2020 Windermere Cup Welcomes British Women, Dutch Men
February 06, 2020 | Men's Rowing, Women's Rowing
SEATTLE - Washington Rowing, along with Windermere Real Estate, welcomes the Netherland men's and Great Britain women's national teams to the 34rd annual Windermere Cup, scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2020.
The annual spring rowing event on the Montlake Cut is held in conjunction with the Seattle Yacht Club's Opening Day parade, which signals the beginning of boating season in Seattle. The entire event is a joint effort between Washington Rowing, the Seattle Yacht Club and Windermere Real Estate, with Windermere serving as the title sponsor of the main racing event.
"We hope everyone will join us on May 2 for Windermere Cup and Opening Day, which has grown into one of the largest free community events in Seattle," said OB Jacobi, President of Windermere Real Estate. "With thousands of competitors and spectators coming together at such a spectacular venue, it's a celebration unlike anything else."
The Dutch men's team will be making its second-ever appearance in the Windermere Cup. In 1994, in the eighth year of the event, the Netherlands finished second to Washington, and ahead of Stanford. The British team will compete in the women's race for the fourth time. A British women's eight won the 1998 Windermere Cup against a UW boat that went on to win the NCAA title. The Brits also competed in the 2002 and 2014 races, finishing third and second, respectively.
The UW and Windermere Real Estate have hosted more than 15 nations over the 33-year history of the regatta.
Both the Netherlands and Great Britain represent two of the elite nations in terms of rowing success in recent years. The Dutch won the bronze medal in the men's eight at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, while the Great Britain women's eight won the silver medal. Both have already qualified their respective eights for the for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Last summer at the World Rowing Championships, the Netherlands men's eight, which included Huskies Bram Schwarz and Simon van Dorp, took the silver medal, while UW junior Gert-Jan van Doorn won bronze in the Dutch eight at Under-23 Worlds.
"We have a strong relationship with the Dutch National Team," UW men's coach Michael Callahan explained. "We are excited to have the U-23 team here on the Montlake Cut
"Gert-Jan van Doorn is a member of the Dutch U-23 team that won a bronze medal last year's U-23 World Championships, so he'll be racing for the Huskies against his home country," Callahan continued. "Also, Simon van Dorp is taking this year off from school to prepare for the Olympic Games."
At last year's World Championships, the Great Britain women's eight earned a berth in Tokyo with a fifth-place finish. UW alumna Fiona Gammond rowed in the bow seat for that crew. At the Under-23 Worlds, a British eight that included current Washington sophomore Holly Dunford in the four seat, earned silver. UW's roster also includes British freshmen Angharad Broughton and Abby Adebiyi.
"One of the highlights of our student-athletes' careers is to get to go to the Henley Royal Regatta," fourth-year head coach Yasmin Farooq said. "To have the Great Britain under-23 team come to Seattle to experience our spectacle is terrific. They're really excited about it."
The Washington women head into the 2020 season as the defending NCAA Champions, having swept the 2019 national championship regatta's three grand finals to win the UW's second NCAA crown in the last three seasons.
The Husky men have won seven of the last 12 Intercollegiate Rowing Association varsity eight national titles, while also winning the Ten Eyck 12 of the last 13 years.
Washington's women open the 2020 season against USC at Lake Las Vegas on Feb. 29-March 1, while both teams will host the 119th Class Day Regatta on March 21, the traditional opening of the Husky rowing season each year.
Windermere Cup History & Information
The Windermere Cup got its start 33 years ago, in 1987, when Windermere Real Estate founder, John Jacobi, joined up with the University of Washington to create the annual rowing event. They wanted to bring the best team in the world to Seattle's Montlake Cut, which at the time was the Soviet Union. That occasion marked one of the few athletic competitions for the Soviets inside the U.S. in 25 years, since relations were strained during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet Union brought both its men's and women's crews and won both races in convincing fashion. After that, the precedent was set for what has become one of the world's premier rowing events, and certainly a staple of Seattle's rowing community.
Washington's men have won the Windermere Cup 25 times in 33 seasons, while the UW women have won 24 out of 33.
This year's event marks the 50th running of the Opening Day regatta, which has included the Windermere Cup for the last 33 years. The 2020 event will include a number of events during the week leading up to race day. The Seattle Yacht Club's Opening Day parade through the Montlake Cut will immediately follow the racing. Further details will be announced at a later date. For more information visit windermerecup.com.
The annual spring rowing event on the Montlake Cut is held in conjunction with the Seattle Yacht Club's Opening Day parade, which signals the beginning of boating season in Seattle. The entire event is a joint effort between Washington Rowing, the Seattle Yacht Club and Windermere Real Estate, with Windermere serving as the title sponsor of the main racing event.
"We hope everyone will join us on May 2 for Windermere Cup and Opening Day, which has grown into one of the largest free community events in Seattle," said OB Jacobi, President of Windermere Real Estate. "With thousands of competitors and spectators coming together at such a spectacular venue, it's a celebration unlike anything else."
The Dutch men's team will be making its second-ever appearance in the Windermere Cup. In 1994, in the eighth year of the event, the Netherlands finished second to Washington, and ahead of Stanford. The British team will compete in the women's race for the fourth time. A British women's eight won the 1998 Windermere Cup against a UW boat that went on to win the NCAA title. The Brits also competed in the 2002 and 2014 races, finishing third and second, respectively.
The UW and Windermere Real Estate have hosted more than 15 nations over the 33-year history of the regatta.
Both the Netherlands and Great Britain represent two of the elite nations in terms of rowing success in recent years. The Dutch won the bronze medal in the men's eight at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, while the Great Britain women's eight won the silver medal. Both have already qualified their respective eights for the for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Last summer at the World Rowing Championships, the Netherlands men's eight, which included Huskies Bram Schwarz and Simon van Dorp, took the silver medal, while UW junior Gert-Jan van Doorn won bronze in the Dutch eight at Under-23 Worlds.
"We have a strong relationship with the Dutch National Team," UW men's coach Michael Callahan explained. "We are excited to have the U-23 team here on the Montlake Cut
"Gert-Jan van Doorn is a member of the Dutch U-23 team that won a bronze medal last year's U-23 World Championships, so he'll be racing for the Huskies against his home country," Callahan continued. "Also, Simon van Dorp is taking this year off from school to prepare for the Olympic Games."
At last year's World Championships, the Great Britain women's eight earned a berth in Tokyo with a fifth-place finish. UW alumna Fiona Gammond rowed in the bow seat for that crew. At the Under-23 Worlds, a British eight that included current Washington sophomore Holly Dunford in the four seat, earned silver. UW's roster also includes British freshmen Angharad Broughton and Abby Adebiyi.
"One of the highlights of our student-athletes' careers is to get to go to the Henley Royal Regatta," fourth-year head coach Yasmin Farooq said. "To have the Great Britain under-23 team come to Seattle to experience our spectacle is terrific. They're really excited about it."
The Washington women head into the 2020 season as the defending NCAA Champions, having swept the 2019 national championship regatta's three grand finals to win the UW's second NCAA crown in the last three seasons.
The Husky men have won seven of the last 12 Intercollegiate Rowing Association varsity eight national titles, while also winning the Ten Eyck 12 of the last 13 years.
Washington's women open the 2020 season against USC at Lake Las Vegas on Feb. 29-March 1, while both teams will host the 119th Class Day Regatta on March 21, the traditional opening of the Husky rowing season each year.
Windermere Cup History & Information
The Windermere Cup got its start 33 years ago, in 1987, when Windermere Real Estate founder, John Jacobi, joined up with the University of Washington to create the annual rowing event. They wanted to bring the best team in the world to Seattle's Montlake Cut, which at the time was the Soviet Union. That occasion marked one of the few athletic competitions for the Soviets inside the U.S. in 25 years, since relations were strained during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The Soviet Union brought both its men's and women's crews and won both races in convincing fashion. After that, the precedent was set for what has become one of the world's premier rowing events, and certainly a staple of Seattle's rowing community.
Washington's men have won the Windermere Cup 25 times in 33 seasons, while the UW women have won 24 out of 33.
This year's event marks the 50th running of the Opening Day regatta, which has included the Windermere Cup for the last 33 years. The 2020 event will include a number of events during the week leading up to race day. The Seattle Yacht Club's Opening Day parade through the Montlake Cut will immediately follow the racing. Further details will be announced at a later date. For more information visit windermerecup.com.
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