The University of Washington men’s varsity eight defeated Great Britain at Seattle’s Opening Day to win the 2026 Windermere Cup, with both crews breaking 5:30 and Northeastern University third in 5:35.
“It was a hell of a win,” said Washington coach and alumnus Michael Callahan, who has been part of most of the 40 Windermere Cups, as a rower and coach. “I don’t think we’ve ever raced two crews of this caliber at the same time here in my coaching career.”
Northeastern led off the start for the first 500, before Washington took the lead and held it, barely, to the end. When the crews crossed the finish line, it was not clear to the thousands of spectators lining the Montlake Cut course who had won.
“It was a great race,” said Washington three seat Lyle Donovan. “In the last 500, we really felt the energy of the crowd, the boat, people on shore above us on the bridge, and that really fueled us to the end.”
Great Britain’s women’s entry beat the Washington women’s varsity by a length, with the Huskies a half length ahead of Rowing Canada’s top women’s eight. Seven of the nine in the British eight medaled at either the 2024 Olympics or 2025 World Rowing Championships, while every member of the Canadian crew had world championship experience.
The Windermere Cup and Opening Day Regatta marks the beginning of yachting season in Seattle and is a huge party day in Seattle, with pleasure boats lining the rowing course, tied up along log booms from the start to the Montlake Cut, which connects Lake Washington to Lake Union. But it was the final regular-season event for both the #4 Washington women, who will race at the Big 10 Championships May 16-17 in Indianapolis, and the #1 Washington men, who will race at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships May 17 at Lake Natoma in Gold River, Sacramento, Calif.
“One of the things about the Windermere Cup is it reminds you that racing is fun,” said Washington women’s head coach Yaz Farooq. “And to be able to square off against two world-class teams and be pushed that hard at this point in the season is something you just can’t get anywhere.”
The post Washington Men Beat Great Britain at Windermere Cup appeared first on Rowing News.
