The University of Washington will open its rowing season with the 125th annual Class Day Regatta on March 21, according to an announcement made on Mar. 16. The event will take place at Montlake Cut and is expected to draw fans both in person and online through live video streams available on B1G+ for U.S. viewers and Overnght.com for international audiences.
The Class Day Regatta marks a longstanding tradition at the university, serving as the official start of the spring rowing season. The main races feature eight-oared crews from each class—freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and possibly fifth-year students—competing over a standard 2,000-meter course ending at Montlake Cut.
Last year’s regatta saw the women’s fifth-year crew win their race for a second consecutive time, while the junior men’s crew took first place and will compete as seniors this year. Saturday’s schedule includes four races: women’s and men’s freshman/varsity challenge races followed by The Seattle Times Women’s Eight and the George M. Varnell Men’s Eight.
Fans can follow live results at HereNow.com if they are unable to attend in person. In addition to racing, the weekend features several traditions including Friday night’s Varsity Boat Club Banquet where new members are inducted, officers introduced, team captains announced, and awards such as highest GPA (Schaller Award) and Most Inspirational (Pigott Award) are presented.
Class Day was first held in 1901 for men and in 1907 for women; after a period of dormancy for women’s events, they returned in 1976 when women regained varsity status. The regatta is also preceded by historical events like the Varsity Boat Club Banquet—a tradition since 1910—and followed by an awards presentation and barbecue at Conibear Shellhouse.
For those seeking a unique viewing experience, UW Rowing offers a Coaches’ Cruise With Croissants aboard a tour boat with head coaches Michael Callahan and Yasmin Farooq providing commentary during the races. Afterward, rowers and fans gather at Conibear Shellhouse for trophy presentations and lunch hosted by UW Rowing Stewards.
