls who are interested in pursuing rowing or any other sport?

Ruby: Try as many sports or activities as you can. It took me so many years to find rowing, which was the sport that fit just right. I did basketball, softball, track, and it just took some time. 

Phoebe: Jump in and embrace the challenge! Sports are, in my opinion, the best way to stay active, have fun, and make friends. Team sports teach you valuable lessons that you will take with you into the rest of your life, and connect you with people who you will have a lot in common with. Being a female in sports is extremely empowering and helps you build a healthy lifestyle, and it is something that I would highly, highly recommend!

Daphne: Try out everything! I've played soccer, softball, swimming, water polo, track & field, rugby, and rowing. It's fun to notice the similarities in strategy, proper muscle use, etc across various sports. Having a wide breadth of knowledge helps me enhance my cross-training for rowing.

Jen: The best advice I could give for anyone thinking about trying rowing or any sport, is to seek a healthy level of participation that nourishes your body and your spirit. Athletics can tremendously extend and enrich every part of your existence. It is about going fast and pushing yourself hard but there's that line where it can be damaging and not fun anymore. Take it right to the limit but remind yourself that you could do this for decades or for a few years and your choices can have a great impact on your longevity in sports. Having a healthy relationship with competition, training, our bodies, our teammates, and our coaches is paramount, and having fun is the whole point. Yes, you can be fast and have fun at the same time!

Hausbauko stenbuch: National Girls and Women in Sports Day is about celebrating the achievements of female athletes and inspiring girls and women to be active. How do you feel about being a female athlete and a role model for other girls interested in sports?

Ruby: It feels really good to be a role model to others in the sport. I love to think that I'm doing what others have done for me and inspire young women to continue their journey in rowing or even start it.

Phoebe: Being a female athlete surrounded by other dedicated, strong, female athletes every day brings me so much pride and fulfillment. I am very excited by the thought that I could be a role model for other girls interested in sports as sports have had an overwhelmingly positive impact on my life, and I would anticipate them having a similar impact on other girls who participate! 

In honor of American Heart Month – a time when the nation spotlights heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans – our limited edition apparel is available for pre-order. When we take care of our hearts as part of our self-care, we set an example for others. Join Hausbauko stenbuch and organizations around the country throughout February to bring greater attention to heart disease as a leading cause of death for Americans. Help motivate others to protect their hearts!

10% of net sales from this pre-order store will be donated to the American Heart Association. For nearly 100 years, the AHA has been fighting heart disease and stroke, striving to save and improve lives.

Shop American Heart Month Pre-Order Store

This pre-order store will close on February 15, 2024. All custom garments are made to order from scratch (custom pre-order store apparel is not pre-made and held in stock). Production time for performance gear is approximately 4-6 weeks plus delivery.

For sizing questions, please refer to our sizing charts linked below. Our sizing charts are recommended based on the garment's intended fit. The matrices do not account for a preferred fit. 

Hausbauko stenbuch Sizing Guide

Orders cannot be changed or canceled once the store closes. Our returns/exchanges policy can be viewed through the FAQ section linked HERE. 

Introducing Makayla, a sophomore on the Purdue Women's Rowing Team! Makayla is currently pursuing a degree in Creative and Professional Writing at Purdue, and she has been rowing since middle school. She loves rowing in a 4x and an 8+, and her favorite seat is 4 seat. Makayla recharges after practice with sunny side up eggs, and while she isn't at the boathouse, she loves spending time with her friends. We sat down with Makayla to delve into the world of collegiate rowing, and learn more about her experience with the sport she has grown to love!

Hausbauko stenbuch: What sports were you involved in growing up, and when did you start rowing?

Makayla: I did a few sports growing up, including soccer, skating, and fencing, but I never really stuck with them until I started rowing in 6th grade. I wasn’t consistent in middle school, but I started rowing consistently during my sophomore year of high school.

JL: Did you enjoy being a coxswain? What made you go back to being a rower?

Makayla: I enjoyed being a coxswain, but I like being a rower more. Before a race, I like to stop thinking and just listen, which is something that I can’t do as a coxswain. I also missed doing racing starts!

JL: What makes rowing a unique sport?

Makayla: The teamwork aspect. It really is a team sport, if one person in a boat is missing, that whole boat can’t go out to practice. If one person is out of time, everything falls apart. That aspect of having to be perfectly in sync is what makes rowing so different from other team sports.

JL: What role does teamwork and camaraderie play in rowing, and how do you foster a strong team bond with your fellow rowers?

Makayla: Teamwork plays a HUGE role in rowing, since the whole basis for the sport is to follow the person in front of you. During winter training at Purdue, the novice and varsity women’s teams practice together, and I think that is what fosters a team bond between us. Since we’re all working out at the same place and the same time, striving to get stronger for the spring season, we all get to know each other better and support each other’s goals.

JL: If you could give a high school rower a tip to prep for being a collegiate rower, what would it be?

Makayla: Listen to your body. It’s okay to have bad days where you don’t pull your best numbers, and when those days happen, look back on what went wrong. Are you not feeling well? Did you get enough sleep? Find what happened, and learn to avoid that to minimize the bad days. When one comes along, be easy on yourself. It prevents burnout!!

JL: How do you stay motivated during intense training sessions or challenging races?

Makayla: How I stay motivated during challenging races is to focus on my teammates in front and behind me. I think of how much we’ve trained to get to where we are now, and how these races are a chance to show how much stronger we’ve gotten throughout the season. That gives me the motivation to overcome those challenging moments.

JL: Are there any specific rituals or routines you follow before a race to mentally prepare yourself?

Makayla: I listen to my 2k playlist and drink water with Liquid IV in the hours leading up to the race, and I make sure to stretch!! I stretch everything multiple times to make sure I’m warm and ready for the row up and race back. Stretching helps me prevent injuries, and the Liquid IV water helps me feel ready to race, especially when it’s hot outside.

JL: Can you describe the feeling you get when you cross the finish line after a race?

Makayla: It’s hard to describe, and it varies with every race, but it’s a mix of being extremely tired, my whole body hurting, yet I feel good. It feels good to know I gave it everything I had, and that feeling is even better if my boat places in the top 3! No matter what kind of race it is, good or bad, I always look back on how I did, and what I should and should not replicate to get better results. 

JL: What is your favorite piece of apparel from your JL kit and why?

Makayla: My uni! It’s comfortable, I like the design, and it shows that I’m a Boilermaker. I’m proud to be rowing for Purdue!

The Boys in the Boat is a sports drama based on the #1 New York Times bestselling non-fiction book written by Daniel James Brown. The film, directed by George Clooney, is about the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. This inspirational true story follows a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world. The movie will open in theaters on December 25.

Watch The Boys in the Boat Movie Trailer

The cast of The Boys in the Boat had to learn how to row for the movie. They spent weeks learning to row, first at an indoor rowing tank, and then on the water. The cast also went through a lot of conditioning work in the gym.

"It was really important for us to get rowing right."

The film was shot in order, so by the time they were filming the race in Germany, the cast was rowing as a team. Check out a behind the scenes featurette of the cast learning to row! How many times can you spot JL gear in the video? We worked with the movie's wardrobe team to help outfit the actors in rowing apparel to train in for the movie.

Be sure to follow along on The Boys in the Boat Instagram!

Blog feature image credit: MGM Studios

Welcome to the Ultimate Rowers Gift Guide - your ticket to finding the most unique and functional presents for the rower, coach, or coxswain in your life! We've carefully curated a selection of top-notch gifts that cater to the rowing community. From sleek unisuits that'll have you rowing in style to performance tops that'll keep you cool under pressure, and a variety of accessories, trou, and outerwear, you'll find this year's most-wanted rowing gifts! Whether you're shopping for a friend, family member, coach, teammate, or yourself, we've got you covered. Let the holiday gifting begin!

1. A Unisuit

Unisuits are the preferred garment in the rowing world. Whether you are racing or practicing, a new unisuit is the perfect gift for the rower in your life!

Shop Men's Unisuits >

Shop Women's Unisuits >

2. Three Piece Pogie Set 

Rowers don't let rowers wear gloves. Pogies allow a bare-hand grip for maximum oar control while giving you the ultimate thermal protection in frigid conditions. The three piece set is ideal for sculling and sweeping on either side.

Shop Pogies >

3. Performance Top

Elevate their rowing experience with our selection of high-performance tops, designed for comfort and style, and packed with moisture-wicking tech. With a variety of styles to choose from, there is a performance top for everyone!

Shop Women's Tops >

Shop Men's Tops > 

4. Outerwear

Take on the elements by being properly dressed for those cold or rainy practices! These versatile layers make for the perfect gift for the rower, coach, or coxswain in your life. Invest in year-round comfort and make this holiday season cozy with these essential pices!

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5. Geographic Collection

If they love to travel, look no further than our Geographic Collection! Whether they are repping their hometown, or another city, state, or country, they are sure to love one of these unisuits or performance tanks.

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6. JL SHARK Gear

Shop HUDSON Collection >

7. Trou

Everyone can use a new pair of trou!  These essential training basics are a must-have for any rower, providing a comfortable and secure fit that keeps you focused on your strokes. Our trou feature double lining under the sit bones, ensuring lasting comfort even during the most intense rowing sessions.

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Shop Women's Trou >

For more gift ideas, check out our Gifts for Her, Gifts For Him, Stocking Stuffers, and Ultimate Rowing Gift Guide on JL Athletics!

The holiday season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate the spirit of giving than by finding the perfect gift for the rower, coxswain, or coach in your life? Whether she's a dedicated athlete, a coach, or someone just starting to explore the sport, nothing beats the excitement of new, top-notch performance gear. We've handpicked a selection of thoughtful and functional gifts and bundles for every budget. Each bundle is meticulously crafted to enhance comfort, style, and performance on the water or erg. Gift individual products or the entire bundle for a holiday gift she is sure to love!

Roll out the purple carpet because the first bundle in our holiday extravaganza is perfect for anyone who loves purple! Row in style with a violet sports brand and trou or our new Waterbend Amethyst Unisuit, either of which will keep you comfortable during a practice on the water or erg. Stay cozy yet chic in our Steel Blue Scallop Jacket - perfect for those chilly mornings on the water and around the boathouse. Top it off with a black visor to keep the sun and sweat out of your eyes. Rowing in chilly weather? Switch out the visor for our cute, new ear warmer! 

Does she love the color blue? The possibilities are endless with our second bundle that features vibrant blues and classic navy. We all love a good unisuit, and what better uni to gift than one of our brand new unisuits, just dropped this fall? Layer with our new Loose-Fit Performance Shirt and Hibiscus Navy Tech Hat for some extra protection from the sun. Need more warmth? Add on our hi-viz blue splash jacket for the perfect rowing outfit! If she says she already has too many unis (but really, can you ever have too many?), no problem! Pair the Arizona Blue quarter zip with some classic navy leggings or trou. 

Is she in her Barbie era? We've got you covered! This bundle is all about PINK! Unleash your inner rowing Barbie with some of our best selling pink rowing gear. Start out with our Malibu Sports Bra, and our Ink Spill Ringer Trou for a solid set. Layer on our Hi-Viz Pink Scallop Jacket to ensure you stand out from the crowd and stay visible, along with our new Black/Hi-Viz Pink Turtleshell for extra warmth. Top it all off with a cute beanie and pogies!

Ignite your rowing passion with our new Phoenix Collection! Featuring a black base with hues of reds, oranges, yellows, and dark purples, this collection works perfectly with classic black gear. Start off with the Phoenix unisuit or trou on bottom for a pop of color. Throw on the black scallop jacket or black quarter zip for a matching top, and then layer the Phoenix vest over for another burst of fall colors. Don't forget to cozy up with our Speed Stripe Joggers for before and after chilly practices.

Row bold, row bright! Is she a stand out rower? Light up the waters with high visibility gear! With styles for hot and cold weather, our hi-viz collection is extremely versatile. Rowing through the winter? Layer up with our popular Hi-Viz Quarter Zip, Sequel Jacket, and beanie! Not too cold where she rows? The Loose-Fit Hi-Viz Shirt, Electron Unisuit, and Hi-Viz Performance Tanks are for her! Be safe & be seen on the water with bright colors.

For more gift ideas, check out our Gifts for Her, Gifts For Him, Stocking Stuffers, and Ultimate Rowing Gift Guide on JL Athletics!

'Tis the season of giving, and what better way to embrace the festive spirit than by finding the perfect present for the rower, coxswain, or coach in your life? Whether they're a seasoned athlete, your favorite coach, or a novice rower, there's nothing quite like the thrill of brand-new, high-quality performance gear. We've curated a thoughtful selection of gifts and bundles to suit every budget. Shop individual items or complete bundles for a gift that is sure to be loved! 

Does he love the classics? There is nothing more classic than navy rowing kit. With our new Navy Blade Collection, we've added a unique oar design. Start with our Navy Blade tech shirt or performance tank, and then layer with the comfy fleece performance hoodie. Pair it with our classic drywick ringer trou. Does he row in the rain or cold? Set him up for success with a navy splash jacket, and top it off with our Navy Oars Beanie!

Make sure he is protected on the water with our next bundle that was crafted with visibility in mind. Hi-viz gear helps with visibility on the water, which enhances safety. Pair our hi-viz zip tech with either the Northern Lights Trou, or our new drywick tights with a hi-viz insert. If he's more of a unisuit guy, go for the Hi-Viz Electron Unisuit to help him stand out on the water! Get him the newest addition to our sequel jacket collection: the Unisex Classic Sequel Splash Jacket Carbon/Hi-Viz. Don't forget the accessories - add in a hi-viz visor or pogies to finish off the outfit!

For a sleek, bold look, check out our Method Collection! The dark green base and energetic orange accents make for a powerful statement both on and off the water. Pair the long sleeve tech shirt with the trou or tights, or start off with the unisuit. Add on our brand new hunter green quarter zip for a versatile layering piece that can be worn both on and off the water. Stay dry with our Method Splash Jacket, designed to keep you warm and dry on the water. 

Does he just LOVE rowing? This bundle is for him! Choose an individual gift or the whole bundle for a gift for every budget. Embrace the rowing lifestyle with our new Head Race Unisuit. Stay warm and visible in our Black Quarter Zip, featuring reflective blades on the back for safety and a unique design. Add some extra warmth with the SoCal Turtleshell, which keeps your arms free from distraction. Whether you're warming up or winding down, the Agility Joggers are perfect for staying comfy and cozy. Top off your look with our new Sit Ready Trucker Hat, and carry your love of rowing wherever you go with our new crossed oars backpack! 

Is he a fierce competitor? Gift him our new Phoenix Collection, which embodies strength, resilience, and endurance. The unisuit, tights, turtleshell vest, and sequel splash jacket all have a classic black base and feature pops of reds, purples, oranges, and yellows. Complete the look with our red casual hat for a fun accessory he can use both on and off the water. 

For more gift ideas, check out our Gifts for Her, Gifts For Him, Stocking Stuffers, and Ultimate Rowing Gift Guide on JL Athletics!

As the holidays approach, finding the perfect stocking stuffers for the rower in your life doesn't have to break the bank. Whether you're shopping for an elite level athlete or simply seeking delightful gifts for the novice rower, our curated list is here to make your festive season merrier. Explore affordable and thoughtful presents, all under €40, that are perfect for the rower, coxswain, or coach in your life. From cozy beanies to comfy seat pads and stylish t-shirts to fun stickers, this guide is a fun selection of budget-friendly ideas that will make this holiday season unforgettable!

1. Pogies

Rowers don't let rowers wear gloves. Pogies allow a bare-hand grip for maximum oar control while giving you the ultimate thermal protection in frigid conditions. The three piece set is ideal for sculling and sweeping on either side.

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2. A Performance Tank

Our performance tanks are built with a comfortable fit that allows for maximum range of motion. It's made with moisture-wicking mesh, which allows for great breathability. Our performance tanks can be worn during workouts on and off the water which makes them a great training item. 

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3. A Rowing Tee

Gift a unique rowing tee that the rower in your life will be sure to love! Our t-shirts feature rowing designs and details so you can rep rowing both on and off the water. 

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4. A Hat, Visor, or Beanie

Headwear is essential in protecting your head from the elements. Depending on the season, our tech hats, visors, beanies, and casual hats make the perfect gift for the rower, coxswain, or coach in your life!

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5. Stickers

 The perfect small gift for rowers - decorate your water bottle, laptop, and more with unique rowing designs.

Shop Rowing Stickers > 

6. Trou

 When you train every day, you need gear you can count on. Our trou provide a comfortable, locked-in fit during your row with double lining under the sit bones for lasting comfort. Our basic black and navy trou are available in drywick or compression wick, unisex or women's, and some styles are available in short cut and original length.

Unisex Drywick Trou Black	Unisex Short Cut Collegiate Compression Wick Trou	Unisex Compression Wick Trou Navy
Women's Drywick Trou Original Length Black	Women's Drywick Banded Trou	Women's Drywick Trou Short Cut Navy

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For more gift ideas, check out our Gifts for Her, Gifts For Him, Stocking Stuffers, and Ultimate Rowing Gift Guide on JL Athletics!