Friday, May 2
Seattle, Wash.
8:00 PM
University of Washington
vs
Twilight Sprints
39th Annual Windermere Cup Welcomes New Zealand & Indiana
April 28, 2025 | Men's Rowing, Women's Rowing
SEATTLE – Washington Rowing, along with Windermere Real Estate, welcomes men's and women's crews from the New Zealand National Team and the Indiana University for the 39th annual Windermere Cup, this Saturday, May 3, 2025.
New Zealand is sending men's and women's crews to compete in the Windermere Cup races, while Indiana's women's program will compete in the women's Windermere and Cascade (second varsity eights) Cups, as well as the varsity four and second varsity four events.
The Windermere Cup / Opening Day collegiate races will all air on live video on Big Ten Plus and on Overnght.com. U.S. viewers may watch on either, but those outside of the United States must watch on Overnght.com.
The Kiwis will be racing in the men's Windermere Cup for the fourth time, while the women will be making their third appearance in the event. Most recently, the New Zealand men won the Cup in 2015. Eight of the nine members of that Kiwi crew ended up competing in the 2020 and/or 2024 Olympics, with four of them earning medals.
The New Zealand men also finished second in the 1999 Windermere Cup, and were third, behind first-place Italy and runner-up Washington, in 1989, the third year of the regatta.
The Kiwi women also traveled to Montlake Cut for the 1999 and 1989 Windermere Cups, finishing third in 1999 and winning the 1989 race, over UW and California.
"All of us at Windermere are extremely proud to have partnered with the University of Washington and the Seattle Yacht Club for the past 39 years on this premier rowing event," said OB Jacobi, president of Windermere Real Estate. "We invite everyone to come down to the Montlake Cut to watch the races and enjoy what has grown into one of the largest free community events in Seattle."
Here is a schedule of races for the day, including masters, juniors and collegiate races:
10:15 a.m. – Men's Masters 8+ 30+
10:17 a.m. – Men's Masters 8+ 40+
10:19 a.m. – Men's Masters 8+ 50+
10:21 a.m. – Men's Masters 8+ 60+
10:23 a.m. – Women's Masters 8+ 30+
10:25 a.m. – Women's Masters 8+ 40+
10:27 a.m. – Women's Masters 8+ 50+
10:29 a.m. – Women's Masters 8+ 60+
10:32 a.m. – Men's Junior 4x+ George Corkley Jr. Cup
10:35 a.m. – Women's Junior 4x+ Dewitt Whitman Cup
10:38 a.m. – Women's Junior 4+ Colin Sykes Cup
10:41 a.m. – Men's Junior 4+ Sara Nevin Cup
10:44 a.m. – Women's Junior 8+ Eleanor McElvaine Cup
10:47 a.m. – Men's Junior 8+ Fred Honebein Cup
10:50 a.m. – Men's Collegiate Open 4+
10:52 a.m. – Women's Collegiate Fourth Varsity 8+
10:55 a.m. – Women's Collegiate Third Varsity 8+
10:58 a.m. – Women's Collegiate 2V4+
11:00 a.m. – Women's Collegiate V4+
11:05 a.m. – Men's Collegiate Freshman/Third Varsity 8+
11:10 a.m. – Men's Cascade Cup (2V8+)
11:20 a.m. – Women's Cascade Cup (2V8+)
11:30 a.m. – Men's Windermere Cup (V8+)
11:45 a.m. – Women's Windermere Cup (V8+)
New Zealand rowing has a long tradition of international success dating back more than a century, but in recent years, the Kiwis have emerged as one of the top nations in the world in both men's and women's rowing.
At the 2024 Olympic Games, New Zealand crews won four medals, including a silver in the men's four, with current Husky junior Logan Ullrich manning the two seat. New Zealand also won the bronze in the women's four in 2024, with UW alumna Phoebe Spoors in that crew.
At the 2020 Olympics, New Zealand totaled five medals in rowing, more than any other nation, including gold in the men's eight, women's single and women's pair.
The Indiana women's rowing program was founded in 1999-2000, the fourth year that the NCAA sponsored women's rowing, and has grown into a strong program. The Hoosiers have earned berths to the NCAA Championships in eight of the last 10 seasons, finishing 15th in the nation last spring. They're also a member of the UW women's team's new conference, the Big Ten, and their roster includes three Kiwis.
Washington's current women's roster includes four athletes from New Zealand: Olivia Hay, Zola Kemp, Shakira Mirfin and Madeleine Parker. Three -time All-American and 2019 Pac-12 Women's Rower of the Year Ella Cossill is a New Zealand native, as are Spoors and her sister Grace Spoors (both varsity rowers), as well as Kirstyn Goodger, a two-time Olympian. Cossill will be a member of the crew that will race vs. the Huskies this Saturday.
The current Husky men's roster boasts seven Kiwis: Harry Fitzpatrick, Kieran Joyce, Marley Kingsmith, Oliver Leach, Will Milne, Ben Shortt, and Ullrich.
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 events.
Additionally, Windermere, UW and the SYC will host a number of events to provide a full week of activity for the Husky rowers and visiting athletes alike.
On the Friday night before the Opening Day Regatta, all of the Windermere Cup crews will race in the annual Twilight Sprints, a race from the traditional Montlake Cut finish line to the eastern end of the Montlake Cut.
WINDERMERE CUP HISTORY & INFORMATION
The Windermere Cup got its start 38 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 28 times in 37 attempts, while the UW women have won 27 out of 37.
This year's event marks the 54th running of the Opening Day regatta, which has included the Windermere Cup for the last 38 years. The 2025 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 www.windermerecup.com.
WINDERMERE PARTY AT THE CUT: Boats, Bites, Brews, and Bands
Kick off Windermere Cup weekend at the fourth annual Party on the Cut and enjoy Boats, Bites, Brews, and Bands!
Who: Open to the public, 21+
What: Enjoy live music, food trucks, drinks, games, and fun!
When: Friday, May 2, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: NE Corner of Montlake Cut, near the UW Waterfront Activity Center and ASUW Shellhouse
Tickets: $35 per person. Purchase at this link.
TWILIGHT SPRINTS
For just the fifth time, UW Rowing will host "Twilight Sprints" the evening before the Windermere Cup/Opening Day Regatta. The boats that will race the following morning in the two Windermere Cup races will compete in a sprint from the traditional Montlake Cut finish line and travel approximately 600 meters from west to east down the course, finishing right in front of the old ASUW Shellhouse at the east end, where the annual "Party at the Cut" will be in full swing.
Race times are 8:10 p.m. (men) and 8:25 p.m. (women). The sprints will air live on the UW Athletics YouTube page.
MEDIA CUP
On Tuesday, April 29, at 10:30 a.m. Seattle's local television will battle it out along the Montlake cut for the seventh annual Windermere Cup - Media Cup crew races. The field consists of teams from KOMO TV, KING TV, KIRO TV and Q13 TV. The winning team receives a $2,000 donation from Windermere Real Estate to go to their non-profit organization of choice.
WHERE TO WATCH THE RACE
Saturday's races begin at 10:15 a.m. Paid parking is available at the University of Washington. Fans are invited and encouraged to watch the races, free of charge, along the Montlake Cut. For more information, maps, and parking visit http://windermerecup.withwre.com/directions-parking/
AWARDS CEREMONIES
Award ceremonies will take place following the conclusion of Windermere Cup races AT THE FINISH LINE(i.e., not at the Shellhouse) on the north side of the Cut, for the Windermere and Cascade Cups. The award ceremony for Masters, Collegiate, and Junior's races will take place on the same stage at 1:30 p.m. PT.
Results of the races are posted, in real time, at HereNow.com. You can also follow via Facebook, Instagram,and on X/Twitter at @UW_Rowing and @WindermereCup.
New Zealand is sending men's and women's crews to compete in the Windermere Cup races, while Indiana's women's program will compete in the women's Windermere and Cascade (second varsity eights) Cups, as well as the varsity four and second varsity four events.
The Windermere Cup / Opening Day collegiate races will all air on live video on Big Ten Plus and on Overnght.com. U.S. viewers may watch on either, but those outside of the United States must watch on Overnght.com.
The Kiwis will be racing in the men's Windermere Cup for the fourth time, while the women will be making their third appearance in the event. Most recently, the New Zealand men won the Cup in 2015. Eight of the nine members of that Kiwi crew ended up competing in the 2020 and/or 2024 Olympics, with four of them earning medals.
The New Zealand men also finished second in the 1999 Windermere Cup, and were third, behind first-place Italy and runner-up Washington, in 1989, the third year of the regatta.
The Kiwi women also traveled to Montlake Cut for the 1999 and 1989 Windermere Cups, finishing third in 1999 and winning the 1989 race, over UW and California.
"All of us at Windermere are extremely proud to have partnered with the University of Washington and the Seattle Yacht Club for the past 39 years on this premier rowing event," said OB Jacobi, president of Windermere Real Estate. "We invite everyone to come down to the Montlake Cut to watch the races and enjoy what has grown into one of the largest free community events in Seattle."
Here is a schedule of races for the day, including masters, juniors and collegiate races:
10:15 a.m. – Men's Masters 8+ 30+
10:17 a.m. – Men's Masters 8+ 40+
10:19 a.m. – Men's Masters 8+ 50+
10:21 a.m. – Men's Masters 8+ 60+
10:23 a.m. – Women's Masters 8+ 30+
10:25 a.m. – Women's Masters 8+ 40+
10:27 a.m. – Women's Masters 8+ 50+
10:29 a.m. – Women's Masters 8+ 60+
10:32 a.m. – Men's Junior 4x+ George Corkley Jr. Cup
10:35 a.m. – Women's Junior 4x+ Dewitt Whitman Cup
10:38 a.m. – Women's Junior 4+ Colin Sykes Cup
10:41 a.m. – Men's Junior 4+ Sara Nevin Cup
10:44 a.m. – Women's Junior 8+ Eleanor McElvaine Cup
10:47 a.m. – Men's Junior 8+ Fred Honebein Cup
10:50 a.m. – Men's Collegiate Open 4+
10:52 a.m. – Women's Collegiate Fourth Varsity 8+
10:55 a.m. – Women's Collegiate Third Varsity 8+
10:58 a.m. – Women's Collegiate 2V4+
11:00 a.m. – Women's Collegiate V4+
11:05 a.m. – Men's Collegiate Freshman/Third Varsity 8+
11:10 a.m. – Men's Cascade Cup (2V8+)
11:20 a.m. – Women's Cascade Cup (2V8+)
11:30 a.m. – Men's Windermere Cup (V8+)
11:45 a.m. – Women's Windermere Cup (V8+)
New Zealand rowing has a long tradition of international success dating back more than a century, but in recent years, the Kiwis have emerged as one of the top nations in the world in both men's and women's rowing.
At the 2024 Olympic Games, New Zealand crews won four medals, including a silver in the men's four, with current Husky junior Logan Ullrich manning the two seat. New Zealand also won the bronze in the women's four in 2024, with UW alumna Phoebe Spoors in that crew.
At the 2020 Olympics, New Zealand totaled five medals in rowing, more than any other nation, including gold in the men's eight, women's single and women's pair.
The Indiana women's rowing program was founded in 1999-2000, the fourth year that the NCAA sponsored women's rowing, and has grown into a strong program. The Hoosiers have earned berths to the NCAA Championships in eight of the last 10 seasons, finishing 15th in the nation last spring. They're also a member of the UW women's team's new conference, the Big Ten, and their roster includes three Kiwis.
Washington's current women's roster includes four athletes from New Zealand: Olivia Hay, Zola Kemp, Shakira Mirfin and Madeleine Parker. Three -time All-American and 2019 Pac-12 Women's Rower of the Year Ella Cossill is a New Zealand native, as are Spoors and her sister Grace Spoors (both varsity rowers), as well as Kirstyn Goodger, a two-time Olympian. Cossill will be a member of the crew that will race vs. the Huskies this Saturday.
The current Husky men's roster boasts seven Kiwis: Harry Fitzpatrick, Kieran Joyce, Marley Kingsmith, Oliver Leach, Will Milne, Ben Shortt, and Ullrich.
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 events.
Additionally, Windermere, UW and the SYC will host a number of events to provide a full week of activity for the Husky rowers and visiting athletes alike.
On the Friday night before the Opening Day Regatta, all of the Windermere Cup crews will race in the annual Twilight Sprints, a race from the traditional Montlake Cut finish line to the eastern end of the Montlake Cut.
WINDERMERE CUP HISTORY & INFORMATION
The Windermere Cup got its start 38 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 28 times in 37 attempts, while the UW women have won 27 out of 37.
This year's event marks the 54th running of the Opening Day regatta, which has included the Windermere Cup for the last 38 years. The 2025 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 www.windermerecup.com.
WINDERMERE PARTY AT THE CUT: Boats, Bites, Brews, and Bands
Kick off Windermere Cup weekend at the fourth annual Party on the Cut and enjoy Boats, Bites, Brews, and Bands!
Who: Open to the public, 21+
What: Enjoy live music, food trucks, drinks, games, and fun!
When: Friday, May 2, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Where: NE Corner of Montlake Cut, near the UW Waterfront Activity Center and ASUW Shellhouse
Tickets: $35 per person. Purchase at this link.
TWILIGHT SPRINTS
For just the fifth time, UW Rowing will host "Twilight Sprints" the evening before the Windermere Cup/Opening Day Regatta. The boats that will race the following morning in the two Windermere Cup races will compete in a sprint from the traditional Montlake Cut finish line and travel approximately 600 meters from west to east down the course, finishing right in front of the old ASUW Shellhouse at the east end, where the annual "Party at the Cut" will be in full swing.
Race times are 8:10 p.m. (men) and 8:25 p.m. (women). The sprints will air live on the UW Athletics YouTube page.
MEDIA CUP
On Tuesday, April 29, at 10:30 a.m. Seattle's local television will battle it out along the Montlake cut for the seventh annual Windermere Cup - Media Cup crew races. The field consists of teams from KOMO TV, KING TV, KIRO TV and Q13 TV. The winning team receives a $2,000 donation from Windermere Real Estate to go to their non-profit organization of choice.
WHERE TO WATCH THE RACE
Saturday's races begin at 10:15 a.m. Paid parking is available at the University of Washington. Fans are invited and encouraged to watch the races, free of charge, along the Montlake Cut. For more information, maps, and parking visit http://windermerecup.withwre.com/directions-parking/
AWARDS CEREMONIES
Award ceremonies will take place following the conclusion of Windermere Cup races AT THE FINISH LINE(i.e., not at the Shellhouse) on the north side of the Cut, for the Windermere and Cascade Cups. The award ceremony for Masters, Collegiate, and Junior's races will take place on the same stage at 1:30 p.m. PT.
Results of the races are posted, in real time, at HereNow.com. You can also follow via Facebook, Instagram,and on X/Twitter at @UW_Rowing and @WindermereCup.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
COX
/ Men's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
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