Breast cancer on these rowers minds

Boats of all shapes and sizes took to the waters of Lake Union, Seattle, United States to ‘Row for the Cure’. Nearly 700 competitors raised over $90,000(USD) for the fight against breast cancer.

The regatta was raced over a 5.5km distance and Redmond’s Sammamish Rowing Association won the overall regatta crown after winning five of the 35 races. Sammamish was also the second biggest fundraisers.

Row for the Cure board member Mike McQuade says that philanthropic regattas have become popular and although they have raised more in the past, this year bucked the recession trend. “Two years ago we raised $98,000 but last year it was $68,000,” says McQuade who noted that this year pledges are up as well as corporate sponsorship.

The Row for the Cure regattas happen around the United States in 21 different locations and there is a competition between the different locations to see who can raise the most money. McQuade is guessing that this year it could well be Seattle.

This was the 11th time the Row for the Cure has been held in Seattle and every year it branches out to cover more watersports. “What’s unique about this event is that rowing regattas are usually exclusively for rowing only,” says McQuade. The Seattle event included racing in dragon boats, surfboards, open water canoes and Native American canoes as well as mixed events in the rowing and parent/child eights and double sculls.

The fastest boat this time was the men’s junior eight with the Everett Rowing Association covering the course in 18:33 followed by the Pocock Rowing Centre.

Row for the Cure began in 1994 and has raised over $1.2 million to look for a cure for breast cancer. It is in 21 cities in the United States and in Germany.

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