Washington sweeps Windermere Cup in front of big crowd on Montlake Cut

There was good reason why Washington rowers were wearing big smiles Saturday on the Montlake Cut.

First, the weather did not rain on their parade, with the predicted rain staying away. Then the Husky crews swept the Windermere Cup titles on the opening day of boating season.

Huge crowds lined the Cut as the Washington men and women responded to echoing cheers with impressive victories.

The Washington men took an early lead and never relinquished it, leading by open water after the first 1,000 meters.

The Huskies’ advantage kept expanding from there, with UW finishing in a time of 5 minutes, 45.830 seconds. Italy was second at 5:55.041 and Wisconsin third at 6:00.351.

The Washington women also controlled their Windermere Cup but were pushed by the Italian team to the end.

The Huskies finished in 6:32.310. Italy was second at 6:37.903, followed by Wisconsin in third at 6:50.503.

For Washington senior rowers such as Max Heid from Seattle and Angharad Broughton from Wales, who were competing for the final time on the Cut, it meant even more.

“We spoke about it beforehand and it was an emotional experience,” said Broughton, who was in the No. 7 seat. “Especially the rowing back up [to the shellhouse] after the race. I just tried to take it all in, and I was very emotional.”

Heid has been going to the Windemere Cup since he was a little boy and his experiences watching the event made him want to row for the Huskies. He was in the stroke position Saturday.

Heid, too, said it was an emotional experience. He knew with the movie “The Boys in the Boat” coming out late last year, that the Windermere Cup would be even a bigger deal than it usually is.

“We knew it was going to be a year that a lot of eyes were on us,” Heid said. “We knew a lot of people who may not know a lot about the sport were going to come out this year and see it for the first time. So it was really important to us to show Seattle that the boys were winning back in 1936, and they’re still keeping that legacy alive today.”

Washington men’s coach Michael Callahan, who said it was one of the biggest crowds he has seen at the event, said his top boat has now strung together two excellent performances after defeating rival California last month.

“The guys were really pleased internally how they rowed,” Callahan said. “I thought they rowed with a lot of power and length in the water. And then I thought they handled the conditions really well. … I was really pleased with how they raced from start to finish.”

UW women’s coach Yaz Farooq was just as happy with her team, saying it took another step forward.

This year’s Windermere Cup had special meaning to her, because her alma mater, Wisconsin, was in the race. Once she experienced the Windermere Cup for the first time as Washington’s coach in 2017, it has been a dream of hers to have Wisconsin in the race.

“I thought, ‘Wow, I wish that when I was in college, I would have had this experience,'” Farooq said. “The bond for me personally between Wisconsin and Washington women is deep. I just felt like it would be an incredible experience for [the Badgers]. So for this generation at my alma mater to get to come to the Windermere Cup and experience the racing and the spectacle that it is, it was a dream come true.”

Notes

In the women’s collegiate open eight, Western Washington rolled to a victory over crews from Gonzaga, Washington and Seattle Pacific. Western Washington’s winning time of 7:03.722 was 4 1/2 seconds faster than second-place Gonzaga.

Western Washington is ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II.

• In the women’s Cascade Cup, Washington’s second varsity eight defeated Wisconsin’s second eight. UW’s third varsity eight was third and Seattle University finished fourth.
• In the men’s Cascade Cup, Washington’s second varsity eight defeated Wisconsin by more than 14 seconds.
• The 1984 U.S. women’s eight that won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles was honored between the women’s and men’s Windermere Cups. On hand Saturday were three members who were Huskies: coxswain Betsy Beard and rowers Kristi Norelius and Shiryl O’Steen.